Business process re-engineering and simulation: Bridging the gap

The new era of information has resulted in a global economy characterised by a complex and dynamic business environment. As organisations need to adapt to new conditions and respond to competitive pressures, various change management approaches such as business process re-engineering (BPR) have been developed. Many studies suggest that the success of BPR projects could be increased by developing dynamic models of business processes prior to their radical change. This paper investigates a potential of simulation modelling to be used for modelling business processes and supports the case for a wider use of simulation techniques by business community. A discussion on business processes related issues, and an overview of business process modelling methods are presented. The usability of simulation modelling for evaluating alternative business process strategies is investigated, and the guidelines for achieving more widespread use of business process simulation are proposed.