Re-engineering: A breakthrough or little new

The paper first provides various definitions of re-engineering. Next, it explains why companies undertake re-engineering and what are the major inputs to it, An attempt is made to provide a sequence of steps that must be gone through for implementing any re-engineering project, In addition, the paper highlights the great risks and problems, which cannot be avoided during its execution. Iii the end, the authors argue that re-engineering includes little that is new, rather most of its constituents can be found in the improvement programs of the past. Even the success factors for re-engineering are not much different than those of the other programs. The paper also provides a tabular analysis of 25 published re-engineering caselets in support of the thesis that reengineering is not new but it can be any combination of action-items which can help to improve the profitability and long-term survival of the company. Finally a few conjectures about the future of such programs are also outlined.