Many companies approach business architecture as either an ad hoc initiative in response to a crisis or as a shadow project living in a silo hidden from much of the enterprise. Whether in response to crisis or as a shadow project, this practice of business architecture is typically too little too late.
Consider that of the 500 companies in the Fortune 500 in 1955, just 60 or 12% remain today. What happened to the other 440 companies? A common theme is that these companies likely fell victim to the forces of creative disruption forcing a merger, a bankruptcy, or such a reduction in market clout that they could no longer hold their place.
Business architecture is the antidote to creative disruption. It creates concise views and definitions for the business, thereby bridging the gap between strategy and execution. A well-developed business architecture is essential if a company desires to be the disruptor and not the disrupted. Further, business architecture is dependent on having a strong IT architecture, they are in fact two sides of the same coin.
This eBook will further explore these topics and provide key steps for ensuring an aligned business architecture and IT architecture.