SYSTEMS AND REENGINEERING - RELATING THE REENGINEERING PARADIGM TO SYSTEMS METHODOLOGIES

Recently the topic of business process reengineering (BPR) has emerged to prominence in a number of guises, e.g. Hammer and Champy (1993). BPR is accepted here as containing a core paradigm with the potential to mobilize and channel change to secure radical improvements in organizational performance. This is contrasted with Continuous Improvement methods which deliver gradual improvements. In this paper BPR is conceptualised as an approach comprised of an emerging group of systems methodologies. These are related to other approaches and methodologies using the Total Systems Intervention framework of Flood and Jackson (1991). In keeping with the framework the main assumptions and metaphors that underlie the BPR literature are examined. BPR methodologies are characterised as rooted mainly in the hard systems approach with the machine metaphor dominating. The possibility is discussed of BPR methodologies based around other than hard system approaches.