An empirical examination of the effects of information systems integration on business process improvement

Abstract

Since the mid‐1980s, the subject of information systems (IS) integration and its role in business process improvement (BPI) has been of considerable interest to business managers and researchers. The present study examines the effects of IS integration on BPI. The moderating effects of industry type, information intensity of the industry, and time since the initiation of the existing program in the firm have also been analyzed. The data for the study were gathered through a survey of Fortune 500 US firms at divisional levels. The results of the study support the hypotheses that data integration and communication networks integration affect the dimensions of BPI. However, none of the moderators, except industry type, was found significantly affecting the relationships between networks integration and process improvement effect and customer focus.