Business Process Management – Do We Need a New Research Agenda?

Abstract

This article is an answer to the thesis that research in the domain of business process management (BPM) is doing the wrong job, does not deliver results and therefore is responsible for the alleged failure of BPM in the field. We work out that this thesis is not based on any scientific argumentation or proof. Based on the finding that BPM itself does not have a solid scientific foundation we present some thoughts how to come up with a scientific theory of BPM. Additionally we argue that the term BPM has different meanings in different research and application areas. This, logically, leads to different research interests, but all together they give a complex (but fragmented) picture and will emerge towards an unified theory of BPM. The conclusion of this article follows the insight of experts in the domain of BPM research and application, that research in BPM is still not finished and that it is rather at the very beginning. Especially if we understand BPM as one element of sociotechnical systems, which leads us to think about a more holistic approach in the sense of systems theory.