Process owners in business process management: a systematic literature review

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the state-of-the-art in research on process owners, a key role within business process management and process governance, and thus to increase our understanding of the role of process owners. Design/methodology/approach The author conducts a systematic literature review of research shedding light on the role of process owners. The review includes 100 academic papers and 10 books on BPM. Findings Findings from the review demonstrate the significance of appointing process owners and showcase process owners' role and responsibilities, as well as obstacles to and enablers of effective process ownership. Originality/value Based on the findings from the review, the author proposes a comprehensive framework on process ownership. The review provides a knowledge base for future research to build upon and can serve as a guide for practitioners. The review also identifies several research gaps and opportunities for future research.