Model coordination system that will contribute to business process improvement

The new applications developed for business process improvement use data integration as a coordination mechanism with the support of database technology [Davenport, 1993; Teng et al., 1992; Davenport and Short, 1990; Rockart and Short, 1989; Madnick and Wang, 1988]. By pursuing a data-centered approach, the models that are associated with processes and procedures in the task envhonment are neglected.

With changed attitudes toward modeling, people at all levels are building and using models for their productivity. One problem with many functional models is that they do not address coordination issues across adjacent or process common functions. For example, there are two functional units within the business process, A and B. The functional unit A needs to link its model Ma with the model Mb of the functional unit B. That is, die output of model Ma becomes the mput of model Mb. If the variable names for the output of Ma and the input of Mb are defined differendy by each functional unit, then the model Ma cannot be linked with the model Mb despite all the sophisticated model integration facilities provided by MMS. Since information from the model Ma cannot be drawn automatically into the model Mb, mformation is exchanged by memos and reports and then retyped into the corresponding model [Berry, 1986]. Furthermore, models are duplicated from one step in the process to the next [Foster, 1991]. Models of a functional unit are used and then discarded, not shared with others in similar decision situations [DoUc and Konsynski, 1985].