A multidimensional Classification of 55 Enterprise Architecture Frameworks

With the rapid development of economic globalization and enterprise informatization in emerging markets, the key to making the most out of the two rests within how to integrate and share information as well as how to provide critical and accurate data for enterprise decision makers. However, at present, many enterprises are still in the early stage of research and exploration into the concrete practice of enterprise architecture. Under the milieu of globalization, it is increasingly necessary for an enterprise to improve cognition and practices of informatization construction. Also crucial for enterprises is the ability to exploit and develop a myriad of architecture frameworks in order to remain creative and dynamic in this field in order to determine which EAF suits them best. Enterprises should do so based on the understanding of not only business strategy and process, but also on the meanings of EA frameworks. This paper defines a classification system which is used to analyze 55 different EA frameworks. The data basis refers to the listing of EAFs by Matthes (2011) in his book, “Enterprise Architecture Framework Compendium”. This paper aims to allow managers to make easier decisions when selecting Enterprise Architecture Framework on the basis of an integrated and compressed overview.