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    Enterprise Models for Insight Enterprise Models for Insight

    There are two separate sets of influences that motivate an organisation to try and bring about change.

    First, there are those that can be considered internal to the organisation and are the goals the organisation wishes to achieve. Examples are:

    • improve customer satisfaction
    • increase profits
    • improve quality
    • decrease costs
    • decrease cycle time
    • increase staff satisfaction
    • better decisions under uncertainty

    Second, there are the external influences where an enterprise may be forced to change something due to changing external effects. Examples are:

    • competitive activity
    • political legislation
    • economic trends
    • social influences
    • technological advances
    • industry structural changes.

    Several of these factors may act simultaneously to create a need for improved or changed business performance at any time, and the factors (and strengths of influence) may vary through time.

    Once an enterprise decides to improve its business performance it has to consider what areas are under its control that can be changed to achieve this goal. Examples of areas that can be changed are its:

    • processes
    • organisational structure and human issues
    • communication, i.e. information flows and information access
    • resources, e.g. capital, people.

    In order to change these areas the organisation has to understand how it is currently functioning, and to understand how they can be changed to meet the new business need or environment. Enterprise models can help with this understanding and in intelligent selection from among alternative change strategies.

    Note that an organisation might be able to exercise control over these things not only within its own walls: it may be have strong relationships with suppliers or contractors and be able to influence them, to mutual advantage.