| Business process management is the process of | | | | contributions to group objectives. Management |
| designing and maintaining an environment in | | | | applies to small and large organizations, to |
| which individuals, working together in | | | | profit and not-for-profit enterprises, to |
| groups, efficiently accomplish selected aims. | | | | manufacturing as well as service industries. |
| This basic definition needs to be expanded as | | | | The term enterprise refers to businesses, |
| managers carry out the managerial functions | | | | government agencies, hospitals, universities |
| of planning, organizing, staffing, leading | | | | and other organizations. In business process |
| and controlling. Management applies to any | | | | management, all managers carry out managerial |
| kind of organization. It applies to managers | | | | functions. However, the time spent for each |
| at all organizational levels. The aim of all | | | | function may differ. Top-level managers spend |
| managers is to create a surplus. Managing is | | | | more time on planning and organizing than do |
| concerned with productivity implying | | | | lower level managers. Leading, on the other |
| effectiveness and efficiency. | | | | hand, takes a great deal of time for |
| | | | first-line supervisors. The difference in the |
| Many scholars and managers have found that | | | | amount of time spent on controlling varies |
| the analysis of business process management | | | | only slightly for managers at various levels. |
| is facilitated by a useful and clear | | | | |
| organization of knowledge. In studying | | | | Business process management, like all other |
| management, it is helpful to break it down | | | | practices such as medicine, engineering or |
| into five managerial functions involving | | | | baseball, is an art. It is know-how. It is |
| planning, organizing, staffing, leading and | | | | doing things in light of the realities of a |
| controlling. The knowledge that underlies | | | | situation. Yet managers can work better by |
| those functions is organized around these | | | | using organized knowledge about management. |
| five functions. | | | | It is this knowledge that constitutes a |
| | | | science. Thus, managing as practice is an |
| Managers are charged with the responsibility | | | | art; the organized knowledge underlying the |
| of taking actions that will make it possible | | | | practice may be referred to as a science. |
| for individuals to make their best | | | | |