Model enablement in organizational design and enterprise engineering: the why, the how and the what

Abstract

Referring to the editorial paper on the launch of this journal, this commentary focuses on the enabling role of models for Organizational Design & Enterprise Engineering (OD&EE). Three aspects are discussed: (1) why should OD&EE be enabled by models only? Can models provide a sufficient coverage of the multi-faceted challenges of OD&EE, or should also other artefact types be considered as core OD&EE enablers? (2) How can models be used in a way that OD&EE knowledge is created and reused in an effective and efficient way? (3) What models and methods are needed when OD&EE aims to be perceived as a scientific discipline rather than as practice? What types of generalized OD&EE knowledge should be differentiated, and what methodological challenges have to be addressed?