CHAPTER 12 SOA, Processes, and Information
The main reason for this delay is the cross-organizational nature of business processes. We have already seen that business processes generally run over several functions, managed by distinct orga- nization units. This positioning goes against the historical and sometimes “hierarchical” structure of enterprises. “Traditional” IT applications easily find their place in this type of organization, under the clearly defined responsibility of well-established units. However, installing and stabilizing a cross-organizational-type organization, which plays a real driving role, is a delicate task. That said, this depends on the business context. In fields closely linked to logistics, such as transportation, pro- cesses are naturally seen as being at the heart of the business. For other types of activity, the approach by process has only really begun to develop over the past few years.