How to Design, Implement, and Manage Accepted Business Processes

Business process related consulting accounts for a substantial part of the total consulting turnover. However, the positive results that are frequently associated with business process management can only be achieved through triggering of the process by its users and the correct execution by the process operators. Unfortunately, business scandals in various domains have shown that people sometimes do not execute their processes according to given standards or do not use existing processes at all. This failure in process execution can lead not only to suboptimal performance but also to life threatening disasters. By circumvention of official channels, individuals within the company create shadow organizations. Thus, unofficial processes and shadow IT systems emerge, which run alongside the official organization. This in turn has several disadvantages, among others increased complexity and lack of transparency, compliance risks and higher costs. It is, therefore, of crucial importance for clients and consultants alike to understand, why people accept or dismiss official business processes. This contribution proposes a theoretically as well as empirically founded model to explain why some processes are practiced, and others not. Thus, when designing or implementing process changes in the course of consulting projects, these results offer guidance and support for consultants as well as clients.