Application of Internet technology to business process reengineering: An exploratory study of critical success and failure factors

This research examines factors affecting the implementation of business process reengineering (BPR) using Internet technology. BPR is used because it can produce dramatic increases in productivity at organizations. Although there has been some empirical investigation of BPR, no research to date has examined BPR when Internet technology is used during implementation. For this research, BPR implementation includes all BPR activities from analysis and design to system usage. Only recently, has the Internet become a tool used by organizations to redesign their business processes. Radical changes may occur as a result of an organization's BPR implementation causing the BPR project to fail. BPR failure rates have been reported as high as 70 percent, making implementation issues especially important. The different information technologies (IT) used during implementation may affect managerial factors differently. By determining the factors that affect BPR implementation using a specific IT, these factors can be managed to increase the chances for a successful BPR implementation.;This research uses a survey methodology and correlation analysis to gather information about how Internet technology affects the relationship between managerial factors, an innovative organizational environment, and BPR implementation. The factors found to have an affect on BPR implementation using Internet technology were: (1) top management support; (2) centralization of decision making; (3) integration of jobs; (4) formalization of procedures; (5) customer involvement; (6) egalitarian culture; and (7) change management. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).