A Framework for Enterprise Systems Engineering

Enterprise Systems Engineering (ESE) is an emerging research field. ESE views an enterprise as a system with a life cycle and a deliverable at the end of an ESE process. It involves modeling, analysis, design, control, improvement, and re-engineering activities. It has a focus on intra-enterprise business processes and inter-enterprise operations. This paper proposes a framework that defines the scope of ESE and provides a classification scheme using a 4x4 matrix. With this scheme, the paper reviews and classifies related research efforts on this subject and points out voids and needs for future research and development. The framework breaks down an enterprise into four enterprise elements of work, resources, information, and decision. Each enterprise element is thoroughly addressed by using a systemic approach of four system facets; they are strategy, requirement, flow, and structure. Each system facet and enterprise element is subject to the engineering phases of plan, analysis, design, and evaluation, to achieve a set of pre-specified operating performance criteria relating to cost, time, quality, and benefit. The framework is intended to integrate enterprise engineering with business and operation strategies by placing a focus on defining the interaction between these two in the enterprise life-cycle process.