SOURCE:

Faculty: Physical Sciences
Department: Computer Science

CONTRIBUTORS:

Mgbeafuluike, I.J;
. Agbasi, K.C;
Osuagwu,O.E;

ABSTRACT:

Developing enterprise systems for various organisations in this world of business transformation is a challenging issue for system developers’ as most business need to adapt to these transformations dynamically and align their processes, information system and technologies to the new requirements. The transformation and alignment requires good strategy and quality architecture. Enterprise architecture (EA) is a coherent whole of principles, methods, and models that are used in the design and realization of an enterprise’s organizational structure, business processes, information systems, and IT infrastructure. Recent research indicates the need for EA in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are currently important drivers of the economy and they struggle with problems related to lack of structure and overview of business processes. The existing EA frameworks are perceived as too complex and, to date, none of the EA approaches are sufficiently adapted to the SME context. This study aims at developing an integrated model for SME systems through the use of enterprise architecture. Prototyping was used for the progressive building of the model. The Object Oriented Analysis and Design Methodology (OOADM) was used to analyze our findings as well as developing the metamodel and information system. The system is implemented using a client/server approach, with a backend database (Microsoft SQL Server) and a frontend Visual Basic (client). The developed integrated model for SMEs is composed of sub-architectures of business, information, information system, infrastructure and resources and governance and security which provided a holistic and systemic vision of EA. The model was applied to an SME in Nigeria to authenticate its applicability and the result shows that the new architecture can successfully help SMEs to standardize their processes, develop integrated information system and streamline their operations. The integrated model was evaluated according to the dimensions essential in EA and the requirements for EA in an SME context and the result shows that EA approach can offer SMEs solutions to typical problems related to a lack of structure, overview, strategic awareness, IT planning, and business-IT alignment.