Title: A benefits dependency network as the bridge between requirements and business objectives: an ODE perspective

Authors: Nelson King

Addresses: Olayan School of Business, American University of Beirut, Bliss Street, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad-El-Solh/Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon

Abstract: The chasm between information system requirements and business objectives is a leading cause of failure. Requirements are often established without understanding the implications to workflow and organisational change. While stakeholder analysis provides useful insights for the |big picture|, the impact of requirements on stakeholder interests aren|t known. Similarly, low-level process modelling has trouble representing the broader organisational design and business objectives. The benefits dependency network (BDN) serves as a bridge between the two by tracing the impact of key technical requirements on organisational change, resultant outcomes, and benefits that accrue to stakeholders. Ambulatory e-prescribing in the USA serves as the case for illustrating a BDN analysis. The case is built using interpretive description that synthesises hundreds of related studies in healthcare to capture the breadth and depth of the e-prescribing context. The paper suggests BDN has utility as an integrative framework for understanding the inter-twined contributions of organisational design and artefact engineering upon various stakeholders.

Keywords: healthcare technology; information technology; organisational change; process models; USA; United States; organisational design; organisational engineering; ODE; benefits dependency network; BDN; e-prescribing; stakeholder analysis; benefits management; electronic prescribing; prescriptions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJODE.2011.041161

International Journal of Organisational Design and Engineering, 2011 Vol.1 No.3, pp.185 - 208

Published online: 24 Jan 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article