Intended learning outcomes: Present concepts in business process engineering and management, state and event. Differentiate between core competencies and core processes of a company.
Figure 4.1.1.1 shows terms used in business process engineering. Cf. Section 1.1.1.
| Term | Word origin, definition | Related terms |
|---|---|---|
| state, status | mode or condition of being | quality; the way things stand |
| event | something that happens; archaic: outcome | occurence |
| core competency | significant or crucial ability, capability, or skill | |
| core process | a process for which a company has competitive competencies | |
| logistics system | comprises logistics tasks, functions and methods, processes, states, flow, and its trigger event. Has its order and process management |
Fig. 4.1.1.1 Concepts in business process engineering and management
Looking at the pair of terms state and event, we see that each task or subprocess describes an action state within the whole process, in which the goods being processed (material or information) exist. Between two tasks or subprocesses, there is a transition. If processing does not continue immediately, the transition ends in a waiting state. An example would be a buffer or an in-box in an office. The event is then a special process through which a person or a sensor registers the waiting state and then triggers the next process or task.
It is generally easier to identify the core competencies of a company than to derive core processes from them. A core competency may consist in a function that occurs in various business processes that themselves do not have to constitute core processes. Also, other functions of the business processes do not have to be core competencies. Indeed, it is not always easy to distinguish between important and less important business processes.
A logistics system is like an independent supplier, responsible for fulfilling the order itself.
The following animation shows terms used in the engineering of business processes. It also refers to definitons given in Fig. 1.1.1.2.
To get more information roll over the terms.
Small exercise: Drag and drop the correct definition adjacent to each term.
Course section 4.1: Subsections and their intended learning outcomes
4.1 Elements of Business Process Management
Intended learning outcomes: Produce an overview on terms in business process engineering. Describe order management and graphical representation of logistics processes.
4.1.1 Terms in Business Process Engineering: State and Event, Core Competeny and Core Process
Intended learning outcomes: Present concepts in business process engineering and management, state and event. Differentiate between core competencies and core processes of a company.
4.1.2 Order Management and Graphical Representation of Logistics Processes
Intended learning outcomes: Describe MEDILS (Method for Description of Integrated Logistics Systems) and its symbols.
4.1.2b Graphical Representation of Logistics Processes: Connection of the MEDILS Symbols
Intended learning outcomes: Explain the connections of the MEDILS symbols.
