Businesses do evolve. Their evolution necessitates the re-engineering of their existing "business processes”, with the objectives of reducing costs, delivering services on time, and enhancing their profitability in a competitive market. This is generally true and particularly in domains such as manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and education). The central objective of workflow technologies is to separate business policies (which normally are encoded in business logics) from the underlying business applications. Such a separation is desirable as it improves the evolution of business processes and, more often than not, facilitates the re-engineering at the organisation level without the need to detail knowledge or analyses of the application themselves. Workflow systems are currently used by many organisations with a wide range of interests and specialisations in many domains. These include, but not limited to, office automation, finance and banking sector, health-care, art, telecommunications, manufacturing and education. We take the view that a workflow is a set of "activities”, each performs a piece of functionality within a given "context” and may be constrained by some security requirements. These activities are coordinated to collectively achieve a required business objective. The specification of such coordination is presented as a set of "execution constraints” which include parallelisation (concurrency/distribution), serialisation, restriction, alternation, compensation and so on. Activities within workflows could be carried out by humans, various software based application programs, or processing entities according to the organisational rules, such as meeting deadlines or performance improvement. Workflow execution can involve a large number of different participants, services and devices which may cross the boundaries of various organisations and accessing variety of data. This raises the importance of _ context variations and context-awareness and _ security (e.g. access control and privacy). The specification of precise rules, which prevent unauthorised participants from executing sensitive tasks and also to prevent tasks from accessing unauthorised services or (commercially) sensitive information, are crucially important. For example, medical scenarios will require that: _ only authorised doctors are permitted to perform certain tasks, _ a patient medical records are not allowed to be accessed by anyone without the patient consent and _ that only specific machines are used to perform given tasks at a given time. If a workflow execution cannot guarantee these requirements, then the flow will be rejected. Furthermore, features/characteristics of security requirement are both temporal- and/or event-related. However, most of the existing models are of a static nature – for example, it is hard, if not impossible, to express security requirements which are: _ time-dependent (e.g. A customer is allowed to be overdrawn by 100 pounds only up-to the first week of every month. _ event-dependent (e.g. A bank account can only be manipulated by its owner unless there is a change in the law or after six months of his/her death). Currently, there is no commonly accepted model for secure and context-aware workflows or even a common agreement on which features a workflow security model should support. We have developed a novel approach to design, analyse and validate workflows. The approach has the following components: = A modelling/design language (known as CS-Flow). The language has the following features: – support concurrency; – context and context awareness are first-class citizens; – supports mobility as activities can move from one context to another; – has the ability to express timing constrains: delay, deadlines, priority and schedulability; – allows the expressibility of security policies (e.g. access control and privacy) without the need for extra linguistic complexities; and – enjoy sound formal semantics that allows us to animate designs and compare various designs. = An approach known as communication-closed layer is developed, that allows us to serialise a highly distributed workflow to produce a semantically equivalent quasi-sequential flow which is easier to understand and analyse. Such re-structuring, gives us a mechanism to design fault-tolerant workflows as layers are atomic activities and various existing forward and backward error recovery techniques can be deployed. = Provide a reduction semantics to CS-Flow that allows us to build a tool support to animate a specifications and designs. This has been evaluated on a Health care scenario, namely the Context Aware Ward (CAW) system. Health care provides huge amounts of business workflows, which will benefit from workflow adaptation and support through pervasive computing systems. The evaluation takes two complementary strands: – provide CS-Flow’s models and specifications and – formal verification of time-critical component of a workflow.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / The ability to transition technology developments to operational systems is of great importance to the Department of the Navy (DoN). One way to achieve increased transitions is to operate more efficiently - more "like a business." Over the years significant programmatic and policy changes have been introduced in the DoN. One of these changes was the initiation of a new science and technology (S & T) transition process for delivering new capabilities in a more focused manner -- the Future Naval Capability (FNC) process. This thesis examines the FNC technology transition process from a business process perspective. A number of common business parameters are researched and used for comparison to the FNC Process. The goals and objectives of the FNC Process are documented and feedback is obtained from the stakeholder community. Although the FNC Process is new, and remains a work-in-progress, the results of this thesis reveal frustration and concern from all stakeholder communities regarding continued difficulties with the process for delivering new capabilities to the warfighter. In comparing FNC Process parameters to those in the commercial sector this research identifies areas where the FNC operations differ from the private sector. In those areas where useful comparisons can be made the FNC metrics fall short. To realize the increased transitions desired, fundamental changes are still needed. / Civilian, Naval Air Systems Command, United States Navy

Thesis contains description of processes at Commodity Exchange Bratislava, analysis of current state of the processes, and recommends improvements of them for the future use. The main objective is to analyze if the current processes described in the exchange rules are optimal, and in the case they are not, the objective is to recommend the improvements. On behalf of hypothesis "By the application of the model of the process management it is possible to make the functions of the exchange more effective by optimizing the exchange rules, improving of the information systems, or removing of redundant activities." is possible to determine the state of effectiveness of processes. Value added by the thesis is in determining the state of the CEB exchange rules, and making improvements of them. Thesis is divided into chapters according to the conceptual logic of the processes. At the beginning is defined the key process. In next chapters is description of different types of orders, parameters, pairing process, and finally settlement of the contracts.

A Gestão do Ciclo de Vida (LCM) pode ser entendida como uma abordagem para melhorar continuamente o desempenho em sustentabilidade da organização e de seus produtos e serviços por meio da incorporação do pensamento de ciclo de vida nas práticas de negócio. Entretanto, faltam instrumentos de gestão para auxiliar na sua operacionalização e implementação. Nesse sentido cabe destacar as possibilidades advindas da abordagem de Gestão por Processos de Negócio (BPM), que visa a reestruturação e otimização das atividades organizacionais. Este trabalho teve como objetivo identificar e analisar as relações entre essa duas abordagens, verificando as possibilidades de contribuições entre elas. Para isso foi conduzida uma revisão bibliográfica sistemática para identificar as definições e práticas de BPM e LCM, que foram utilizadas para a elaboração de definições de trabalho e para a análise das relações entre as práticas e os processos de negócio. Adicionalmente, foi realizado um estudo bibliométrico para identificar relações entre as duas áreas de pesquisa, a partir do qual é possível afirmar que não há referencial teórico compartilhado entre as duas áreas. Em contrapartida, os resultados da análise de publicações indicam que as práticas de BPM estão relacionadas com os processos de negócio e com o desempenho da organização, e que muitas práticas de LCM estão sendo aplicadas nos processos de negócio, havendo assim uma relação indireta entre as abordagens. Além disso, foram identificadas oportunidades de contribuição relacionados a teoria e prática dessas abordagens: BPM possui um conjunto de práticas para a gestão e melhoria dos processos com base no planejamento estratégico, enquanto LCM possui elementos e práticas que visam a sustentabilidade do ciclo de vida de produtos. / Life cycle management (LCM) is an approach for continuously improve the sustainability performance in organizations and its products through the incorporation of life cycle thinking in business practices. However, there are few management instruments to support this approach. Aiming to meet this demand, the purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship of LCM with Business Process Management, which aims at continuous improvement of organizational activities. A systematic literature review was conduct to identify BPM and LCM definitions and practices, which were used to define BPM and LCM and to analyze the relationship between practices and business process. Additionally, a bibliometric study was conducted to identify relationships between the two areas and its results shows that there are no conceptual framework shared between two. In constrast, the results indicate that BPM practices are related to business processes and organizational performance, and that many LCM practices are being applied into business processes, thus having an indiredt relationship between approaches. In addition, opportunities related to theory and practice are indentified: BPM has a set of practices for the management and improvement of process based on strategic planning, while LCM has elements and practices aimed at sustainability of the life cycle of products.

Submitted by William Justo Figueiro (williamjf) on 2015-08-20T18:30:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 20e.pdf: 4354704 bytes, checksum: 26eee55e1a24f4c160792bddee0f9dcf (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-08-20T18:30:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 20e.pdf: 4354704 bytes, checksum: 26eee55e1a24f4c160792bddee0f9dcf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Nenhuma / A pesquisa em processos de negócios vem se desenvolvendo em torno de uma produção do conhecimento disciplinar, tradicional, conhecida como Modo 1 de produção do conhecimento. Os problemas estudados com esta abordagem são resolvidos em um contexto em que o conhecimento acadêmico prevalece, não havendo maiores preocupações com relação a aplicabilidade prática do conhecimento gerado. Sendo assim, este trabalho tem como objetivo dar o primeiro passo no sentido da produção do conhecimento Modo 2, propondo um framework para a produção deste tipo de conhecimento no desenvolvimento da pesquisa em processos de negócios. Para isso, foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica qualitativa e quantitativa para definir e conceituar classes de problemas, transdisciplinares através da avaliação dos últimos 5 anos (2007 – 2012) de publicações da Business Process Management Journal. Com a construção deste framework, as classes de problemas foram lançadas e apresentadas para mostrar o caminho para uma futura agenda de pesquisa em processos de negócios. / The research on business processes has been developed around a production of disciplinary knowledge, traditionally known as Mode 1 of knowledge production. The studied problems are solved with this approach in a context in which academic knowledge prevails, with no major concerns about the practical applicability of the knowledge generated. Thus, this dissertation aims to take the first step towards Mode 2 knowledge production, proposing a framework for the production of this type of knowledge in the development of research in business processes. For this, was conducted a qualitative and quantitative literature search for conceptualize and define classes of problems through multidisciplinary evaluation of the last 5 years (2007-2012) in publications of Business Process Management Journals. The objectives of this study were achieved with the construction of this framework, where classes of problems have been launched and presented to show the way for a future research agenda in business processes.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-07-19T11:05:26Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Gilmar Teixeira Junior - 2017.pdf: 6982787 bytes, checksum: c52c456e0cb8184f1f7144d862bff726 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-07-19T11:05:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Gilmar Teixeira Junior - 2017.pdf: 6982787 bytes, checksum: c52c456e0cb8184f1f7144d862bff726 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-19T11:05:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Gilmar Teixeira Junior - 2017.pdf: 6982787 bytes, checksum: c52c456e0cb8184f1f7144d862bff726 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-03 / Storing information in large data repositories (Big Data) creates opportunities for Organizations to use Process Mining techniques to extract knowledge about the performance and actual flow of their processes of business. One of the fundamental elements for achieving this objective is the relationship between process modeling languages, process event logging (logs) and Process Mining algorithms. In this work, comparisons were made between three languages (BPMN, Petri Nets and YAWL) which are usually used to model business processes with respect to their capabilities of use in Process Mining, especially in Process Discovery. The models created were based on typical Workflow patterns and five scenarios were simulated for each language using three Process Discovery algorithms (Alpha, Heuristic Miner and ILP Miner). The results indicate that the choice of the language used in the modeling and in recording of the business processes influences the quality of the results obtained by the Process Discovery algorithms. This work also presents suggestions for the development of process modeling languages and process mining algorithms. / O armazenamento das informações em grandes repositórios de dados (Big Data) geram oportunidades para que as Organizações utilizem técnicas de Mineração de Processos (Process Mining) para extrair conhecimento sobre o desempenho e o fluxo real de seus processos de negócio. Um dos elementos fundamentais para que este objetivo seja alcançado está na relação entre as linguagens de modelagem de processos, o registro dos eventos de processo (logs) e os algoritmos de Mineração de Processos. Neste trabalho, foram realizadas comparações entre três linguagens (BPMN, Redes de Petri e YAWL) normalmente utilizadas para modelar processos de negócio com respeito a suas capacidades de utilização na Mineração de Processos, em especial, na Descoberta de Processos. Os modelos criados foram baseados em padrões típicos de Workflow e cinco cenários foram simulados para cada linguagem utilizando três algoritmos de Descoberta de Processos (Alpha, Heuristic Miner e ILP Miner). Os resultados indicam que a escolha da linguagem utilizada na modelagem e no registro dos processos de negócio influencia na qualidade dos resultados obtidos pelos algoritmos de Descoberta de Processos. O trabalho também apresenta sugestões para o desenvolvimento das linguagens de modelagem de processos e dos algoritmos de Mineração de Processos.

<p>IT as an enabler, by obtaining benefits to an organization, was the coherent apprehension behind the purchase of the Enterprise Resource System R/3 by Ericsson in 1997. Public Networks, a 33.000 worker’s division at Ericsson, have had profitability problems during the recent years prior to the purchase. By integrating R/3 with an organizational change, the management aimed to obtain foreseen benefits, such as headcount reduction and shorter lead times.</p><p>This thesis shows in theory as in practice difficulties and obstacles in reaching and calculating benefits of IT. Through analyzing the system along with the business processes targeted by the integration project, a list of Key Performance Indicators was brought to the stakeholders of the organization. Through numerous interviews and meetings throughout the division the indicators were discussed, depicted and analyzed.</p><p>In a consensus driven organization as Public Networks, the integration project withholding the largest Enterprise Resource Planning systems had to work politically with communication to be able to gain approval for its benefits. In failing to win the process against different views and stakeholders, benefits was to be at risk and more importantly, later shown to be impossible to measure.</p>

Currently, there are many software applications handling planning, scheduling, material management, invoicing, workflow management within an organization. However, companies need to plan across a wider span of activities and need to collaborate with their partners to optimize the &#039 / &#039 / overall&#039 / &#039 / profitability. This requires collaborative planning within a supply chain and exchange of planning data. Collaborative Planning, Forecast and Replenishment (CPFR) is one of the most prominent initiatives on Collaborative Planning. However, CPFR only provides guidelines, but does not mandate any technology for the definition and execution of planning process. Therefore, companies have difficulties to define and deploy CPFR solutions and there is a need for a Service Oriented, Open Platform for the definition and execution of collaborative planning processes involving many supply chain tiers. In this work, first of all, the building blocks of the planning process have been defined as machine processable definitions in OASIS ebXML Business Specification Language (ebBP). CPFR Designer Tool developed provides the users to visually create CPFR Processes in ebBP and to convert this ebBP process definition automatically to an executable business process using OASIS Business Process Execution Language (WS-BPEL). In this way, the supply chain enterprises are able to create customized CPFR processes which are in integration with the underlying intra-enterprise planning processes. Moreover, in the thesis, a CPFR Process Execution Environment is prepared where the generated CPFR Process can be executed. The work presented in this thesis is realized as a part of IST-213031 iSURF project funded by European Commission under ICT FP7.

Wise investments in Information Technology have become increasingly important in staying competitive in today's environment. Massive amounts of people and IT-systems are involved in the process of input becoming output. As these employees and IT-systems must be harmonized, it becomes relevant to study how employees’ routines and habits are related to the usage and embeddedness of these systems. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how embedded IT can lead to improved business processes. This is done through exploring how embedded IT is used in workflows as well as to examine what support and hindrance IT can offer. Therefore, extensive theoretical research was conducted within the fields of habits and routines, business processes and embedded IT, developing a framework for analysis. Then, a case study was conducted where a specific process within insurance claims was thoroughly analyzed through interviews and work shadowing. This facilitated a within-case analysis. The results of the study showed the interdependency between the pillars of this study. Workflow habits and routines influences IT usage, whereas IT aims to support through automatization and informatization. However, to enable this and achieve a significant improvement, the processes it aims to support needs to be fully known.

Die Bedeutung der Zulieferer für die Automobilhersteller wächst stetig, weil die Zulieferer immer stärker in den gesamten Wertschöpfungsprozess des Herstellers eingebunden werden und somit ständig Planung, Qualität und Logistikabläufe optimiert werden müssen. Betriebliche Anwendungen, wie Enterprise Resource Planning- (ERP-) oder Produktionsplanung- und –steuerungs-(PPS-) Systeme werden benötigt, um den störungsfreien und reibungslosen Ablauf der Geschäftsprozesse und damit die ständige Lieferfähigkeit gegenüber dem Automobilhersteller zu garantieren [1]. Anhand eines Marktüberblicks werden in diesem Beitrag innovative Ansätze, Möglichkeiten und Koordinationsmechanismen zur Unterstützung der Produktion in verteilten Standorten von aktuellen ERP-/PPS-Systemen vorgestellt. / Optimisation of cross-plant business processes in the automotive industry: The importance of components suppliers for automotive manufacturer is constantly increasing. This is because they are more and more integrated in the complete value-added process of the manufacturers. Thus the optimisation of planning, quality and logistical workflows is essential. ERP- and PPS-systems are needed to guarantee undisturbed business processes and to assure the ability to supply. The following market research will introduce innovative approaches, opportunities and coordination instruments of ERP-/PPS-systems to support the production of distributed locations.