Företag strävar idag alltmer efter att automatisera och effektivisera sina verksamhetsprocesser. Till följd av den digitala transformationen av vårt samhälle skapas ständigt nya möjligheter och tekniska innovationer för att stödja automatiseringen av processer genom att göra saker på helt nytt sätt genom att använda sig av modern informations- och datorteknik. Denna studie undersöker en ny teknisk innovation i form av mjukvarutekniken RPA (robotstyrd processautomation) samt dess förmåga att automatisera arbetsuppgifter som vanligtvis utförs manuellt. Studien syftar till att belysa de utmaningar som riskerar att uppstå samt vad som bör beaktas vid utvecklandet av RPA inom en verksamhetsprocess vilket redovisas i form av rekommendationer. Studiens metod utgår från ett explorativt angreppssätt, en kvalitativ datainsamling samt har en abduktiv ansats då ett fenomen både undersöks och analyseras med hjälp av teori relaterat till RPA och automatiserandet av verksamhetsprocesser. De utmaningar och rekommendationer som tagits fram baseras på resultat från mötestillfällen i form av semistrukturerade workshops baserade på utvecklingsprocessens fyra steg samt på utvecklingsgruppens egna upplevelser kombinerat med den teori som använts som underlag för analys. Studiens viktigaste resultat är att processen noga bör kartläggas och optimeras innan utvecklandet inleds samt att en ständig uppföljning med slutanvändaren genomförs i syfte för att upptäcka eventuella förändringar av krav. Någon inom utvecklingsgruppen bör, utöver ett tekniskt perspektiv, även inneha ett processperspektiv samt grundläggande kunskap kring utvecklingen av en verksamhet. / In today’s society companies increasingly strive to automate and streamline their business processes. As a result of the digital transformation of our society, new opportunities and technological innovations are constantly being created with the purpose of supporting the automation of processes by doing things in a completely new way and by utilizing modern information and computer technology. This study examines the new technological innovation in the form of a software technology called RPA (robotic process automation) and its ability to automate tasks that are usually performed manually. The study aims to highlight the challenges that are likely to arise and what the developer should consider when developing RPA within an operational process, which is presented in the form of recommendations. The method of the study is based on an exploratory approach, a qualitative data collection and an abductive approach, since a phenomenon is examined and analyzed using theory related to RPA and the automation of business processes. The challenges and recommendations that have been developed are based on results from a number of meeting sessions in the form of semi-structured workshops based on the four stages of the development process and on the development group's own experiences combined with the theory used as a basis for an analysis. The most important result of the study is that the process should be carefully mapped out and optimized before the development begins and that a continuous follow-up with the end user should be carried out in order to detect any changes in requirements. Someone within the development group should, in addition to a technical perspective, also possess a perspective related to processes and basic knowledge of business development in general.

Toute organisation doit aujourd'hui être capable de s'adapter de plus en plus vite aux évolutions stratégiques, organisationnelles et techniques. Pour cela, elle doit pouvoir identifier, modéliser, simuler, exécuter, optimiser et faire évoluer ses processus métier en fonction de ces changements. L'approche BPM (Business Process Management) propose des langages, des méthodes et des outils pour la modélisation, l'exécution et l'optimisation des processus. Mais l'étape de modélisation reste lourde à mettre en œuvre, couteuse, souvent effectuée par un expert analyste métier et donc peu consensuelle. Par opposition, la méthode ISEA est une approche participative dans laquelle les différents acteurs fonctionnels d'un processus métier conçoivent ensemble, de façon simple, ludique et rapide, une représentation des processus consensuelle et évolutive. Cette méthode est basée sur le cycle de vie traditionnel de gestion des processus métier, mais introduit 4 phases originales : l'identification, la simulation, l'évaluation et l'amélioration. Ces phases sont basées sur des outils de gestion de la qualité et utilisent un jeu de rôles (serious game) pour rendre la modélisation de processus plus attractive et collaborative. Le résultat est un modèle de processus simple et organisationnellement optimisé que nous transformons ensuite dans un modèle BPMN par une approche de type IDM. / Nowadays, organizations have to be flexible enough to allow adjustments to new circumstances, users' requirements, respecting environmental constraints and technological evolution. Business process management (BPM) technologies provides the base that enables to adapt, optimize and evolve the business. However modeling can be hard and costly, often done by business analyst experts. In contrast, ISEA Method is a collaborative approach that lets functional actors of a process design together in a fun, fast and simple way a consensual and evolved process representation. ISEA Method is based on the traditional BPM life cycle, but introduces four original phases: Identification, Simulation, Evaluation, Amelioration These phases are supported by quality process improvement tools and use a role-playing game (serious game) in order to stimulate people and modeling in a collaborative way. The result is a “basic” and optimized process representation that we convert in a BPMN model by using the IDM approach .

Capacidade de absorção é um tipo de capacidade dinâmica da firma, presente na literatura de gestão estratégica e que demonstra a aprendizagem organizacional, a partilha de conhecimentos, a inovação e o desempenho da empresa. Estudos anteriores indicam que é importante se concentrar nas rotinas e processos que as organizações usam para adquirir, assimilar, transformar e explorar o conhecimento, dentro do conceito de capacidade de absorção. Entretanto, é ainda um tema recente e pouco estudado na academia e, por isso, alguns autores chamam a atenção para a falta de estudos dos processos relacionados a efetiva implementação e realização da capacidade de absorção nas empresas. Nesse contexto, o objetivo deste trabalho é fornecer uma compreensão de como a capacidade de absorção ocorre nas startups, que mantém relacionamentos interorganizacionais com grandes empresas, para obtenção de vantagem competitiva, sob a perspectiva do gerenciamento de processos de negócio. Para atender aos objetivos propostos, foi utilizado o estudo de caso como método de pesquisa, permitindo identificar os gatilhos que iniciam e terminam os processos de absorção de conhecimento nas startups, bem como as atividades estruturadas e sistematizadas que operacionalizam o conceito. Foi construído um diagrama de atividades que representa o modelo de processos para o desenvolvimento da capacidade de absorção, indicando que os processos de negócio estão relacionados aos fluxos de informações que são processados pelas startups nos programas de aceleração corporativa. As vantagens competitivas decorrentes da capacidade de absorção concretizam-se nas startups por meio da flexibilidade estratégica, inovação do tipo organizacional e no desempenho organizacional, avaliado na perspectiva de seus processos internos. O estudo contribui para o avanço no estado da arte ao descrever os processos de negócio relacionados à operacionalização do conceito de capacidade de absorção em startups, por meio dos relacionamentos interorganizacionais com as grandes empresas. / Absorptive capacity is a type of dynamic capabilities of the firm, present in the strategic management literature, that demonstrates the organizational learning, the knowledge sharing, the innovation and the performance of the company. Previous studies indicate that it is important to focus on the routines and processes that organizations use to acquire, assimilate, transform and exploit knowledge within the concept of absorptive capacity. However, it is still a recent and little-studied topic at the academy and therefore some authors draw attention to the lack of studies of the processes related to the effective implementation and realization of the absorptive capacity in the companies. In this context, the aim of this work is to provide an understanding of how absorptive capacity occurs in startups, which maintains interorganizational relationships with large companies, to gain competitive advantage, from the perspective of Business Process Management. To meet the proposed objectives, the research method was the case study, that is allowing the identification of triggers that initiate and end the processes of absorptive of knowledge in the startups, as well as structured and systematized activities that operationalize the concept. An activity diagram was made that represents the process model for the development of absorptive capacity, indicating that the business processes are related to the information flows that are processed by the startups in the corporate accelerator programs. The competitive advantages arising from the absorptive capacity are achieved in the startups through strategic flexibility, organizational-type innovation and organizational performance, evaluated from the perspective of their internal processes. The study contributes to the advancement in the state of the art by describing the business processes related to the operationalization of the concept of absorptive capacity in startups, through the interorganizational relationships with the large companies.

Existe uma tendência entre as organizações por optarem pela abordagem de gestão por processos no lugar da abordagem funcional tradicional, porém a falta de integração dos projetos de gestão por processos leva a desperdícios de recursos e diminuição no retorno sobre o investimento. Os Escritórios de Processos podem ser uma proposta de resposta à falta de integração dos projetos de gestão por processos. Em contrapartida, as Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) necessitam ampliar sua eficácia gerencial e a gestão por processos pode ser uma solução. A oportunidade de investigação relacionando os temas levou a seguinte pergunta de pesquisa: \"O que propor em um Escritório de Processos para uma Instituição de Ensino Superior?\". Para responder a essa pergunta o objetivo geral deste trabalho era propor um Escritório de Processos em uma Instituição de Ensino Superior. Para alcançar o objetivo principal, foram traçados dois objetivos específicos: desenvolver um framework para propor um Escritório de Processos e desenvolver uma proposta de um Escritório de Processos em uma IES. Para atender a estes objetivos, este trabalho combina a utilização de duas abordagens metodológicas: revisão bibliográfica e estudo de casos. Como resultados da pesquisa foram desenvolvidos o framework para propor um Escritório de Processos e a proposta do Escritório de Processos para um IES. A pesquisa contribuiu para o estado da arte sobre o assunto Escritório de Processos. A proposta do Escritório de Processos e framework foram inovadores do ponto de vista bibliográfico, uma vez que trouxeram um modelo de Escritório de Processos que a literatura não aborda. Esse estudo auxiliou à referida IES a iniciar a constituição de seu Escritório de Processos. Dentre os interessados no estudo, destacam-se IESs, organizações de um modo geral, responsáveis por processos de negócios, pesquisadores e consultores. / There is a tendency among organizations opt for a Business Process Management approach instead of the traditional functional approach. BPM Center of Excellence can be a proposed answer to the lack of integration of process management projects. In contrast, the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) need to broaden their managerial effectiveness and process management can be a solution. The opportunity to research relating the themes led to the following research question: \" What proposing in a BPM Center of Excellence for an Institution of Higher Education ? \" . To answer this question the overall goal of this work was to propose an BPM Center of Excellence in a Higher Education Institution. To achieve the main objective, two specific objectives were set: to develop a framework to propose a Process Office and develop a proposal for an Center of Excellence in an HEI. To meet these objectives, this paper combines the use of two methodological approaches: literature review and case studies. The results of the research framework were developed to propose a BPM Center of Excellence and the proposal of the Office of Proceedings for IES. The research contributed to the state of the art on the subject BPM Center of Excellence. The proposal of the Office and framework were innovative from the point of view of literature as it brought a model of a BPM Center of Excellence that literature does not address. This study helped to said HEIs to start setting up BPM Center of Excellence. Among those interested in the study, we highlight HEIs , organizations in general , responsible for business processes , researchers and consultants .

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2015-07-06T15:59:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tatiane Pereira Librelato.pdf: 2585503 bytes, checksum: 9509f7ee1b36ce26fb6551c0ea946ef5 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-06T15:59:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tatiane Pereira Librelato.pdf: 2585503 bytes, checksum: 9509f7ee1b36ce26fb6551c0ea946ef5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Nenhuma / Sob a perspectiva dos processos de negócios, as empresas investem em inovações e melhorias, onde usualmente são aplicadas abordagens já estabelecidas. Esta dinâmica inicia por um diagnóstico modelando, ou não, os processos de negócios para entendimento da situação atual. Entretanto, tais abordagens usualmente não consideram a circularidade das inter-relações subjacentes dos sistemas da organização e como estas conexões afetam os sistemas entre si. Sob o paradigma da melhoria dos processos de negócios, pensar em mudanças sem pensar nos elementos inerentes a percepção humana pode favorecer a tomada de decisões no presente que possivelmente originam problemas inesperados no futuro, interferindo nos processos de negócios como um todo. Assim, esta pesquisa tem por objetivo propor uma abordagem para entender sistemicamente os processos de negócios através da integração entre a Engenharia de Processos de Negócios (EPN) e o Pensamento Sistêmico (PS). Para tal foram combinados os conceitos de tais áreas relativos aos objetivos da pesquisa com o Método Sistêmico. Uma abordagem inicial foi estruturada e aplicada em estudo de caso exploratório com única unidade de análise. A partir da avaliação empírica a abordagem foi refinada, tratando-se, portanto de uma pesquisa de natureza aplicada e com abordagem qualitativa. Os resultados da pesquisa apontam evidências de que a combinação entre PS e EPN pode contribuir para melhor entendimento dos processos de negócios. / From the perspective of business processes, the companies invest in innovations and improvements, where usually established approaches are applied. This dynamic starts by a diagnostic modeling, or not, the business processes for understanding the current situation. However, such approaches usually do not consider the circularity of the interrelationships of the systems of the organization and how these connections affect the systems between systems. Regarding the paradigm of Business Process Improvement, think of changes without thinking in the elements inherent to human perception can facilitate the decision-making in these possibly present to unexpected problems in the future, interfering in business processes as a whole. Thus, this research aims to propose an approach to systemically understand business processes through the integration between the Business Process Engineering (BPE) and Systems Thinking. Then were combined the concepts of such areas concerning the aims of research with the Systems Method. An initial approach was structured and applied in exploratory case study with single unit of analysis. From the empirical evaluation approach was refined in the case, so a search of applied nature and qualitative approach. The search results are evidence that the combination between BPE and ST can contribute to better understanding of business processes.

Problem: While global IT competition is becoming increasingly severe, various business organizations and companies, in order to maximize the profit and gain market competitiveness, are in urgent need of high-performance workflow systems to improve efficiency. However, the workflow systems that are currently used are embedded with fixed business rules that cannot be easily adjusted by users, resulting in the inability of users to make adjustments to the business rules, so as to satisfy changed requirements and deal with high cost of business management and low efficiency. Therefore, it is highly desirable for users of workflow systems, especially retail supply chain companies, to employ a new type of systems that can be easily adjusted by end users themselves when required.Solution: The rule-based workflow system architecture for the management of retail supply chain business process is recommended. In such architecture, the business rules can be separated from the system logic and managed by users via a friendly interface. The rule-based workflow systems can greatly enhance the system efficiency and lower maintenance cost, as compared with the traditional workflow system or other similar information systems. And the efficiency of retail supply chain business process management can be greatly enhanced by employing rule-based workflow systems.Methods: Two main research problems and four sub-research problems, which serve as the guidance to conduct related research work, have been identified. The research work has been divided into the theoretical part and the empirical part. In the theoretical part, the theory of rule base establishment and rule-based workflow system architecture are discussed. In the empirical part, data analysis as well as prototype design are conducted by employing both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. Attempts are also made to verify the theories suggested in the theoretical part by means of empirical research. Based on both theoretical and empirical research, attempts are made to find solutions to the research questions. In general, this thesis arms at providing references for the future research related to rule-based workflow system management in retail supply chain management. The thesis also aims to provide references for the practical use of rule-based systems in the retail supply chain field with such issues as system development and maintenance, especially for the system of complex and changeable business processes. Most importantly, some solutions are offered to the challenges of retail supply chain management. / Program: Magisterutbildning i informatik

This thesis focuses on modeling of business processes which are very sensitive on correct capturing of process details characterized as process events and states. At the beginning of the analysis are the process events and states classified into three types: activity related, object related and time related. Each type is analyzed in detail and there are formulated states and their transitions that form a lifecycle of each individual type of the process state. There are discussed contemporary process modeling languages starting from the very popular to relatively less known, all representing slightly different approach towards process modeling. The analysis of process events and states shows that the contemporary process modeling languages cover the defined lifecycles only partially. There are picked three popular process modeling languages and put through a test case, which is based on Czech regulation of a building process. This test case allows us to review their capabilities to capture the process events including the ways how they get along with their only partial support. Upon analysis of process events and states and the unsatisfying results of the con-temporary process modeling languages in the test case, there is introduced a new process modeling language which, as demonstrated, is capable of capturing many of the process events and states in the test case in much simpler and precise way that the three reviewed process modeling languages were able to.

A remanufatura é um processo industrial em que produtos usados são restaurados à condição de novos. Apesar de receber crescente atenção pelos meios empresarial e acadêmico, as pesquisas relacionadas muitas vezes são tratadas de forma fragmentada e de maneira difícil de incorporar às atividades das empresas. Neste sentido, a abordagem de processos de negócio pode ser usada para analisar e integrar as atividades de remanufatura, e a primeira ação para isto é a identificação dos processos e sua modelagem. Alguns modelos de referência para remanufatura e outras opções de recuperação de produtos têm sido desenvolvidos. Contudo, alguns deles são focados em tópicos pontuais da remanufatura, comumente a logística reversa e operações. Outros modelos que incorporam outros processos ou níveis de decisão, não tratam das particularidades da remanufatura. Para preencher esta lacuna, este trabalho apresenta o GRem Gerenciar a Remanufatura, um modelo que visa integrar os diferentes tipos de processos de negócio para a remanufatura. A estrutura é dividida em seis grupos de processos e permite a sistematização de boas práticas da remanufatura. A versão preliminar do modelo foi desenvolvida a partir de uma base conceitual teórico-empírica, composta da literatura e de estudos de casos. Novos estudos de casos, análise crítica por especialistas da academia e avaliação por profissionais da indústria constituíram iterações que resultaram na versão final do modelo. Espera-se que a estrutura facilite o planejamento e operação da remanufatura e a identificação de técnicas, ferramentas e práticas de apoio. Pretende-se ainda contribuir para o desenvolvimento e difusão do conhecimento sobre a remanufatura, sendo um instrumento de comunicação entre academia e indústria. / Remanufacture is an industrial process in which worn-out products are restored to as new condition. Although its growing attention by academy and industry, related research topics are still addressed in a fragmented way and it is difficult to embody them to companies activities. In this sense, business processes approaches can be used to analyse and integrate remanufacturing activities, and the first step to this is processes identification and modelling. Some reference models for remanufacturing and other product recovery option have been developed. Nevertheless, some of them focus on remanufacturing scattered topics, usually reverse logistics and operations. Other models cover other processes or decision levels, but do not capture remanufacturing specificities. In order to fulfil this lacuna, this study presents a business processes model for remanufacture, which intends for integration of remanufacturing cross-company processes. The framework is grouped into six process groups and also ground for systematization of reported remanufacturing-related good practices. Preliminary version was constructed from a theoretical and empirical conceptual basis, comprised for literature and case studies. Other case studies, critical analysis by academic experts and evaluation by industry practitioners were iterative steps which resulted in the final version of the model. This framework is supposed to make easier for industry practitioners planning their remanufacturing operations and find tools, techniques and other practices for supporting the remanufacturing business processes. It is also expected to contribute for spreading existing remanufacturing knowledge and development of it by the two-hand academic-industry communication.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-08-23T15:22:12Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Francis André Soso_.pdf: 1954091 bytes, checksum: e741d5f92fec36ade5c970df63f17086 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-23T15:22:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Francis André Soso_.pdf: 1954091 bytes, checksum: e741d5f92fec36ade5c970df63f17086 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-06-06 / Nenhuma / A adoção do Business Process Management (BPM) é um tema de interesse das organizações e também das pesquisas nas áreas de Gestão e Tecnologia da Informação (TI) pelo seu potencial de melhorar o desempenho organizacional. Entretanto, os fatores que caracterizam sua adoção não estão esclarecidos na literatura, pois as pesquisas existentes apresentam limitações relacionadas a contexto, público participante, abrangência de conceitos e setor de mercado onde foram realizadas. Portanto o objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar quais fatores caracterizam a adoção do BPM pelas organizações. Para isso identificou-se na literatura os fatores que caracterizam essa adoção e os fatores críticos de sucesso (FCS) relacionando-os com dez princípios propostos por Brocke et al. (2014a). A partir daí desenvolveu e validou-se um instrumento para medir a implantação e uso dos conceitos de BPM nas organizações. Por fim analisou-se as práticas organizacionais associadas a essa adoção. O método utilizado para atingir esses objetivos foi o de uma pesquisa do tipo survey aplicada em um público de profissionais ligados ao tema da pesquisa no período de 28/08/2015 a 16/11/2015. A amostra alcançou 352 respondentes e a coleta de dados deu-se por questionário distribuído via internet. Para análise dos dados utilizou-se como técnica a análise exploratória e a modelagem de equações estruturais (MEE) e como método a análise fatorial confirmatória (AFC). Após ajustes realizados no modelo o resultado da análise indicou a validade e confiabilidade do instrumento de pesquisa. Por fim, demonstra-se a contribuição dessa pesquisa ao indicar os dez fatores que caracterizam a adoção do BPM pelas organizações. São eles: características internas, modelagem de processos, sinergia entre áreas, clareza no nível estratégico, comprometimento, papéis e responsabilidades, cadeia de valor, priorização de processos, cultura de processos e implementação. / The adoption of Business Process Management (BPM) is an issue of interest organizations and also of research in Management and Information Technology (IT) for its potential to improve organizational performance. However, the factors which characterize its adoption are not clear in the literature because the existing research present limitations related to the context, participating public, scope of concepts and market sector where they were performed. Therefore the aim of this study was to analyze which factors characterize the adoption of BPM in organizations. For this purpose was identified in the literature the factors that characterize this adoption and the critical success factors (CSF) relating them with ten principles proposed by Brocke et al. (2014a). From then it developed and validated an instrument to measure the implementation and use of BPM concepts in organizations. Finally we analyzed the organizational practices associated with this adoption. The method used to achieve these goals was the survey type applied in a professional public related to the subject of research in the period from 08/28/2015 to 11/16/2015. The sample reached 352 respondents and data collection occurred by questionnaire distributed over the Internet. For data analysis was used as a technical exploratory analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) and as a method confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). After adjustments to the model analysis results indicated the validity and reliability of research instrument. Finally, bring forward the contribution of this research to indicate the ten factors that characterize the adoption of BPM by organizations. These are: internal characteristics, process modeling, synergy between departments, clearly at the strategic level, commitment, roles and responsibilities, value chain, prioritization process, process culture and implementation.

The operational advantages of a pull system are very well documented. These advantages include not only operational efficiency and quality, but also the enhancement of the customer oriented of the organization. The objective of this field study is to examine the applicability and potential advantages of a pull operational system in a mid-size manufacturing organization. Philosophies, tools, and concepts of Just-in-Time, Theory of Constraints, Business Process Re-engineering, and Root Cause Analysis are used to analyze the existing operational system, to identify its weaknesses, and finally to re-engineer it to be more consistent with a pull operational system. The results of this field study appear to be consistent with reported findings in the literature. The results point to both operational gains and customer related benefits which can be attributed to the pull operational system philosophy. Conclusions and recommendations are presented and discussed in light of their practical and theoretical implications.