Business Process Management For Smes : An Exploratory Study Of
Journal of Information Systems and Small Business Chong
2007, vol. 1, no. 1-2, pp. 41-58 BPM implementation factors for Australian wine SMEs
Copyright © 2007 Deakin University 41
Business process management for SMEs: an exploratory study of
implementation factors for the Australian wine industry
Sandy Chong
Curtin Business School, Curtin University of Technology
GPO U1987, Bentley, WA 6845, Australia
Email: Sandy.Chong@cbs.curtin.edu.au
Received 10 August 2007; Revised 26 November 2007; Accepted 28 November 2007; Online 3 December 2007
Abstract
Gartner EXPPremier (2005) identified Business Process Management (BPM) as the number one business
priority and building Business Process Capability as a major challenge for senior executives within the coming
years. The focus of BPM in practice and related research has been its application in large organisations. The
general value proposition of BPM, however, is also of significance for small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs). SMEs within the wine industry have only recently begun to apply BPM principles to their business. The
main motivating factors for this business improvement effort is a need to cope with consolidation trends and the
global grape glut, which are forcing wine businesses to increase operational efficiency. The wine industry has
been selected as a case study for this research not only due to its local significance, its growth driven by
globalisation and its contribution to the economy, but also the relative immaturity in terms of establishing
concepts of a process-oriented organisation. This study aims to explore and structure the major issues of BPM
adoption and implementation as the first such research initiative for SMEs in the wine industry. The research
was conducted in Western Australia and involved qualitative data collection including interviews...
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