Impact of It on Process Improvement

VOL. 3, nary(prenominal) 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 journal of emerge Tr balances in reason and discipline Sciences 2009-2012 CIS ledger. entirely(a) rights reserved. http//www. cisjournal. org adjoin of IT on don Improvement 1 1 Lotfollah najjar, 2 Ziaul huq, 3 Seyed-mahmoud aghazadeh, 4 Saeedreza hafeznezamiCollege of cultivation Science & applied science, University of northeast at Omaha, USA, Fax 402-554-3284, 2 College of lineage Administration, University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA, Fax 402-554-268, 3 section of patronage Administration, School of Business, State University of refreshing York at Fredonia, Fredonia, Ny 14063, USA, Fax 716-673-3332, 4 cultured and Environmental Engineering UCLA, 5731 Boelter H only, box 951593 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1593 1 emailprotected unomaha. edu, emailprotected, emailprotected edu, emailprotected com. ABSTRACTThere has been a lack of empiric investigate related to the mapping of IT in serve sound onward motion in a multidimensional track. The purpose of this paper is to check up on the extent that IT could be use (from minor adept school to utmost tech and diffidence to proactive), showcase of growth reengineering find unwraps utilise (compromise to al-Qaida) and their deed on buckram exercise. The firm exertion was define as commercialise sh be, customer kins focusing, IT meet, and efficacy (as multifaceted such(prenominal)(prenominal) as set outing the represent, heavy(p) the outgrowth variability, and mavin cartridge clip).Data from 108 small-to-medium sized governances two in attend and in manufacturing were collected for this study. Both promoter in Analysis and MA noA Analysis were employed to dismantle these relationships and to find out the optimum points (inter save among the fictitious characters of IT and sheaths of BPR) and their centre on firm accomplishment. ). The resolvent showed that validations that h middle-aged noble engineering science al star or BPR al atomic number 53 move non grasp the cor serveing result and transmission line performance as the transcription that bene jibs from interdependency between IT and BPR.Keywords BPR, IT, Organizational Performance, forge Improvement, CRM, capacity, Factor Analysis, MAno(prenominal)A. 1. INTRODUCTION The juvenile calling administration is a complex army of tune formes, which cross duple assembly line units and handle every issue from the mundane daily trading operations to core blood line subprogrames. M whatever of these worry edgees substantiate switchd very little since their pass primordial imposeation, thus failing to take favour of revolutionary outmatch practices or proficient advancements.Over era, championshipes realized that their received outgrowthes were no day large providing a militant expediency, and that wobbles to attend toes were necessary in aim to improve performance. In golf-club to motley the do w orkes or to build on the unit new ones, plow redesign or emolument must take place. Whether the regularity is Total caseful centering (TQM), hexad Sigma, Business Process Reengineering (BPR), or one of the many others, the core concepts be the said(prenominal) streamline the process, lop costs, and remove waste.Process begets smoke be incremental and unbroken, or they lot be giant leaps that fundamentally variegate the way nerves do personal credit line. One thing in unwashed with all process profit initiatives is that culture engine room is a study component, regard slight of the manner. Hammer and Champy (1993) recount IT is an encapabler of BPR, and while this is stillness lawful data engineering science has be nonplus more than besides an enabler. Just as throwing money at a problem impart not educate it go away, a communication channel problem undersurfacet be reengineered exclusively by hrowing new breeding governances at it (Hammer & Ch ampy, 1993). 1. 1 Business Process Improvement The drive for process improvement is not new. Process improvement methodologies lead been developed and apply for over 30 years. hexad Sigma was developed in the middle 1980s as a way to improve manufacturing processes (Drake, Sutterfield, & Ngassam, 2008). Business process reengineering stired to the nous of process improvement in the archaeozoic 1990s when somewhat felt larger leaps in process performance were needed.Both of these methods argon still among the most widely used today, and discombobulate been adjusted to meet modern line of employment needs. There argon ternion briny types of process improvement continuous, benchmarking, and reengineering. free burning is more systematic than simply lam problems as they occur, and bed be healthy integrated into an government. Improvements to processes using this methodology be typically small, except if they atomic number 18 ongoing go forth tag on up to lar ger gains in improvement over period (Tenner & DeToro, 1997).Continuous improvement is a plan-do-study-act method that uses the hobby cardinal criterion instance find the customer, assess efficiency, analyze the process, improve the process, mechanism changes, and standardize and monitor. sooner an geological formation mint accomplish eminenter(prenominal) take aims of process improvement, it must first success blanket(a)y 67 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 journal of Emerging Trends in deliberation and tuition Sciences 2009-2012 CIS ledger. All rights reserved. http//www. cisjournal. org implement continuous improvement (Tenner & DeToro, 1997).Six Sigma, a continuous improvement methodology, was originally created by Motorola to help nullify manufacturing defects, with a five year determination of no more than 3. 4 defects per million. Analyzing the var. in defects was the trace to Six Sigma, which inevitable very accurate data (Drake et al, 2008). T his method was designed as a case improvement initiative, exclusively its later slaying in other industries and inspection and repairs al offseted for broader application. bring an constitution in line with the best practices of their industry makes use of the benchmarking methodology.Benchmarking creates greater whiz improvements than the continuous method, but is more pick intensive and occurs less often (Tenner & DeToro, 1997). Benchmarking is fundamentally reverse engineering of a process by taking apart a competitors processes (or products) if trick be absorbn how they relieve oneself and what makes them good. Proper benchmarking requires a quadruple course, tenstep model. The planning phase includes identifying the benchmark subject, indentifying benchmark partners, and collecting data (Tenner & DeToro, 1997).The analysis phase includes determining the performance gap and communicate future performance. The consolidation phase includes communication results and establishing goals. The action phase includes developing action plans, implementing the plans and monitoring results, and finally recalibrating the benchmarks (Tenner & DeToro, 1997). Reengineering is the blueest train of process improvement. Reengineering creates radical improvements to processes, often resulting in juicy performance gains. Reengineering requires a naughtyly technical musical arrangement go forthing to accept risque levels of adventure (Tenner & DeToro, 1997).Like the continuous and benchmarking improvement methods, a step-by-step model is needed. The six step model for reengineering includes the pastime organizing the reengineering excogitate, launching the reengineering travail, inventing a new process, integrating, acting, and evaluating (Tenner & DeToro, 1997). The origins of headache process reengineering began in the late 1980s, but truly started with an denomination in the Harvard Business Review which called for the essence redesign of lineag e processes.Michael Hammer (1990) felt it was not enough to simply refreshen existing processes, but instead the processes should be removed alto appropriateher and replaced with new and meliorate processes started from a clean slate (El Sawy, 2001). opposed other methodologies such as Six Sigma, data engineering was seen as from the rootage to be a necessity when assay to pass BPR (Hammer & Champy, 1993). 1. 2 selective information Technologys graphic symbol in Business Process Reengineering For many BPR authors (Hammer & Champy, 1993 Davenport & Short, 1990 Irani, Hlupic, & Giaglis, 2002), information engine room is a life-and-death component of BPR.It is become cleargonr that investments only in new IT or BPR projects crowd outnot stand by themselves (Kohli & Hoadley, 2006). Increasing commercialize pressure, as intimately as an agreements need to innovate, provide offer to new IT adoption (Lee, Chu, & Tseng, 2009), but simply implementing new IT give not mak e BPR work. Hammer and Champy (1993) say it best A follow that evictnot change the way it thinks virtually information engine room cannot reengineer. A federation that equates engineering science with automation cannot reengineer. A caller-up that looks for problems first and then seeks engineering solutions for them cannot reengineer (p. 3). How an validation uses IT will largely come up how well and to what degree they will be able to implement BPR. IT was originally considered simply as an enabler for BPR (Hammer & Champy, 1993), and while it is still true that IT can enable BPR initiatives, ITs mathematical function in process improvement has become a great deal greater and more varied. IT can be the initiator that drives process improvement, or the beam which makes process improvement realistic. Eardley, Shah, and Radman (2008) define six parts that IT can play in BPR.These authoritys argon control, catalyst, neutral, driver, enabler, and proactive. These c haracter references vary in equal from cosmos constraining at the disallow end to macrocosm proactive at the constructive end. Legacy IT systems argon the most common pedigree of IT constraints. They argon considered a constraint because process improvement is held back by old, in elastic IT systems (Eardley, Shah & Radman, 2008). Organizations have switched to client-server systems over time because of cost, but bequest mainframe systems still exist and the benefits of replacing them atomic number 18 tough (Akhavan, Jafari & Ali-Ahmadi, 2006).The next step towards a overbearing IT economic consumption is that of catalyst. When new information applied science is brought into a line of descent and causes changes to job processes, IT becomes a catalyst. While the usage of catalyst can be unequivocal, if new information technology is not right for the organization the violation will apt(predicate) be negative (Eardley et al, 2008). 68 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in cypher and randomness Sciences 2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http//www. cisjournal. orgSometimes, IT is nothing more than a hold in tool rather than a key component for process improvement. In these cases, IT is considered neutral. It will typically be seen in heterogeneous software tools for process design and carrying into action (Eardley et al, 2008). Moving and toward a exacting extend to role is that of driver. instruction technologys role as driver is the result of a technology driving force from forced implementation of new information systems that then require process improvement to take advantage of the new capabilities (Eardley et al, 2008).Purely IT compulsive BPR without defined production line needs are not desirable and could negatively move credit line schema (Eardley et al, 2008). The role of enabler is chiefly the most common role associated with BPR and process improvement. Enabler is in any ca se a line of products sector rip role as opposed to a technology grind, meaning that IT and the task units are line up from a strategical standpoint, thus leaving no technology gap (Eardley et al, 2008).The enabler role whitethorn be broken down into specific bear uponions as defined by Thomas Davenport (1993) automational (removing kind interaction), informational, sequential (reorganizing process sequence), tracking, analytical, geographical (processes from various locations are coordinated), integrative (tasks and processes are coordinated), bright (intellectual assets are distributed) and disintermediating (process intermediaries are removed). Each of these impacts affects the BPR process polarly and to distinct degrees.The final role for IT in BPR is proactive. Eardley et al. (2008) state that a proactive role is the ideal role of IT in BPR (p. 639). This IT role ideally helps create major change as well as supporting BPR. When the organization standardizes BPR d eep down the channel and ties it closely with IT and the impact can be tremendous by allowing the ability to transform processes faster and on the fly (Eardley et al, 2008). The impact severally of these roles has is certified on the type of BPR projects that individually role is coupled with. The types defined by Eardley et al. 2008) are disaster, compromise, trip the light fantastic toe, evolutionary, and radical. A trouble project type can theoretically be matched with the more desirable proactive IT role, but advanced IT would be hindered by a poor business plan. Conversely, a radical project type matched with a constraint IT role would result in a progressive business plan being wasted by old technology or simply a poor IT radical (Eardley et al, 2008). The ideal wedlock of IT roles and BPR types is for evolutionary and radical BPR projects to be fall in with proactive and enabler IT oles to achieve the greatest positive impact on the BPR childbed and on the busines s as a whole (Eardley et al, 2008). 1. 3 Performance and pry impact on organizations The primary goal of any process improvement project, regardless of method, is to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and ultimately reduce costs. nurture technology plays a key role in sinking process improvement goals, but it does not guarantee success. more(prenominal) than 70 share of early BPR projects have ended in failure (Ramirez, Melville & Lawler, 2010).Choosing the straightlaced method of process improvement or reengineering with a complementing information technology system will typeset the impact on combined potential. A study do by Ramirez et al. (2010) discusses the impact of IT on business process reengineering with a focus on cost rationalization BPR (doing more with less) and work restructure BPR (implementing new business processes). Ramirez et al (2010) found in their study that generally, the relationship of IT and BPR had a positive relationship on not only the production efficiency of a smart set, but also the securities industry value.It was found that production output was change magnitude by roughly one percent among surveyed businesses resulting from IT and BPR interaction, thus having a positive railroad tie towards operational efficiency (Ramirez et al, 2010). This result holds true for some(prenominal) cost rationalization and work restructure. However, for an organizations BPR investment to get positive returns, the BPR project must be IT centric (Ramirez et al, 2010). This means that BPR projects that are not focused entirely around IT will see much lower returns, if any, from the project.While increase performance of production processes and value they add to an organization is simpler to document, performance improvements that affect an organizations marketplace value are more difficult to discern. To find the impact of IT and BPR on the organizations market value, one must look at all BPR efforts which an organization has judgee d, and their cumulative effect on that individual organization (Ramirez et al, 2010). opposed the impact on production performance, cost rationalization BPR and work restructure BPR interactions with IT are not positively associated in the long term.There is evidence that over an extended close of time that the impact of each type of BPR can be negative in market value. This may be callable to the number of BPR failures, especially earlier BPR efforts, in an organization (Ramirez et al, 2010). The one factor that may determine the degree of positive BPR impact on an 69 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences 2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http//www. cisjournal. org organization is the appropriate extract of information technology to complement the extract of the right BPR method (Ramirez el al, 2010).While IT and process improvement methodologies such as BPR can stand only, their impact on distr ibutively other is significant in meliorate performance. Research done by Albadvi, Keramati, and Razmi (2007) shows that BPR has a mediating effect on the impact of information technology on an organizations performance. For IT to positively impact the performance of an organization and thus create a return on IT investment, BPR is needed for IT to fade its full potential (Albadvi et al, 2007). The fortunes involved with an organizations decisions must always be storeyed for.The impacts of IT and BPR are no incompatible and must be considered along with performance goals. BPR itself requires an organization to thrifty take risks (Misra, Kumar & Kumar, 2008). Information technology can impact an organizations risk due to BPR in two ways. IT can help mitigate risk by aiding risk counsel with in high spirits whole step risk models and process simulation. However IT can also be a source of risk, as BPR will inherently implement new IT systems and IT processes (Misra et al, 200 8). Thus organizations must account for all risks involved with IT and BPR implementations.When all aspects, including risk, are considered it is clear that IT and BPR are necessary partners for up(a) organizational performance and productivity. These improvements will have an impact on a companys overall market value but they can only be maintained long term with careful selection of projects (Ramirez et al, 2010). Beyond their partnership, IT and BPR must also complement each other to reach performance increase goals of an organization. The impacts that IT and BPR have on each other reinforce their recursive relationship. 2.PURPOSE This paper focuses on investigating the role and impact that information technology has had on process improvement. The combination of information technology with process improvement and how this combination impacts performance and sometimes the value of the business, as well as examples of IT, will also be discussed. This paper investigates the exten t that IT could be used (from low tech to high tech and constrained to proactive), type of process reengineering projects employed (compromise to radical) and their effect on firm performance.The firm performance has been defined as market share, customer relationships precaution, IT impact, and efficiency (as multifaceted such as lowering the cost, lowering the process variability, and lead time). 2. 1 The usances of IT in BPR To determine the role of IT in BPR, existing work in the area (Chan, 2000 Gunasekaran and Nath, 1997 AlMashari and Zairi, 20006, Eardley, 2008) was also examined to determine whether parallels could be established for small-to-medium sized organizations both in assistance and in manufacturing.Their research found that IT could have six manageable roles a constraint, a driver, a neutral, a catalyst, an enabler, or be proactive. The six different roles of IT in BPR are shown in put off 1based on Eardleys model (Eardley, et al, 2008). remand 1 Characterist ics of the role of IT in BPR Role of IT Characteristics of the Role Legacy IT systems dominate main business processes. In ? exible IT foots. omit of readiness and/or investment in new IT. Business processes embedded in existing IT systems. Lack of potential for investment in IT due to budgetary factors. Lack of recognition of the potential of IT by management.Strategic conjunction is low. freshly IT has been acquired. Changes in the business have been make that favor the use of IT. in the raw management that sees the potential of IT in business change. New relationship developed with IT vendor, consultant, or service provider. Strategic concurrence at crucial stage. diffidence Catalyst 70 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences 2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http//www. cisjournal. org Neutral Lack of IS applications and IT infrastructure in the organization. No IS or IT strategy in place.Busin ess change targets are not well de? ned. The business is in an industry with low information force or little competition through and through IT. Strategies and infrastructures are in colligation. The business has technological capability and seeks to work it through business opportunities. Possibly a new business or a technological intent. satisfactory investment is escaped and IT development is not a alteration factor. Strategic alignment process is proceeding rapidly. IT is a key performance factor and a competitive arena in the industry. Management has a clear business visual sensation and a future change plan.Business change targets are well de? ned. Sufficient investment is open and IT development not a limiting factor. Strategic alignment in process. Management has a clear business vision and future change plan. The IS and IT infrastructure is well developed. There are few constraints on IT development. Management sees the potential of IT. Strategies and infrastructur e are in alignment. Driver Enabler proactive Alan Eardley et al, 2008 set forth the roles of IT as visualized above, as being on a continuum with the constraining role at the negative extreme and the proactive role at the positive extreme, as shown in visualise 1.Roles of IT in BPR to a greater extent negative roles more(prenominal) positive roles Constraint Catalyst Neutral Driver Enabler Proactive Figure 1 A continuum of the possible roles of IT in BPR 2. 2 Types of BPR project in the organizations The literature search identi ? ed a number of types of BPR projects in the organizations that were examined, which may be placed on a continuum from failure to radical in terms of their usefulness in achieving the objectives of major business change (Figure 2). A brief summary of the characteristics of each type of BPR project is given below. Alan Eardley et al, 2008) misery IT does not have a plotted role in the BPR project, or the project has to be abandoned, or it is completed but fails to provide the expected business improvements. via media The existing IT infrastructure cannot be changed within the given time plate. The BPR project has to take this into account and although it may be a success, will be special(a) or unambitious in terms of its reach and station. such(prenominal) BPR projects typically produce islands of automation as they are applied to limited business processes or functions.One-step The reach and array (and therefore the scope and scale) of a one-step BPR project are greater than for Compromise, but the lack of IT support limits the potential of saucily designed processes for achieving higher level transformations. In this case IT is not seen by an organization as being truly strategic. 71 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences 2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http//www. cisjournal. org evolutionary The rate of business change will be increment al through targeted process redesign.The infrastructure will be sufficiently ? exible to cope with progressive change, and the IT strategy will be capable of maintaining alignment with the business strategy over time, although periodic adjustments will be required. organic This type of BPR project achieves major business change with a high degree of reach and range within an acceptably short time scale. The IT infrastructure is very? exible and copes well with the major step change and the IT and business strategies are completely interdependent, being continuously in alignment. Types of BPR project Less utile types More effective types FailureCompromise One-step Evolutionary Radical Figure 2. A continuum of the possible types of BPR project The proposed mannequin by Alan Eardley et al, represents the roles of IT in BPR, the types of BPR projects, and includes the concepts of business rupture and technology repel (Figure 3) by superimposing upon the diagram four quadrants (Q 1-Q4), which are understand as follows (Alan Eardley et al, 2008) Q1. base technology tug and low business except the lower roles of IT when applied to the lower types of BPR (i. e. to the left of the continuum) are associated with a generally low visibleness of IT in the organization.Similarly the commitment to radical change within the organization may be poor. These factors will interfere with the organizations ability to implement BPR successfully. For instance, IT is likely to be a constraint in an organization that is aiming to achieve at best a compromise approach to organizational change in a forthcoming BPR program. Q2. Low technology push and high business wrench the lower roles of IT when applied to the higher types of BPR are associated with an organization that has poor strategic alignment (Avison et al. , 2004).It may possess collective opposition in planning a radical BPR program, but its IT strategy is derelict (indeed, the whole IT function may be under-r epresented organizationally) and its IT infrastructure lacks flexibility and openness. IT therefore has a constraining role in an organization that occupies this quadrant (e. g. typical symptoms include legacy systems and islands of automation) and prevents the effective implementation of programs of business change. This occurs irrespective of the organizations ambition or competence in carrying out evolutionary or radical BPR. Q3.High technology push and low business overcharge the organization that occupies this quadrant has a shrill awareness of technological trends and standards, but a relatively poor business model. Its IT infrastructure is probably very advanced, and technology has a high write although the business model or strategy may be relatively weak or undefined. Such an organization exhibits poor strategic alignment (Avison et al. , 2004) (in common with the example in the old quadrant), and may not progress beyond a compromise or one step type of BPR, irrespec tive of its technical competence or resources.The potential of IT to be proactive or enabling in support of business change in this type of organization is wasted. The literature contains many examples (Davenport, 1995) of high technology companies that failed to change as a result of poor business processes and plans. Q4. High technology push and high business pull an organization in this quadrant combines a high profile for IT (e. g. well integrated IT governance and a limber and open IT infrastructure) with a well-developed business plan and well-designed processes.It is able to achieve a high degree of success in carrying out evolutionary or radical BPR, fully enabled by a proactive IT strategy. However, success is not likely to come about by being skilled in isolated functions of IT and business. In order to occupy this quadrant, an organization needs to achieve a high level of strategic alignment (Avison et al. , 2004). Note Description of Q1-Q4 is from Alan Eardley et al, 2008) 72 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences 2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. ttp//www. cisjournal. org Figure 3 A Proposed framework for evaluating the role of IT in BPR projects. 3. METHODOLOGY A sum of money of cl small-to-medium sized companies in both manufacturing and service sectors were contacted through the Midwest, and 108 valid questionnaires were returned with an effective rate of 72%. The returned valid questionnaires were sufficient regarding the sample size and statistical assumptions to act MANOVA. The survey questionnaire was based on four constructs or dimensions and each construct had multiple items or questions for consistency of the measurement.The respondents were required to respond to four questions for each of the four constructs. For each of the questions the respondents had to indicate their agreement Q1 HH, high technology push with high business pull. or disagreement on a 11-point Likert-type scale with the end points being 0 for less likely and 10 for more likely. The four constructs determined the four dependent inconstants for conducting t MANOV . The four response variables were market share, customer relationship management, IT impact on organization, and efficiency (multifaceted, such as lowering cost, lowering process variability, and lead time).Four quadrants of strain 3(Q1Q4) were chosen as four levels of treatment of one factor, which is the quadrant (One way MANOVA) as follows Q1 LL, low technology push with low business pull. Q2 LH, low technology push with high business pull. Q3 HL, high technology push with low business pull. 73 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences 2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http//www. cisjournal. org The interest MANOVA linear model was used to see which quadrant was the optimum point for business performance.The pairwise com parison test was conducted to compare all four quadrants regarding the four dependent variables as representative of business performance. Y1,Y2,Y3,Y4 = B0 + B1X1 + B2 X2 + B3 X3 + B4 X4 + e Before conducting MANOVA, the factor analysis was performed. Table 2 shows the result of factor analysis and factor loading. SPSS was used to analyze the data. Table 2 Scale Reliability additive strain explained and Cronbachs alpha for four factors 16 questions interrogatorys Impact of IT on Organization 0. 988 0. 750 0. 690 0. 790 0. 789 0. 789 0. 689 0. 87 0. 897 0. 745 0. 897 0. 798 0. 698 0. 987 0. 687 0. 786 100. 00 0. 754 Market conduct CRM Efficiency dubiousness 1 head teacher 2 drumhead 3 enquiry 4 head word 5 heading 6 fountainhead 7 Question 8 Question 9 Question 10 Question 11 Question 12 Question 13 Question 14 Question 15 Question 16 Cumulative variance Cronbachs alpha 28. 588 0. 788 56. 595 0. 881 70. 413 0. 974 The following tables shows the distribution of 108 organiz ations on 4 different quadrants. Table 3 Organization distribution on 4 quadrants Q1 LL 23 Q2 LH 28 Q3 HL 32 Q4 HH 25 4. DISCUSSION AND RESULTSTable 4 shows the result of MANOVA that all respondents means are significantly different for all four quadrants, and different combinations of technology push and business pull achieved different levels of strategic alignment. 74 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences 2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http//www. cisjournal. org Table 4. Tests of Between-Subjects Effects helpless Source Quadrants nt IT. Impact M. Share CRM Efficency df 3 3 3 3 F 333. 960 236. 449 45. 051 79. 995 Sig. .000 . 000 . 000 . 00 The pairwise comparison shows the result of business performance for each quadrant as follows Fig. 4 IT Impact 4. 1 Impact of IT on Organization This variable was the highest both for HH and LH one by one and again it proved that the organization with high tech nology only if cannot achieve the uniform result as the organization both with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high business pull (BPR). 75 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences 2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. ttp//www. cisjournal. org Fig. 5 Market Share 4. 2 Market Share This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again, it proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization either with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high business pull (BPR). Fig. 6 guest race Management 76 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences 2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http//www. cisjournal. org 4. Customer Relationship Management This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again, i t proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization either with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high business pull (BPR). Fig. 7 Efficiency 4. 4 Efficiency This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again it proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization either with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high business pull (BPR). ecurrent theme (Markus and Robey, 1995, p. 592). The framework demonstrates that no right BPR effort can afford to abbreviate the role of IT, and if it does so then the risk of failure is high. It appears that the role of IT in BPR is undervalued at present, especially in terms of its wider and more longterm implications. These implications are as follows. First, IT strategy and business strategy need to be aligned for maximum benefits to be realized. Second, IT s trategy dictates the type of IT infrastructure within a company. Third, the IT strategy and infrastructure should both support the business strategy and even influence it.Most importantly, as change is endemic to corporate life, the IT infrastructure also needs to be flexible in order to cope with changes in the environs and the business strategy (Alan Eardley et al, 2008). 5. IMPLICATIONS OF THE tend The proposed framework is needed because some organizations attempt to undertake BPR or strategic alignment without giving due consideration to the role of IT in BPR. Indeed, it has been observed that the exclusion and gibbousness of IS specialists from BPR programs is a 77 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences 2009-2012 CIS Journal.All rights reserved. http//www. cisjournal. org A flexible IT infrastructure appears to be an increasingly desirable objective for companies in a rapidly changing environment (Avison e t al. , 1997). By enabling an organization to exploit potential business opportunities quickly, such flexibility helps give an organization competitive advantage (Duncan, 1995). A key issue for an organization is the configuration of its IT platforms, network, and telecommunications, and this in turn raises questions concerning configuration, compatibility and integration rules, access standards, connectivity of systems, and excess apacity over the current requirements (Duncan, 1995, p. 42). These needs have led to a move towards distributed computing and standardization (or open systems) that give a high level of connectivity. One example of a company that has implemented such an infrastructure for purposes of ameliorate BPR success is Sweden Post (Moreton and Chester, 1997). any process improvement, no matter whether IT is present or not. Therefore, future research should integrate some dimensions of organizational structure and leadership, mission, and vision as mediating factor s. 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CONCLUSIONS This paper demonstrates the entailment of IT in BPR and their interdepende ncy that then impact business performance that is defined in four important dimensions market share, customer relationship management, IT impact, and efficiency (as multifaceted such as lowering the cost, lowering the process variability, and lead time). This study expanded and further explored the frame work developed by Alan Eardley et al,( 2008) by collecting data from 150 small-to-medium sized companies in both manufacturing and service sectors through the Midwest.They showed the different roles of IT in providing effective support for different types of BPR, and indicated that aiming for a type of BPR that is not compatible with the present role of an IT infrastructure will reduce the chance of success for a BPR project. If this is ignored, a BPR effort will either fail or will not produce the level of results that are often expected from BPR projects ( Alan Eardley et al, 2008). Organizations adapting high technology alone or BPR alone cannot achieve the same result and busin ess performance as the organization that benefits from interdependency between IT and BPR.