PhD - Sustainable Business Process Design

Hi,
Just read the two great threads on PhD's in the Business Intelligence - Faculty Club forum... but since my topic is more related to Business Network Transformation I thought it best to ask here.
My proposed PhD topic is all about understanding what elements of a business process design makes it more sustainable than an other design.
Clearly this is a highly interdisciplinary topic covering (at least):
- Economics (efficiency / effectiveness)
- General Systems Theory / Systems Dynamics
- Industry Engineering / Work Design
- Industry Ecology / Environmental Science
- Public policy
- and of course, enterprise Software
I'm working on a few leads already (Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia Canada and MIT for example)... but so far I've not found too many people doing research focused on Business Process Design. Lots of people doing work on Business Process Management Systems (BPMS), lots of people doing work on the science and/or policy end of sustainability... but little on Business Process Design and Sustainability.
(Aside: I find this lack of research a bit odd given that in a business network / value chain , it is the design of the overall end-to-end process, crossing multiple organizations, which ultimately determine how sustainably the process's output are being produced)
Any thoughts / ideas in terms of academic's, journals, articles or institutions which are looking at the sustainability crisis through the business process / business network design lens would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Antony

Hello Antony,
Your PhD topic sounds right on the button. I can only speak from local experience but around half of my members in the UK&I are starting to use Business Objects as a means to teaching students the concepts you describe in Business Processes - at one of our members for example we are working to support an Engineering Doctorate looking at the use of Business Intelligence in business processes using technology such as the iPad as a BPR analytical tool 'on the shop floor'. This would fall more under element (2) of your list. But you're right - each of the elements are crucial. My only advice would be that when you start out you go down a path which you find enjoyable and rewarding as this will enable to to stick to the PhD, and then also narrow the topic to a point where you can achieve the research in your lifetime. No joke - I've seen plenty of PhDs that wanted to map the world because of course everything is inter-related now. The trick is knowing where to draw the research boundary. I can certainly also point out some contacts at the like of Warwick and Cambridge Universities that have done BPR relating to health and aerospace but I'd suggest going with Jeff's suggestions first as he will almost certainly know people closer to you physically (not that that really matters anymore!)
All the best - and very best of luck!
Martin
Martin Gollogly
Director, University Alliances, UK, Ireland and Benelux
My proposed PhD topic is all about understanding what elements of a business process design makes it more sustainable than an other design.
Clearly this is a highly interdisciplinary topic covering (at least):
- Economics (efficiency / effectiveness)
- General Systems Theory / Systems Dynamics
- Industry Engineering / Work Design
- Industry Ecology / Environmental Science
- Public policy
- and of course, enterprise Software
I'm working on a few leads already (Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia Canada and MIT for example)... but so far I've not found too many people doing research focused on Business Process Design. Lots of people doing work on Business Process Management Systems (BPMS), lots of people doing work on the science and/or policy end of sustainability... but little on Business Process Design and Sustainability.
(Aside: I find this lack of research a bit odd given that in a business network / value chain , it is the design of the overall end-to-end process, crossing multiple organizations, which ultimately determine how sustainably the process's output are being produced)
Any thoughts / ideas in terms of academic's, journals, articles or institutions which are looking at the sustainability crisis through the business process / business network design lens would be much appreciated.

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Automating the Business Process optimizes the output:input ratio and should minimize the waste:useful output ratio. By doing so, the ROI, ROA, and operating margins are maximized and competitive advantage gains against other not so able competitors.
Any one else has a few words on this?

You raise a very important and interesting question regarding whether there is any framework for narrowing down the domain of a Business Process Expert.
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http://www.bpmg.org/8omega.php
http://www.prosci.com/tutorial-design-mod1.htm
http://www.intel.com/technology/itj/2004/volume08issue04/art11_collaboration/p01_abstract.htm
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What you are suggesting in terms of Media expert, etc.. is more associated with Roles which are aligned with Solution Scenarios within SAP. Business Processes may span many roles, and are critical to the application being developed.
I believe this is the purpose of BPM, but would welcome any further comments from colleagues regarding framework.
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