Business Process Reengineering: Role of Information Technology in ...

Business process reengineering (reengineering) is a pervasive but challenging tool for transforming organizations for radical improvement in all aspects of its performance. Information technology (IT) plays an important role by either enabling or constraining successful implementation of Reengineering. This paper explores the role of IT in reengineering. The role of IT in reengineering is not automating the business process. Companies that think of IT as the tool for automating its business process cannot reengineer. IT can be an enabler for reengineering by enabling the organization to reengineer. IT allows the organization to do business process more efficiently. IT can also become an inhibitor of reengineering if the organization's IT Infrastructure is inadequate or inflexible. IT infrastructure capability includes both the technical and managerial expertise required to provide reliable physical services and extensive electronic connectivity within and outside the firm.