Increase Interoperability And Improve Business Processes Through The Use Of Apis
Question
Topic I Chose:
Statement of the Problem: Systems are stovepiped resulting in data not being available where it needs to be to support global business processes.
Requiring business data from all systems available via API will improve data availability and process efficiencies.
Definitions: Stovepipe System: A stovepipe system is an system that operates as a standalone program and shares little, if any, data with other systems. etc.
Limitations: Limited access to data. Certain types of data may not be exported from certain countries due to privacy laws. etc.
Delimitations: I am curious about business process and integration wanted to improve standards for data sharing to improve business processes.
Assignment:
The process is to read the case study and, based upon the opportunities afforded in the case, select for development an action research topic (feasibility study). The course deliverables are:
Feasibility study (four chapters with title page, footnotes, etc.) (APA writing style)
Abstract (Short version of the project i.e., Dissertations Abstract)
The paper should contain:
Situation Analysis (if your study requires a SA). Describe the situation your project will explore. Note: Your completed situation analysis will include a description of the industry, the organization involved, its culture and the competitive environment together with the issue to be explored in your project.
Statement of the Problem
* Premise (if your study requires a premise). Present a concise positive statement of what the student proposes to substantiate by the correlation of the primary research project. Qualitative terms must be defined, and the premise should be measurable. Example: That productivity has been improved by Human Relations training.) In the example premise, the following terms would be defined in a presentation entitled “Definitions” immediately following the premise statements: (a) Productivity. (b) Improved, and (c) Human Relation Training.
Definitions
Disclaimers or Study Limitation. Because the student realistically can deal only with limited variables, there should be statements of other variables not entertained in the study which could distort results or findings. Example: The impact of unexpected massive layoffs.
Delimitations
Work Plan - Applied Research Methodology: This section tells what primary and secondary research methodology will be used in the paper.
Work Plan - Basic topic development
Bibliography/Footnotes/Endnotes/Appendix
Questionnaires, tables, exhibits, charts, and other inclusions must be provided as part of the project paper and may be placed in the appendix of the paper.
*Premise isn't needed unless the study is proving the statement of the problem as a 'yes' or 'no'.
Case Study the topic was picked from: The following case study is the
super shell for the ITM 6000 project.
-----
BACKGROUND:
The company is a global organization of 250,000 associates located throughout the world with plants, office, and associates in every country.
The parent has given direction that a reengineering is to happen to give a total systems approach to the organization.
The IS/IT function is being globalized with functions being centralized, co-located, decentralized, and virtualized in different divisions throughout the world. You have been challenged with the task of doing an action research-oriented feasibility study of one of the topics in one of the defined major IS/IT functional areas. The company is moving so fast that many areas are under study including the following:
Management > Business Process and Integration (This is the topic I selected - specifically about application interoperability using technologies like Application Programming Interfaces (API) to increase data sharing across stovepiped systems)
The staff has been organized in groups and others are working individually, through the PMO direction, to quickly develop feasibility studies so management can pull together a phased approach to the conversion of one of the major subsidiaries in this global organization.


Solution
Abstract
In today’s competitive marketplace, a
well-planned overall organizational structure is essential. However, the
structure is meaningless without a practice management system enabling
information sharing across the company. The old management structure has been
rendered useless or rather less effective compared to the new well-planned
structures that allow the interoperability of different organizations and the
free sharing of information. Organizational characteristics, relationships,
competition, and performance all play a role in determining these factors. An
integrated enterprise process results from all of the parts working together.
A good structure with a
well-structured management system will be insufficient to provide a strong
foundation for developing and sustaining improvements. A management system
should include all elements that might influence a firm’s operations to be
successful. Organizational characteristics, internal and external connections,
competitive pressures, strategic issues, and company success are the main
division of organizations. All stakeholders must be considered while developing
a management system. Stakeholders are anyone interested in what you’re doing: a
customer, employee, investor, supplier, top management, or even a community
member. The organizational structure should be created to improve social and
investor synergy while still maintaining operational efficiency.
Increase Interoperability
And Improve Business Processes Through The Use Of Apis
Statement of the Problem
Stovepiped systems imply that data is
restricted from being accessible where it is needed to support various business
processes. API access to business data from all systems will enhance data
accessibility and productivity improvements. In addition, there are several
ways that the organization can manage and conduct its business under the
stovepiped systems.
Managing the Expansion of Stovepiped Organizations
Implementing customer-centric
structures and procedures in public organizations is challenging because of the
difficulty of managing cross-functional boundaries and the lack of
standardization in the systems and processes used. Public organizations are
examined in this study, which compares and contrasts the findings with those of
a prior study that focused on the financial sector. The interviews with public
organizations show that the stovepipe issue is still clear and that
cross-functional partnership, processes, customer satisfaction, and
coordination of activities and networks all require different advancement or
growth. According to this study, leaders in governmental bodies prioritize
political objectives over client relations, and the political level ranks
higher than customer requirements (McNamara & Morris, 2022). On the other
hand, public organizations have longer timeframes and less capacity to execute
changes than the private sector, leading to weaker client-related incentives
and greater organizational inertia in both culture and collaboration of stovepiped
organizations.
There has long been a broad
distinction between public and private institutions. When producing new income,
public institutions must consider various objectives and restrictions. The
ultimate authority over their existence rests with publicly elected bodies.
Nevertheless, organizations in the public sector share several common
characteristics, such as Stifling bureaucracies and diverse stakeholders in
many processes – no crossing of limits is possible as stakeholder groups and
procedures often stretch further than the constraints of an agency or
department; abrupt and dramatic shifts in policy direction; initiative overlap;
a large number and range of activities; as well as unreasonable expectations.
Public sector organizations are
frequently confronted with meeting citizens’ growing expectations, which have
grown dramatically in the past few decades while operating within budgetary
restraints. Public and private methodologies for planning have become
increasingly intertwined due to the growing customer needs. Government sector “phenomena”
such as Total Quality Development and Administration Process Re-engineering
have emerged over time (Stelmack & Gomez, 2021). Despite telecommunications
services, a lot of input is required for improvement. Therefore, a reasonable
approach to e-government application is required, considering all potential
benefits and barriers.
As new technologies are adopted and
rely more heavily upon, organizations evolve. Hierarchies are disrupted,
boundaries are dissolved, merits and status are re-allocated as learning
processes re-allocate status and complexity increases. When it comes to the
government sector’s cultural transformations, they may be bigger than other industries.
Soft” issues, such as convincing staff, government members, customers, and
other partners that a change is necessary or beneficial, are among those that
must be addressed (Stelmack & Gomez, 2021). In addition, workers in most
public sector organizations may undergo a radical shift in their working
conditions. Customers benefit from an organization’s business processes.
Therefore, there should be a synchronization between the information systems
and business procedures. Consumer satisfaction is more efficiently and
effectively delivered when components are integrated.
There are still many standalone
systems with their presentation layer, enterprise services logic, and data
system in many modern IT architectures. Stovepipes, also known as silo
application fields, were developed by departments to computerize paper-based
systems and streamline operations within a single division (Stelmack &
Gomez, 2021). Departmental boundaries have changed over time. On several
occasions, the structures can open up to the general public via
telecommunication services such as WAP integrations, a call centre, or an
internet shopping portal via various channels, including email and text
messaging. Multi-device support, cross-functional business process control, and
accurate online information are just some of the issues IT organizations must
deal with. There is a strong culture of siloed thinking in the organizations. They
try to reduce power consumption through heavily integrated systems. As a
result, users are wary of making any alterations to their current software.
Planning involves self-contained tasks over which they have control for various
reasons, including siloed methodologies.
The implementation of
customer-centred structures and procedures in public organizations is hindered
by the difficulties associated with cross-functional boundaries. In light of
the rapidity and strategy of customer frontline adjustments, the focus has
shifted to procedures and the potential need for more assimilation between IT
and close-to-the-customer activities. It’s not just public sector organizations
that face the challenges of siloed departments; measures encompassing frontline
service to customers and an organization’s use of services also face these
issues (Stelmack & Gomez, 2021). Services must also be linked between
organizations, such as government agencies or other public organizations, to achieve
the different functionality required in the interoperability of stovepiped
organizations. According to experts, the most effective IT capabilities can
only be achieved through inter-departmental interoperability. On the other
hand, this paper is concerned with intra-organizational cooperation.
Definitions:
Stovepipe System: A stovepipe system is a program that
operates as a standalone unit and does not communicate much if any, data with
other programs.
An API: APIs are a means of linking two applications
so that data may be exchanged between them. They can also be thought of as a
link between programs that allows them to exchange information. Programmers and
applications communicate through this intermediary (Ofoeda et al., 2019). APIs
are used whenever you use a messaging feature or access real-time information,
like checking the weather.
(a) Productivity
There are several ways in which a
customized API can be used to increase the productivity of any given
organization. That includes, for example, the fact that A custom API can
supercharge the mobile game. That can help the organization in increasing its productivity
in several aspects. Research has it that, in the preceding year, 75% of adults
used a smartphone, and smartphone ownership continued to increase while desktop
device usage decreased. You are well aware of the link between the quality of
the consumer experience and your business’s bottom line. Creating a
personalized API for your mobile customers can improve their experience while
reducing your workload.
A doctor’s office is a great example.
The usual procedure for most individuals is to show up 15 minutes early and
carry their luggage as they fill out an extensive pile of paperwork that would
normally take twice as long. This can lead to extremely short interviews. Consequently,
you only answer the most basic questions and even bypass others. In this
scenario, both the patient and the doctor serve as the company’s public face.
Is the firm prepared to satisfy customers’ demands in the best possible manner
under these circumstances? Which I do not conquer with. We’ve all been in
situations that require our haste reaction or need a faster response, which
mostly includes emergencies. Due to such reasons, a back-end developer could
develop a tailored API for this office, allowing clients to transfer medical
records and reschedule consultations on the go quickly. APIs allow businesses
to reduce the time and effort spent on information management. As a result, the
client is happier, staff members spend less time generating reports, and
everyone financially benefits. API development for mobile consumers is a must
rather than a luxury. It’s critical.
APIs also spur the Growth of Revenue
Channels because Information can be exchanged between partnership agreements
using APIs. They make it easier to work together and transfer data. API
innovation gives your company the chance to collaborate with other businesses
in your industry. Customers and partners can easily exchange data sets. For
example, working with a museum or even a coffee shop that showcases the work of
local artists can be a good fit if you own an art supply store. Each time a
piece is clicked on, information about the forms of media used and directions
to your location can be retrieved from your website.
Connecting several applications and
services might also help you be more productive, even if you do everything
yourself. A few experts on your team could help, but the time they spend
hopping from app to app would be more valuable spent constructing effective
marketing content for your company. As a result, one or more people are
overworked and underutilized. Assume your digital marketing campaign is
succeeding and you’re happy with the results. You may want to take a step back,
however. Your social media management data analysis, your response time on your
homepage, or how many direct leads your emails yield are just the
beginning.
However, API development customized
to your company’s needs can reduce the time you and your employees spend on
time-consuming tasks. In addition, a single, easy-to-use tool can help your
business become more efficient and productive by bringing together information
from multiple sources. As digital marketing takes centre stage, it’s no
surprise that many business owners are also tech-savvy. However, there are also
numerous responsibilities to manage. A lot is going on in your business,
whether you’re evaluating the results of the latest marketing strategy, improving
the efficiency of your employees, or thinking up new ways to reach an untapped
market.
Fortunately, there’s an answer for
you that’s just three letters long. An API may be all you need to transform
your business and the people you can reach. First, building a successful
relationship is a step toward being successful. Then, you can count on the
experts at Source Web Solutions when you’re ready to take your company to the
next level. Finally, your business will benefit significantly from our custom
API development services.
(b) Improved
Stovepipe Company’s current separate
analogy, the Stovepipe System Antipattern, represents a lack of system-wide
management and coordination. Subsystem coordination is the focus of the
Stovepipe System Antipattern. There are no common abstractions for subsystems
in this Antipattern, as well as there
are no common conventions for multisystem in a Stovepipe Enterprise. The
improvement of sub-components is achieved by using various integration
strategies and processes, such as the interoperability framework strategy(Stelmack
& Gomez, 2021). However, the interoperability framework for each pair of
subsystems is not readily transferable to other components, hindering
improvement as all system modules are integrated. There are also many inherent
correlations between system configuration, installation details, and current
system state, making the proposed system fragile. Extensions provide extra
point-to-point integration connections, even though achieving that is usually a
hard task that requires a specialist. The
complexity of the stovepipe increases dramatically over time as new
capabilities and alterations are added, making system expansion and repairs
extremely difficult.
(c) Human Relation Training.
Any company’s internal and external
relationships benefit from a networked management system because it facilitates
better communication. Therefore, a
system designer ought to be knowledgeable about complex human-to-human and
human-to-computer connections throughout an organization for a system to succeed.
Stovepipes, or “vertical, separate
management systems,” can cause harm to a company’s internal workings. Stovepipes
cause a lack of exchanging data with departments. Business tends to grow
when a company’s management system allows for the joint use of company
information and advances a complementary approach to handling outside
customers, suppliers, and competitors (Shalamonov, 2019). A “forward-thinking
approach” can “bring together specific functions within an integrated
management system.”
People, automated processes, and the
industry must consider developing an excellent organizational monitoring
system. A company’s ability to self-regulate is essential if it hopes to
prosper financially and positively impact the community in which it operates
(Shalamonov, 2019). Keeping track of everything is impossible without a system
that connects everyone, every department, and every aspect of the company’s
operations. In addition, the culture of a company and the culture of the
surrounding community can be affected by a company’s management system.
Limitations
Set legislations regulate the volume
of data shared on the internet. Nations with stricter privacy rules have higher
restrictions on data volume exported from them. Everyone from individuals to
organizations to government agencies must confront the same concerns when processing
and conveying data. Many problems were identified through the Copenhagen Expert
Workshop, the Joint CSTP-GSF, and the Stockholm Government Transparency
workshops; as a result, these concerns are interrelated (Presti, 2021). Trust
may be increased by empowering users so that they can address some of the risks
associated with greater collection and management. When designing incentive
programs, there must be a balance between private and public interests. When
dealing with these policy issues, the “data policy pitfall,” as debated at the
European Expert Workshop, is the desire to solve a multifaceted problem.
Flexible data governance models that consider the various types and contexts in
which data is used are essential.
EASD can positively impact society
and the economy and support public leadership. However, there are several
downsides to allowing anyone to access and share their data, such as the invasion
of privacy, the violation of communication policies, and the flow of
information in various organizations. Furthermore, by losing privacy or
privacy, other credible private interests, like those of the business, maybe
violated (Presti, 2021). Therefore, the advantages of EASD must be
measured against the costs and sovereign rights of all parties involved,
including the government, private corporations, and national governments (the
protection of their privacy, IPRs, and national security). This is specifically
related to sensitive information.
Privacy and intellectual property
rights (IPRs), and legal business and non-commercial preferences, must be
protected or incentives to contribute and invest in information improvement. The
threats of abuse of the copyright holder, such as personal information, will be
harmed. Users’ apprehension about sharing data, including Personal Information,
and even using internet services altogether is due, at least in part, to the
risks of privacy breaches. In addition, systemic risk to society can arise when
numerous appropriate holders are concurrently impacted, as is the case in
substantial data breaches involving personal information.
Delimitations
I got interested in business
procedures and integration and wanted to improve data sharing standards to
enhance company processes. Using promote the business, applications can be
improved and spread throughout an organization as business processes and needs
change. Many different technologies are used to implement business process
integration (BPI), which improves the flow and exchange of data among various
applications, people, and processes within and outside of an organization
(Amado et al., 2018). As a result, businesses can benefit from BPI while still
reaping the benefits of their existing investments in IT systems. With immense
knowledge in implementations, mobility, cloud solutions, service-oriented
layout (SOA), and any other relevant assimilation touchpoints, resellers can
best assist customers in integrating business applications, processes, and information
internally or with partners, suppliers, and clients.
Resellers who have this information
at their disposal can better assist their clients in locating, developing,
implementing, and maintaining integration solutions. Furthermore, improved
processes help organizations compete more effectively by reducing costs,
increasing efficiency, improving customer service, streamlining
decision-making, decreasing risk, responding quickly to regulatory changes, and
increasing compliance (Amado et al., 2018). Therefore there will be metrics and
strategies for continuously improving the workflow automation in the various
corporates.
Business Process and Integration In a Company
Businesses that want to connect
systems and information quickly need to implement Business Interconnection
(BPI) to achieve efficiency. Automation of business processes, system
integration, and secure data sharing across numerous applications are all
possible thanks to BPI. The ability to connect internal and external systems is
enabled by overcoming integration challenges (Manik, 2022). It’s also possible
to automate management, operational, and supporting processes with the help of
BPI technology. In this way, businesses gain an advantage over their
competition by focusing less time and energy on integration issues and more on
attracting new customers.
Large corporations could only afford
business process integration software in the past. However, in today’s
competitive business environment, many internal departments, such as
advertising, trades, service quality, and supply chain management, must
collaborate more closely (Manik 2022). As a result, increased productivity is
achieved by integrating institutional, operational, and support processes.
Barriers to Integration
Complex integration requires the use
of specialized software. Custom interconnection is a popular approach to
tackling the problem of achieving seamless interoperability. Point-to-point
integrations between applications and services are required for this method. However,
when businesses expand and connections increase, a point-to-point structure, or
“spaghetti code,” becomes unwieldy, fragile, and expensive to maintain
(Wicaksono et al., n.d). In addition, a lack of a data integration solution
often necessitates manually entering information. Individuals must manually
move data between applications, resulting in a “swivel chair” data entry with
this data transfer method. It’s a time-consuming and costly process. Some
businesses employ data loaders or other technologies to aid in integration, but
they aren’t always scalable owing to restricted service access.
Integration of business processes
Organizations are on the lookout for
a way to connect with their partners, suppliers, and customers outside their
internal systems. The goal of workflow organization is to improve task
efficiency and meet customers’ needs better. Businesses benefit from increased
transparency and adaptability, resulting in improved performance and new ideas.
Process models and data models interact more efficiently when automated
workflows (Labelle & Kemmerer, 2022). When it comes to boosting
productivity, business process reengineering helps companies analyze and
implement improvements for process automation and integrated business
processes. Automating and synchronizing critical leadership and operational
processes can ensure that businesses adhere to standards (Manik, 2022). Support
and financial reporting can be incorporated with marketing, sales, and
purchasing core organizations to improve exposure and cooperation among team
members. As a result of computer-controlled business operations, companies are
free to concentrate on bringing in new customers.
The Optimization Of Interoperability Between
Organizations through BPI
Connectivity between various
organizations necessitates using Business Process Integration (BPI) (for
instance, multinational corporations). BPI automates and integrates processes
and systems in different organizations (Hajnić & Boshkoska, 2021).
Organizational process models are commonly used to achieve BPI. Using Business
Process Improvement (BPI) and Business Process Reengineering, professionals in
the BPM department continuously examine the company’s business processes and
make improvements or changes as needed (BPR). The maximizing of investment is
the primary goal of every business. On the other hand, other firm stakeholders
have grown in importance (Reijers, 2021). This means that a company’s investors
or owners will see increased profits without reducing costs. When we use the
word “business efficiency,” we’re referring to all aspects of a company’s
operations, even those that don’t directly affect profit.
Process Trigger
The three types of BPIs listed below
ensure that business processes run in unison: A Process Management
process is started when activity in a specific system occurs (Kocaoglu &
Acar, 20).
Pull
The BPM can receive data from any
other system and transfer it to the database so that the various processing
users may read it.
Push
When the BPM sends data to the next
system, Push. HRM systems can be relocated with chosen participants’ data by
way of recruits.
Business Process Integration Solution
Business process integration can be a
difficult task, but one that MuleSoft can help with. As an Enterprise Service
Bus, Mule is a low-cost integration tool that makes it possible to connect
disparate applications and services (Belchior et al., 2022). Automated business
processes can be implemented within a company and between customers, suppliers,
and partners. Mule facilitates integration with both data and technology as an
ESB. Using Mule as an ESB alleviates the pain of integrating multiple systems.
Instant API interconnection with popular third-party software and systems is
fast and easy when using Anypoint TM Connectors (Fiorello, 2021). To quickly
build integrations and customize business operations, and development company
can use Anypoint Studio. As an ESB, Mule eliminates manual processing and
simplifies data alignment among the cloud and software products.
Work Plan
The study evaluated and assessed how
APIs might help businesses improve their processes by increasing
interoperability and documentation. The research used the qualitative research
methodology where different studies conducted in previous studies were analyzed.
Their results were compiled to give a credible conclusion of the steps necessary
to conclude the research successfully.
References
Amado,
A. R., Amado, M., Silva, F. N., Heitor, T. V., Rodrigues, E. M., Ramalhete, I.
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Belchior,
R., Guerreiro, S., Vasconcelos, A., & Correia, M. (2022). A survey on
business process view integration: past, present and future applications to
blockchain. Business Process Management Journal.
Fiorello,
N. (2021). A Cloud-based Business Process Automation Platform for Customer
Interaction: Research, development, integration, deployment and test of a
Business Process Automation platform to manage company customer relations
through the cloud.
Hajnić,
M., & Boshkoska, B. M. (2022). Integration of the Decision Support System
with the Human Resources Management and Identity and Access Management Systems
in an Enterprise. In Rational Decisions in Organizations (pp.
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Labelle,
E. R., & Kemmerer, J. (2022). Business process reengineering of a
large-scale public forest enterprise through harvester data integration. Croatian
Journal of Forest Engineering: Journal for Theory and Application of Forestry
Engineering, 43(1), 13-27.
Manik,
D. (2022). Impact of Supply Chain Integration on Business Performance: A
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McNamara,
M. W., & Morris, J. C. (2022). Expanding the Utility of Cross-Sectoral
Collaboration in Policy Studies: Present and Future. ANNUAL REVIEW
2021• VOLUME 12, ISSUE, 53.
Ofoeda,
J., Boateng, R., & Effah, J. (2019). Application programming interface
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Journal of Enterprise Information Systems (IJEIS), 15(3),
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Presti,
C. (2021). Conclusions, Implications, and Limitations of the Study. In Integrating
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Reijers,
H. A. (2021). Business Process Management: The evolution of a discipline. Computers
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Shalamanov,
V. (2019). Organizing for IT effectiveness, efficiency and cyber resilience in
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Stelmack,
R., & Gomez, D. (2021). Breaking Out of our Silos: How to Strengthen
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Why We Need to.
Wicaksono,
P. A., Atmaja, Y. P., Saptadi, S., Nurkertamanda, D., & Widharto, Y. Designing
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