Values-directed enterprise engineering

Abstract

This article presents an approach to enterprise engineering (EE) enhancement under modern conditions by including in EE possibilities and capabilities of systematic decision making support based on the values analysis of an enterprise and all the engaged parties - stakeholders of different categories. The particularity of the approach consists of combining broad understanding of values, aiming at real business tasks at all the levels of enterprise management, and including digital transformations risk management in these tasks. The approach includes both “analog” and “digital” values models, and also employs heterogeneous values models. Values are regarded as a social and economic, corporate and personal phenomenon. Subjectivity, situatedness, relativity, and changeability of values are taken into consideration. The article suggests conjoint consideration of various stakeholders’ (interested parties’) heterogeneous values, among others, of stakeholders affected by digital transformations. The enterprise itself as an economic agent, its owners, employees, enterprise-partners, clients/customers, communities, social organizations, and public agencies might be among the stakeholders considered One of the key requirements is values comparability and the ability to determine the gap between different stakeholders’ values. Other requirements define the constitution of values models and characteristics of models elements. One of the essential results of this research is the developed system of requirements. Besides, the structure of an open multidimensional enterprise values space is suggested as well as the structure of partial and integrated values models placed in this space is presented. The framework for tracing relations between the enterprise components and the stakeholders’ values is proposed, and the possibility of introducing functions assessing conformity and nonconformity of different stakeholders’ values on the integrated values model of the enterprise is demonstrated. The presented system of requirements and models enables building and applying values models which was tested in completed projects. The approach allows enabling sustainable enterprises development under digital economy conditions at the fundamental level by values-directed management. Moreover, it might prove useful for expanding enterprise transformation methods, including their existing value-directed and value-centered variants.