A framework for investigation into extended enterprise resilience

TLDR

Enterprise resilience attributes such as agility, flexibility, adaptability, and connectivity are recognized as supporting resilience, but their effective application to extended enterprises—particularly through IT‑enabled connectivity and collaboration—remains a challenge. The article proposes a framework for investigating extended enterprise resilience grounded in the key attributes of enterprise resilience. The framework expands two primary enablers—inter‑ and intra‑level interoperability and integration to enhance connectivity, and alignment of information technology with business goals via enterprise architecture modeling—to create a consolidated view of resources across extended enterprises.

Abstract

This article proposes a framework for investigation into 'extended enterprise resilience' based on the key attributes of enterprise resilience in the context of extended enterprises. Such attributes, namely agility, flexibility, adaptability and connectivity, are frequently defined as supporting attributes of enterprise resilience, but the issue is how they can be more effectively applied to extended enterprises. The role of information technology in assisting connectivity and collaboration is frequently recognised as contributing to resilience on all levels, and will likewise be employed on the level of extended enterprise systems. The proposed framework is based on the expanded application of two primary enablers of enterprise resilience: (i) the capability of an enterprise to connect systems, people, processes and information in a way that allows enterprise to become more connected and responsive to the dynamics of its environment, stakeholders and competitors; (ii) the alignment of information technology with business goals. The former requires inter- and intra-level interoperability and integration within the extended enterprises, and the latter requires modelling of the underlying technology infrastructure and creation of a consolidated view of, and access to, all available resources in the extended enterprises that can be attained by well-defined enterprise architecture.