sustainability

Review
Business Process Management and Digital
Innovations: A Systematic Literature Review
Tahir Ahmad * and Amy Van Looy
Department of Business Informatics and Operations Management, Faculty of Economics and
Business Administration, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; [email protected]
* Correspondence: [email protected]




Received: 29 July 2020; Accepted: 20 August 2020; Published: 22 August 2020


Abstract: Emerging technologies have capabilities to reshape business process management (BPM)
from its traditional version to a more explorative variant. However, to exploit the full benefits
of new IT, it is essential to reveal BPM’s research potential and to detect recent trends in practice.
Therefore, this work presents a systematic literature review (SLR) with 231 recent academic articles
(from 2014 until May 2019) that integrate BPM with digital innovations (DI). We position those
articles against seven future BPM-DI trends that were inductively derived from an expert panel.
By complementing the expected trends in practice with a state-of-the-art literature review, we are able
to derive covered and uncovered themes in order to help bridge a rigor-relevance gap. The major
technological impacts within the BPM field seem to focus on value creation, customer engagement
and managing human-centric and knowledge-intensive business processes. Finally, our findings
are categorized into specific calls for research and for action to let scholars and organizations better
prepare for future digital needs.

Keywords: business process management; business process innovation; digital innovation; emerging
technologies; Industry 4.0

1. Introduction
Today’s technologies are triggering a fourth industrial revolution and generate new ways of
doing business. With the rapid boom of new technologies (e.g., blockchains, Internet of Things (IoT)
or artificial intelligence), organizations are struggling to take maximum advantage of new IT [1].
In response, business operations, structures and processes need to learn how to adapt and implement
a new version of business process management (BPM), called ambidexterity. Ambidextrous BPM is
a mixture of two aspects: (1) exploiting the benefits of existing technologies (i.e., exploitative BPM),
while simultaneously (2) exploring the benefits of new IT (i.e., explorative BPM) [2].
On the one hand, emerging technologies enable disruptive digital innovations (i.e., DI or innovations
with new technologies) which are rudimentary prerequisites of sustainable business processes (i.e.,
an organization’s long-term way of working). While product/service innovations are a potential feature
for organizations to lead in the market, digital process innovations help in terms of reducing time delays
and resource sharing [3]. Consequently, digital innovations are transforming both the client needs
and the infrastructural requirements. New technologies, such as blockchains, IoT, process mining,
robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and 4D printing, have the potential to
disruptively change business processes.
On the other hand, regarding BPM, it is generally accepted that each business process follows a
lifecycle approach from a process identification phase over implementation to a process monitoring
and control phase [4]. Prominent studies also dealt with the BPM maturity model [5], the BPM core
elements [6] and BPM context factors [7]. More recently, scholars started focusing on new topics like

Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827; doi:10.3390/su12176827 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability

Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 2 of 29

green BPM, the human aspects of BPM, social BPM and ambidextrous BPM [8]. Recently, Ref. [9]
suggested how two streams of BPM and digital innovations can be combined and highlighted benefits
of common methodologies. In another study, Ref. [10] discussed seven paradoxes related to BPM
and its alignment with IT by emphasizing smart devices and digital transformation. The changing
dynamics of high-speed internet and digital technologies are thus also entering the BPM discipline,
albeit at a somewhat slower pace.
Sustainable development through change in business operations depends on open innovation in
business processes [11]. In response, to let the BPM discipline better prepare for a digital knowledge
economy, Ref. [12] conducted an expert panel with practitioners’ opinions on future BPM trends with
respect to emerging technologies and digital innovations. While their study revealed seven BPM-DI
trends based on empirical data only, our purpose is to supplement these inductive trends with a
theory base to verify the extent to which the current body of knowledge addresses each trend, and to
better cope with the current gap between what is practically relevant or needed and the availability
of already rigorous knowledge [13]. The present study in particular aims at exposing the uncovered
aspects of BPM research in combination with emerging digital technologies from the past few years
and recent trends. The ultimate benefit is to discover promising but still under-investigated benefits of
digital innovations relevant to specific circumstances in BPM. Hence, to offer well-motivated advice
and a relevant research agenda that combines BPM with digital innovation, our research question is
as follows.

RQ. What are (un)covered aspects in the literature (state-of-art) of digital innovations for transforming
business process management?

Based on a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), this study points towards the yet uncovered
aspects of BPM in this era of digital innovations to help practitioners in their current endeavors. For the
purpose of our SLR, we used five renowned databases with peer-reviewed management information
system (MIS) articles. To comprehensively cover our research subject, the results will differentiate
between IS-related and management-related studies that simultaneously combine the topics of BPM
and DI. With the resulting research, we launch a firm call for more BPM-DI research to bridge a
rigor-relevance gap [13].
In the remainder, Section 2 presents the research background against which our literature review
is conducted. We describe the SLR method in Section 3, before presenting the results (Section 4).
Section 5 discusses promising research avenues and practical guidelines, while Section 6 concludes
with the limitations of our study.

2. Research Background
We first describe the notions of BPM and DI separately, and continue with explaining the BPM-DI
trends underlying our study.

2.1. Business Process Management (BPM)

BPM is recognized as a set of methods and techniques to discover a business process, to develop
designs for that process, monitor it by measuring data, as well as by optimizing and automating
the process with human, technological and financial resources [14]. Similarly, past researchers have
visualized this set in a BPM lifecycle with subsequent phases to address a business process, namely
iterations that begin with process identification and process discovery, then process analysis and
redesign, leading towards implementation and finally monitoring and control [4].
This entire BPM lifecycle requires innovation in each phase to obtain faster workflows [15].
Such innovations should also closely adhere to organizational goals, namely both explorative
and exploitative goals to comply to the needs of ambidexterity in a digital knowledge economy.
With enhanced flexibility features, ambidextrous BPM is more dynamic and extends traditional
BPM with a more balanced view between incremental and innovative process changes. Moreover,
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 3 of 29

knowledge transformation within business processes transform the discipline into more dynamic BPM.
For instance, knowledge sharing from seniors to newcomers among process teams is crucial for BPM
success [16]. Binci et al. [17] also revealed four project-based factors including (1) task specialization,
(2) knowledge transfer, (3) conversion of knowledge and (3) ambiguity and change management,
that help in ambidexterity adoption.
According to [18], BPM is dynamically changing to facilitate a broad level of organizational
performance in various perspectives. For example, faster innovations in business processes increase
productivity and raise company revenue. Since business process modeling and related objects are
seen as prominent BPM sub-areas, which are now reshaping abruptly [8], prior studies have mostly
contributed to these domains while other BPM sub-areas such as ambidextrous BPM have been largely
ignored in the BPM discipline from an innovation perspective [2].
More specifically, prior studies revealed that some BPM core elements (i.e., strategic alignment,
people, culture and governance) play a vital role for successfully implementing a business
process [6]. For instance, an organizational structure needs to support the organization’s BPM
adoption on different hierarchical levels (e.g., the Board, managers and assembly line workers) [19].
Similarly, an organization’s external environment (e.g., stakeholders, customers and competitors)
can influence the BPM characteristics when a new technology emerges in the market. Consequently,
vom Brocke et al. [7] summarized these contextual factors into four groups, namely goal-related,
process-related, organization-related and environment-related BPM context factors. Recurrence is
also observed in studies regarding BPM maturity models and their advice to reach a higher BPM
adoption [5]. Nonetheless, such studies on BPM maturity models, the BPM core elements and BPM
context factors primarily follow a rather traditional (exploitative) perspective, instead of discussing the
particularities of disruptive innovations and BPM exploration.

2.2. Digital Innovation (DI)

Digital innovations apply new technologies to resolve existing business problems and practices in
order to achieve new business models, products, services and/or processes [20]. Emerging technologies
impact on the execution of tasks in a business process, enable the coordination among work teams
and affect the entire BPM lifecycle, albeit more influential at the re-design phase [21]. Examples
of digital (process) innovations are easy and fast integrations of IT systems and operations, secure
payments solutions and automatic price updates [22]. Or smart devices can be used to upsurge process
improvement for an organization to go faster and within budget. Interoperability between the BPM
lifecycle phases and (new) IT is important to achieve substantial benefits from information and data [23].
Hence, digital innovations affect both the organizations’ strategic and operational levels.

2.3. Digital Innovation Trends in BPM

As shown in the previous sections, BPM in the digital economy is transforming and creating
new opportunities for improving business processes [24]. For example, new IT can automate several
manual tasks with internet-based and intelligent devices [25]. An extensive use of social technologies
encourages push and pull factors in marketing, leading to increased sales volumes and customer
interactions [26]. Or emerging technologies also help during process analysis, namely for tracking and
monitoring in a fast and efficient manner. Although digital innovation transforms BPM with the help
of emerging technologies, more research is needed to fully grasp those opportunities. Hence, Van Looy
and Poels [12] collected the opinions of 19 BPM practitioners on how they see the future of BPM evolve
based on emerging technologies, and categorized them into the following seven BPM-DI trends:

(1) Ever changing customer experience

(2) Stronger strategic link between BPM and digital innovation
(3) Faster innovations, process changes, way of working
(4) Increasing need for business-IT alignment
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(5) New CxO role to bring BPM and DI to the Board

(6) BPM becomes more appealing (e.g., process modeling and monitoring)
(7) Less resistance to BPM and digital innovation

We have adopted these BPM-DI trends to categorize our literature review in order to find ways
to bridge the rigor-relevance gap [13], which refers to the differences between practical experience
from industry and academic theories or literature. Bridging this gap is important, as research and
real-time practical experience are interdependent to obtain rigorous insights that are relevant for
society. Subsequently, we explain each BPM-DI trend by highlighting relevant studies on different
industries and perspectives before systematically mapping the state-of-art for deriving calls to research
and practical guidelines.

2.3.1. BPM-DI Trend 1: Ever Changing Customer Experience

The first BPM-DI trend implies that digital technologies continuously change the experience
of end customers, and this possibly with an increased speed. With enriched data management
and big data analytics, organizations can use data for incorporating customer-centric offerings [27].
Market responsiveness and creating value propositions about customer requirements are the basics
of developing a new and exceptional customer experience [28]. When organizations have a massive
amount of data, applying big data analytics can help identify and differentiate between customer
profiles based on a faster retrieval of information than before. Ultimately, providing a customization
facility can improve customer relationships, stimulate customer engagement and determine/predict
consumer behaviors [29]
Data mining, machine learning and artificial intelligence continue to improve customer interactions.
While data mining refers to discovering patterns in large datasets using real-time customer data [30],
machine learning refers to the scientific study of algorithms and models that information systems apply
to perform tasks without human instructions but with machines behaving intelligently like human
beings [31]. Artificial intelligence also uses big data to derive decisions and for making predictions.
One example that many organizations are already using is a Customer Relationship Management
(CRM) system for storing and sharing real-time information of customers [32]. In short, with these
mechanisms, the experience of customers can drastically change due to the interventions of new
technologies, and this will only increase in the near future.

2.3.2. BPM-DI Trend 2: Stronger Strategic Link between BPM and Digital Innovation
The current technological revolution is responsible for a paradigm shift towards ambidextrous
BPM [33]. While many organizations already apply traditional (exploitative) BPM methods and
techniques, the explorative variant can help promote a culture of collaboration (e.g., by social media)
and entrepreneurship to explore new ways of doing business (e.g., Uber) [3]. BPM’s success is
concealed in the strategic adoption of IT, and thus also in new IT. Not only should process goals be
aligned with organizational goals, but an alignment between business and IT is also essential for BPM.
Nowadays, BPM needs to especially create value out of employees and customers, called value-driven
BPM [3]. Nevertheless, there is a dire need for obtaining a balance between exploitative and explorative
business processes to achieve organizational performance [34]. For instance, this trend includes big
data management strategies that describe how big data can be linked with digital innovation and
BPM [35]. In an ambidextrous environment, the role of big data for creating a balance between
exploitation and exploration is less discussed in the literature. Whenever a new technology arrives
in the market, organizations make an effort to adopt and attain a relative competitive advantage.
IT enables organizations to get the maximum benefits from (un)structured data. Hence, changing an
organization’s strategies towards digital technology can be a successful path.
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 5 of 29

2.3.3. BPM-DI Trend 3: Faster Innovations, Process Changes and Way of Working
Business processes can become faster by applying agile principles [36]. Regarding the traditional
(exploitative) BPM approach, Six Sigma and lean manufacturing have been used since many years
for ensuring continuous process improvements [37]. Similarly, Total Quality Management (TQM) is
applied to increase business process quality and relevant ISO standards (e.g., the ISO 9000 series)
are related to several products/services and organizations [38]. Nonetheless, for exploration reasons,
BPM requires a combination of standardization in today’s high-speed internet environment with
an increased awareness of the DI potentials. Therefore, learning new technologies is crucial to
improve business processes [39]. Process goals are only achievable with teamwork. BPM managers
and practitioners must be trained in time management, so they can inject teamwork in their teams.
Similarly, project management skills are highly important to manage each BPM lifecycle phase [40].
In addition, BPM maturity models can play a vital role in the adoption of digital technologies.
For instance, Ref. [41] contributed to a comprehensive maturity model involving strategic alignment,
culture, people, governance, method and IT elements, and they revealed how these core elements can
contribute to BPM success (albeit with a stronger focus on exploitation).
Nonetheless, digital technologies open gateways for innovation by sharing information externally
(i.e., outside the organization). Innovation in business processes is positively associated with an
information exchange towards an organization’s environment [42]. The ease of use and perceived
usefulness of these technologies also contribute to a positive integration with business processes [43].
Agile business process development is possible in different ways. One way is to divide the innovation
project into sub-tasks and to integrate them with the help of digital technologies. An alternative
way is using BPM knowledge with user-friendly BPM systems or suites (BPMS) [44]. Knowledge
transformation in BPM enables faster communication, a deeper understanding and an abrupt execution
of tasks. Therefore, tacit knowledge should be converted into explicit knowledge in BPM scenarios.
Thus, BPM is reshaping in such a way that it becomes more agile and faster in critical situations.

2.3.4. BPM-DI Trend 4: Increasing Need for Business-IT Alignment

Venkatraman, Henderson and Oldach [45] already revealed that IT capabilities should be exploited
for competitive success and continuous strategic alignment. The related notion of business-IT alignment
refers to the required integration between a business strategy and an organization’s IT strategy, as well
as between a business and its IT structures [46]. This alignment type remains a major concern to be
assessed by IT departments. Many prior studies examined the nature of business-IT alignment, such as
its measures and outcomes. Alternative studies discussed the ongoing nature or sustainability of
business-IT alignment [47].
Nonetheless, business-IT alignment remains to be a prerequisite for successful BPM in the
twenty-first century, for which the IT architecture constitutes an important pillar. Alignment between
an organization’s process architecture and its entire enterprise architecture is mandatory to guarantee
a smooth execution of tasks [48]. Business-IT alignment is strengthened by collaboration in each
BPM lifecycle phase, and helps achieve a faster processing time, better customer experience, realizing
technological transformations, achieving IT agility and increased collaboration [49]. Consequently,
the overall profitability of organizations can increase as well. Moreover, business-IT alignment
supports strategies for customer involvement and allows us to step forward towards digitized solutions
(e.g., robotics).

2.3.5. BPM-DI Trend 5: New CxO Role to Bring BPM and DI to the Board
The importance of top management support and especially executive support has been
widely known [50]. Top managers should actively participate, give relevant directions and take
technology adoption decisions for achieving organizational goals and increasing business (process)
performance [51]. One of the roles of top managers is to estimate and explain user IT adoption
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 6 of 29

behaviors (e.g., how users react towards new technologies) [52]. Besides the ease of use and perceived
usefulness [43], the adoption of a new technology is affected by its financial perspective [53]. Without
a practical IT budget, technological infrastructures cannot be built. Such investment decisions are
typically the responsibility of top management. The chief executive officer (CEO) in particular is
a key person in taking these decisions while, in some organizations, the chief information officers
(CIO) and chief financial officers (CFO) have this authority [19]. Moreover, consensus among all top
managers is required for devising the BPM and IT strategies of an organization. Since conflicting
interests may hinder technology transformations [12], a new CxO role dedicated to digital process
innovation can bring solace. In any case, the CEO remains accountable for describing the organization’s
portfolio of business processes, recruiting the process owners/managers and creating a BPM-promoting
culture [54]. Therefore, all management functions related to the planning, implementation, monitoring
and controlling of business processes (i.e., which are performed by process owners/mangers) should
be under the supervision of the Board and the CEO in particular.

2.3.6. BPM-DI Trend 6: BPM Becomes More Appealing (e.g., In Process Modeling and Monitoring)
While the traditional (exploitative) BPM approach has been criticized for being bureaucratic,
emerging technologies give a possibility to the BPM field to reposition itself and become more appealing
in terms of practicing new ways of process modeling and monitoring. More appealing things are
happening on the BPM exploration domain, such as journey mapping through a comic book style [55],
which strongly contrasts with the traditional process languages (e.g., process diagrams in BPMN
and UML) [56]. Real-time app monitoring tools are useful for monitoring an IT infrastructure [57].
Also, network monitoring tools are increasingly used. Furthermore, explorative tools have been
designed for more demand-driven, case-driven and value-driven BPM [58]. Knowledge management
tools are introduced to derive knowledge-intensive processes that perform in unexpected conditions.
Similarly, knowledge-intensive BPM works in unstructured environments by using knowledge to
promote employee involvement in process improvements [44]. Other examples are intelligent neonatal
monitoring systems using multi-sensors for intelligent monitoring [59].
The above-mentioned explorative BPM examples also turn out to be successful. For instance,
studies showed that a business intelligence implementation in BPM escalates the performance of
corporate performance management [60]. Knowledge management in BPM also turned out to ensure
the quality of data and information [61]. Alternatively, reducing carbon footprints across the BPM
lifecycle phases are vital steps towards green BPM [62]. Nonetheless, while digital process innovations
help advance process analytics and trigger a new generation of process modeling and of organizational
capabilities by emerging technologies, [63] argued that such recent technologies will decrease human
interventions in BPM.

2.3.7. BPM-DI Trend 7: Less Resistance to BPM and Digital Innovation

The final BPM-DI trend predicts a reduced degree of resistance against process change by
promoting an adaptation culture in digital technologies and a learning organization. So far, change
management models like Lewin’s change management model and the McKinsey 7-S model have been
applied in BPM [64]. Demonstrated techniques for managing process changes are culture mapping,
force field analysis, metrics and flow charts. New curricula in IT and BPM confirm that change
management remains beneficial in removing the hindering factors in BPM and learning. For instance,
a future BPM curriculum should include teaching BPM practices, teaching BPM as a problem-solving
domain and teaching about the technology-driven benefits of BPM. A paradigm shift from exploitative
BPM to explorative BPM is seen as a must to be considered in future BPM curricula [65].
Learning about BPM also depends upon the effective utilization of available data, namely how
effectively organizations use the information of employees and customers [39]. Subjective elements
such as job satisfaction, performance and job engagement can be determined by data with the help
of technologies in a BPM environment. Evaluation criteria and measuring standards can be made
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 7 of 29

available to unexperienced employees for reasons of learning. Employee participation in strategic

process decisions is inevitable for organizations to avoid an integration cost later on. Experienced-based
learning considers experience as the main method of learning for BPM tools and techniques. A learning
cycle can be used to transform tacit knowledge into work patterns [66].
In addition to the impact of digital innovations on BPM, other factors such as social culture and
work culture also have a promising role in reshaping BPM [67]. For instance, an educated society with
an open culture is less resistant to change, and therefore more open to disruptive process changes.
Similarly, digital innovations also affect social culture. In other words, the BPM field is not only
reshaped by technological factors but also cultural changes which reinforce the former.
In sum, all expected BPM-DI trends from Section 2.3 can already be observed in the literature,
at least to some extent and with different dimensions. Based on these trends, we now intend to find a
comprehensive set of related studies to analyze the degree to which each trend is currently addressed
and which issues are still concealed.

3. Methodology
Given that BPM functions are reshaping with digital innovations, we used the systematic literature
review (SLR) methodology of [68] to identify the extent to which (IS-related and management-related)
research avenues of BPM remain underdeveloped in today’s research. Firstly, a comprehensive protocol
was developed to streamline the SLR. This protocol is essential to minimize the chances of biased results
in research. It concretizes our research design by highlighting the followed approach and conditions to
ensure quality measures [69]. The protocol also specifies the research question, the sources of search
(i.e., academic databases), search terms (i.e., key words) and the inclusion and exclusion criteria for
screening the observed studies. After scanning, these studies were classified into IS-related studies,
management-related studies and literature research. As a starting point, the search terms or keywords
related to the information technology domain were selected to include recent technologies, paradigms
and approaches. Afterwards, nodes were developed in Nvivo 12 and then converted into themes.
Finally, the research agendas were identified along these themes and linked to the seven BPM trends of
Van Looy and Poels [12] to allow for a more structured overview of the SLR findings, as explained in
Section 2. Van Looy and Poels [12] initially conducted an expert panel study with 19 West-European
practitioners (i.e., BPM and DI managers and consultants), and formulated and linked the trends
to IS-related and management-related emerging strategies. Those authors, however, called for a
more conceptual approach to supplement their future trends with literature to better position the
gaps between “what we know” from the knowledge base and “what we need to know” from practice.
This missing conceptual angle is the purpose of our SLR.

3.1. SLR Protocol

We started by developing a SLR protocol based on our problem identification [68], as summarized
in Table 1.

Table 1. Our systematic literature review (SLR) protocol.

Sources of Search Web of science; Ebscohost; Scopus; Science Direct; Jstor

A combination of: “Business Process Management” with new information technology
Search terms used
paradigms, approaches or solutions (See Table 2)
Search strategy All search requests were done with keywords in “Topic” (See Table 3)
All relevant book chapters, journal articles and conference proceedings that were written in
Inclusion criteria
English were retrieved after applying the predefined search terms and strategy
Duplicates and Irrelevant studies (i.e., that do not fit into BPM and new IT or digital
innovations) were excluded
Exclusion criteria
Only recent studies from the last five years (i.e., published in 2014 or later, until May 2019)
to focus on emerging technologies only
Quality criteria Only peer-reviewed articles
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 8 of 29

3.2. Sources of Search

We selected five renowned academic databases in the field of management information systems
(MIS) and business administration (i.e., Web of science (WoS), Ebscohost, Scopus, Science Direct and
Jstor) because these databases are known for providing high-standing, peer-reviewed publications in a
structured way and with user-friendly retrieval facilities.

3.3. Search Criteria

The next main step was to determine “search terms” or “keywords” for searching and retrieving
relevant studies from the selected databases. We searched for combinations of “business process
management” with a technology-oriented keyword using the “AND” operator (see Table 2). For instance,
“Agile” or “agility” was used because this approach lead to more digital innovation within the BPM field.
The term “ambidextrous” or “ambidexterity” was used because contemporary organizations are moving
more towards a combination of explorative and exploitative business process management. Although
cloud computing is considered as a less recent phenomena, it is still being used by organizations
in different ways. Hence, keeping under observation the recent trends in information technology
advancements, we used the names of various paradigms, paths, technologies and IT solutions as
“keywords” for our search queries, as shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Our search criteria.

Keyword (1) Operator Keyword(s) (2)

“Agile” or “Agility”
“Blockchain” or “Blockchains”
“Ambidexterity” or “Ambidextrous”
“Business Process Management” AND “Artificial Intelligence” or “Business Intelligence”
“Digital Innovation” or “Digital Transformation”
“Cloud computing” or “Cloud”
“Industry 4.0”

3.4. Search Methods

We considered the available search options in databases (i.e., some databases only allowed us to
look for publication titles while others also allowed to directly search for the main topic discussed in
articles). Hence, we conducted “topic”-wise searches in order not to miss out on important research
publications (i.e., in case when databases only allowed for searching by “title” and not by “topic”).
As a result, Table 3 presents the search results per specific keyword combination and per database.
Initially, we retrieved 1393 studies based on our search criteria. After removing the duplicates and
non-applicable papers, the sample was reduced to 849 studies. We then did an additional screening by
conducting “Title”-versus-“Topic” searches (i.e., BPM in title and a technological keyword in topic)
and “Title”-versus-“Title” searches (i.e., BPM in title and a technological keyword in title) in an Excel
sheet. In this additional screening round, we identified 618 papers that did not apply to both keywords.
For example, a paper about intelligence was dropped if it only covered artificial intelligence but
not along with BPM. Thus, our final SLR sample consisted of 231 papers in total, and can be found
in Appendix E. In a next phase, the 231 papers were divided into three major categories, namely
(1) BPM-DI papers handling more the IS aspects, (2) BPM-DI papers covering rather managerial topics
and (3) existing literature reviews on the integration of BPM and DI. The step-wise details are shown
in Table 4.
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 9 of 29

Table 3. Our search methods.

Databases
WoS Ebsco-Host Scopus Science Direct Jstor Total
Keywords
“Business Process
“Agile” OR “Agility” 35 27 60 190 2 314
Management”
“Business Process “Blockchain” OR
5 8 22 21 0 56
Management” “Blockchains”
“Business Process “Ambidexterity” OR
10 16 14 24 0 64
Management” “Ambidextrous”
“Business Process “Artificial Intelligence” OR
10 1 57 94 1 163
Management” “Business Intelligence”
“Business Process “Digital Innovation” OR
1 1 6 5 0 13
Management” “Digital Transformation”
“Business Process “Cloud computing” OR
62 48 99 213 1 423
Management” “Cloud”
“Business Process
“Industry 4.0” 12 8 24 50 0 94
Management”
“Business Process
“Internet of Things” 30 35 58 142 1 266
Management”
Total 135 109 282 597 4 1393

Table 4. The filtering of retrieved papers.

Total Number of Papers Retrieved

1393
(Topic Wise Search)
Removed Duplicates −502
Removed Non-applicable papers −42
Additional screening (Not found in
−618
Title vs. Topic search)
Total: (Final SLR sample) 231
Classification:
IS-related BPM papers 135
Managerial BPM papers 87
Existing literature reviews 9

3.5. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

We only included papers in our SLR sample that had “Business Process Management” in their title
or topic, and with at least one technologic keywords (i.e., related to new IT) discussed as a topic in the
entire study. This threshold was defined to acquire all relevant studies, written in English. Likewise,
all duplicates and non-applicable studies were excluded. After this comprehensive screening, our final
sample contained 231 studies.

3.6. Classification Scheme

After screening and obtaining our final SLR sample, we classified the 231 identified papers into
three main categories, namely 135 IS-related studies, 87 managerial studies dealing with the integration
of BPM and DI, and nine literature studies. This classification was based on the concept of research
insights (i.e., either a study provided technical, managerial or review insights). If a single paper
possessed multiple insight types, we categorized it based on its most prominent contribution (e.g.,
many papers present earlier studies but not necessarily as a literature review). This categorization
turned out to be helpful in defining our intended scope and targeted research agendas afterwards.
Furthermore, each paper was assigned a unique ID number (i.e., a sequential number) for reasons of
 Sustainability 2020, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 10 of 30

for reasons of conciseness in our analysis. Finally, the studies were classified against the seven BPM-
Sustainability 2020, 12,
DI trends of 6827
[12] as an additional classification scheme, as explained in Section 2.3. 10 of 29

4. Results
conciseness in our analysis. Finally, the studies were classified against the seven BPM-DI trends of [12]
The results section starts with the chronological and geographical distribution of the sampled
as an additional classification scheme, as explained in Section 2.3.
papers, followed by a mapping against the seven BPM-DI trends of Section 2.3. Regarding the latter,
an in-depth mapping of IS-related and managerial BPM-DI papers is given to generate new themes.
4. Results
4.1. Chronological Distribution of the Sampled Papers
The results section starts with the chronological and geographical distribution of the sampled
Figure by
papers, followed 1 shows the chronological
a mapping distribution
against the of our SLR
seven BPM-DI sample,
trends of considering
Section 2.3.theRegarding
231 observed
the latter,
papers based on a five-year publication range (i.e., with publication dates from May
an in-depth mapping of IS-related and managerial BPM-DI papers is given to generate new themes.2014 until May
2019). Figure 1 also divides our sample into the classification discussed in Section 3.6.
Figure 1 illustrates that a relatively higher amount of papers was found during 2016 and 2018,
4.1. Chronological Distribution of the Sampled Papers
and this for both IS-related and managerial categories. During 2016, many scholars started to include
cloud1 computing,
Figure shows the IoT and smart devices
chronological in BPM.
distribution of Especially during 2018,
our SLR sample, abundant the
considering work231was
observed
observed among the managerial BPM-DI papers as compared to the IS-related papers.
papers based on a five-year publication range (i.e., with publication dates from May 2014 until The strong
decrease in 2019 can be explained by the fact that our sample was restricted to May 2019 (i.e., when
May 2019). Figure 1 also divides our sample into the classification discussed in Section 3.6.
collecting the sample).

40
34
35 32
30
22 31
Number of Papers

25
19
20 19 17 14
15
14 10
10 8
2
3 3 2
5 0
0 1
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Year of Publication
IS BPM Trends Management-BPM trends Literature studies

Figure 1. The chronological distribution of sampled papers (n = 231).

Figure 1. The chronological distribution of sampled papers (n = 231).
4.2. Geographical Distribution of the Sampled Papers
Figure 1 illustrates that a relatively higher amount of papers was found during 2016 and 2018,
and this for Figure 2 represents
both IS-related andthemanagerial
geographicalcategories.
distribution During
of our sampled papers.
2016, many While studies
scholars were
started to include
observed across the globe, Europe seemed to be the dominant continent over other areas, namely
cloud computing, IoT and smart devices in BPM. Especially during 2018, abundant work was observed
with a total of 131 BPM-DI studies. This remarkable finding can be explained to some extent due to
among the
thefact
managerial
that there BPM-DI
is a strongpapers as compared
BPM community to thewhereas
in Europe, IS-related
otherpapers. The
continents strong
might decrease in
examine
2019 canthebeemerging
explained by the fact
technologies that
more our
from thesample wasofrestricted
perspective to May as
digital innovation 2019 (i.e.,
such, when the
or within collecting
the sample).
context of specific BPM sub areas, such as “process mining”, while our search term was “business
process management” only. Asia had the second highest paper count with 46 BPM-DI papers,
4.2. Geographical Distribution
followed by of the
North America Sampled
with Papers
20 papers. On the other hand, fewer papers were found in Africa
(i.e., with 13 BPM-DI papers) and Australia (i.e., with 9 BPM-DI papers).
Figure 2 represents the geographical distribution of our sampled papers. While studies were
observed across the globe, Europe seemed to be the dominant continent over other areas, namely with
a total of 131 BPM-DI studies. This remarkable finding can be explained to some extent due to the
fact that there is a strong BPM community in Europe, whereas other continents might examine the
emerging technologies more from the perspective of digital innovation as such, or within the context
of specific BPM sub areas, such as “process mining”, while our search term was “business process
management” only. Asia had the second highest paper count with 46 BPM-DI papers, followed by
North America with 20 papers. On the other hand, fewer papers were found in Africa (i.e., with 13
BPM-DI papers) and Australia (i.e., with 9 BPM-DI papers).
Afterwards, the analysis was focused towards the seven BPM-DI trends (Section 2.3) and conducted
per category (i.e., IS-related aspects of BPM versus management-related aspects of BPM). We note that
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 11 of 29

the nine observed literature reviews could not be classified into a single trend because they were more
general in nature.
Sustainability 2020, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 11 of 30

Figure 2. The geographical distribution of sampled papers per continent (n = 231).

Figure 2. The geographical distribution of sampled papers per continent (n = 231).

4.3. MappingAfterwards, the analysis

against BPM-DI Trendswas focused towards the seven BPM-DI trends (Section 2.3) and
conducted per category (i.e., IS-related aspects of BPM versus management-related aspects of BPM).
WeWe mapped
note that our
theSLR
nine sample
observedof 222 IS-related
literature and managerial
reviews could BPM-DI
not be classified studies
into a single against
trend the seven
because
they were more general in nature.
trends of Section 2.3, and this by assigning each paper to a corresponding BPM-DI trend.
Figure 3 shows that 35% of the 222 studies were related to trend 6 (“BPM becomes more appealing”)
4.3. Mapping against BPM-DI Trends
and 32% of the studies covered trend 4 (“Increasing need for business-IT alignment”), indicating that
We mapped our SLR sample of 222 IS-related and managerial BPM-DI studies against the seven
most research was conducted in these two areas. The findings also suggest ample opportunities for
trends of Section 2.3, and this by assigning each paper to a corresponding BPM-DI trend.
future research.
Figure2020,
Sustainability 3 shows that
12, x FOR PEER35% of the 222 studies were related to trend 6 (“BPM becomes 12more
REVIEW of 30
appealing”) and 32% of the studies covered trend 4 (“Increasing need for business-IT alignment”),
indicating that most research was conducted in these two areas. The findings also suggest ample
Research Contributions against BPM trends
opportunities for future research.

2%
Trend 1: Ever changing customer
experience 4%
10%
Trend 2: Stronger strategic link
between BPM and digital
innovation
Trend 3: Faster innovations, 35%
process changes, ways of thinking 17%

Trend 4: Increasing need for

business-IT alignment

Trend 5: New CxO role to bring

BPM and DI to the Board

Trend 6: BPM becomes more 0%

32%
appealing (e.g., process modeling
and monitoring)

Figure 3. The distribution of sampled papers against the seven BPM-DI trends (n = 222).
Figure 3. The distribution of sampled papers against the seven BPM-DI trends (n = 222).
4.4. Existing Research on the IS-Related Aspects of BPM
Furthermore, the subset of IS-related BPM-DI studies was taken to gain a deeper understanding.

4.4.1. Mapping of Paper ID’s for IS-BPM Papers

Table 5 shows the paper ID’s per BPM-DI trend, and reflects the rapid increase in research
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 12 of 29

4.4. Existing Research on the IS-Related Aspects of BPM

Furthermore, the subset of IS-related BPM-DI studies was taken to gain a deeper understanding.

4.4.1. Mapping of Paper ID’s for IS-BPM Papers

Table 5 shows the paper ID’s per BPM-DI trend, and reflects the rapid increase in research
regarding trend 6 (i.e., on appealing BPM trends with process-modeling alternatives, useful process
monitoring and supporting tools in knowledge-intensive BPM and intelligent BPM). The second most
represented trend (trend 4) confirmed the need of business-IT alignment within the BPM domain.
On the other hand, trend 5 (“New CxO role to bring BPM and DI to the Board”) did not contain any
paper, as most studies emphasized the technical side of BPM and DI without taking a (top) management
perspective. Similarly, only one paper was observed for trend 7 on making BPM and digital innovation
less change-resistant.

Table 5. Overview of IS-related BPM studies per trend (n = 135).

Initial BPM-DI Trends (Expert Panel) Paper Count Paper IDs

1/Ever changing customer experience 4 95, 147, 155, 228
2/Stronger strategic link between BPM and
7 14, 27, 30, 35, 79, 98, 229
digital innovation
3/Faster innovations, process changes, 2, 7, 45, 85, 86, 88, 89, 105, 106, 120,
16
way of working 122, 178, 182, 189, 205, 207
1, 4, 6, 12, 13, 50, 51, 62, 64, 65, 66,
67, 70, 71, 76, 81, 82, 84, 102, 103,
109, 110, 111, 119, 131, 133, 135,
4/Increasing need for business-IT alignment 50
136, 143 145, 151, 152, 161, 173, 185,
188, 190, 196, 200, 201, 202, 204,
208, 214, 215, 216, 217, 220, 227, 230
5/New CxO role to bring BPM and DI to
0 No papers found
the Board
8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 26, 33, 49, 52, 54,
56,59, 60, 61, 63, 69, 78, 83, 91, 92,
104, 107, 112, 114, 116, 117, 123, 124,
6/BPM becomes more appealing (e.g., process
57 129, 130, 132, 134, 137, 138, 139,
modeling, monitoring)
146, 149, 150, 156, 157, 159, 162,
163, 166, 168, 184, 186, 187, 192,
194, 199, 213, 218, 219, 221, 222, 225
7/Less resistance to BPM and digital innovation 1 46

4.4.2. Mapping of Relevant Themes for IS-Related BPM Papers

In the next step, we made threads of similar works among the IS-related papers on a per trend basis.
First, we classified all studies across the seven BPM-DI trends as presented in Table 5. Next, we combined
similar studies and converted them into one common theme that distinguished them from other papers
in Table A1 in Appendix A. For example, we combined paper ID 37 (titled: “Blockchain-based business
process management (BPM) framework for service composition in industry 4.0”) with paper ID 43
(titled: “Blockchain-Based Traceability of Inter-organizational Business Processes”), and assigned them
to one single theme (see Table A1 in Appendix A).

4.5. Existing Research on the Managerial Aspects of BPM

We then turn to the subset of management-related BPM-DI studies to continue our mapping with
regard to the seven BPM-DI trends.
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 13 of 29

4.5.1. Mapping of Paper ID’s for Managerial BPM Papers

In our final SLR sample, we categorized 87 sampled papers in the management-related aspects of
the seven BPM-DI trends. Table 6 provides an overview of the mapped research contributions for the
managerial aspects. While trend 2, trend 3, trend 4 and trend 6 showed similarity with the counted
IS-related papers in Table 5, we now observed some studies in trend 7 as well. Overall, Table 6 shows
evidence that trend 1, trend 5 and trend 7 remained highly and especially under-investigated in the
past, and need much more investigation.

Table 6. Overview of managerial BPM studies per trend (n = 87).

Initial BPM-DI Trends (Expert Panel). Paper Count Paper IDs

1/Ever changing customer experience 4 31, 53, 87, 174
2/Stronger strategic link between BPM and 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 80
15
digital innovation 93, 96, 99, 176, 210, 211,
3, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 28, 32,
3/Faster innovations, process changes,
21 34, 36, 47, 121, 125, 126, 177, 180,
way of working
181,206, 22, 224
15, 21, 29, 48, 55, 68, 73, 74, 77, 115,
4/Increasing need for business-IT alignment 22 141, 142, 144, 148, 170, 183, 193,
197, 198, 203, 223, 158
5/New CxO role to bring BPM and DI to
0 No papers found
the Board
17, 57, 58, 75, 100, 108, 118, 128,
6/BPM becomes more appealing (e.g., process
21 160, 163, 164, 165, 169, 171, 172,
modeling, monitoring)
175, 191,195, 212, 231
7/Less resistance to BPM and digital innovation 4 94, 127, 140, 226

4.5.2. Mapping of Relevant Themes for Managerial BPM Papers

Table A2 in Appendix B presents the mapping with refined sub-themes per BPM-DI trend for the
87 managerial BPM papers. We performed the same three-step procedure as for the IS-related sampled
papers, namely: (1) reading each article, (2) developing separate themes and (3) combining identical
papers and developing new themes after transcription.

5. Discussion
This section discusses IS-related and management-related research agendas to let the BPM field
further advance in a digital economy, as well as guidelines for BPM practitioners. These research
agendas and practitioners guidelines were developed from the generated themes after following our
pre-defined SLR protocol. Tables A3 and A4 in Appendices C and D visualize the research agendas
in bullet points, followed by a textual discussion in Sections 5.1 and 5.2. As shown in Tables A3
and A4, column three or C3 contains the list of key constructs found (e.g., “customer interaction” was
an observed key variable). Next, table column four (C4) comprises trend-wise combinations of the
derived themes to propose the research agendas against specific BPM-DI trends (e.g., “design time and
runtime interactions” is a topic derived in the research agenda and classified under the BPM-DI trend of
“ever-changing customer experience”). A similar trend-wise combination of the derived themes from
Section 4 have been used to propose the research agendas for both IS- and management-related topics.
Figure 4 summarizes the derived research agendas before delving into the details.
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 14 of 29

Sustainability 2020, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 15 of 30

Trends IS agendas Management agendas

AI & Machine Customer

learning use Value creation satisfaction
Trend 1: Ever Design time
changing customer interactions
Customer Value Response
experience
involvement proposition time

Exploitative and Integrated

Trend2: Stronger explorative BPM BPM
strategic link techniques
Exploitative and
between BPM and Elasticity in
Knowledge explorative
digital innovation clouds
sharing BPM balance

Use Process oriented Process

Trend3: Faster development tools centricity
innovations, process Objectivity
changes, way of
Standardized Agile Human centric
working
BPM BPM

Data Event-based Standardization

Trend4: Increasing mining processing
need for business-IT
alignment Smart
Secure and contracts &
scalable Interoperability
Industry 4.0
clouds readiness

Technology
Trend 5: New CxO Personalized
adoption
role to bring BPM technical
and DI to the Board skills
Investment

Meta- Data Distributed

Trend 6: BPM modelling analytics online platforms
becomes more
appealing (e.g., Load- Source
balancing Green BPM
process modelling integration
and monitoring) strategies
Ambidextrous
Event-based Use machine
BPM
modelling learning

Trend 7: Less Disruptive Explaining

resistance to BPM technology impact Blockchains
and digital on learning Learning by
innovation comparisons
Learning adoption
hinders

Figure 4.
Figure 4. Summary of the
Summary of the derived
derived research
research agendas.
agendas.

5.1. IS-Related Research Agenda to Let BPM Advance in a Digital Economy

Our research agenda with IS-related aspects on the co-evolution
co-evolution between BPM and DI is is given
given
in Table
Table A3
A3 in
in Appendix
Appendix C. C. The
The agenda
agenda strengthens
strengthens the
the BPM-DI
BPM-DI trends by adding
adding a differentiation
differentiation
between what is already investigated (i.e., SLR findings) and which most prominent or urgent topics
need further investigation to dig for deeper insights. To To better explain Table A3
A3 in
in the
the subsequent
subsequent
paragraphs, we use labels like “T9” for Table A3, “R” for row(s) and “C” for column(s) together with
a number (e.g., 1,2,3, etc.) in order to position a certain cell.
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 15 of 29

paragraphs, we use labels like “T9” for Table A3, “R” for row(s) and “C” for column(s) together with a
number (e.g., 1,2,3, etc.) in order to position a certain cell.
Trend 1. Trend 1 pinpoints towards an ever-changing customer experience, for which methods
and techniques are required to become aware of the changing customer needs. Nonetheless, our
SLR is only directed towards four studies covering the IS-related aspects of this trend. Those papers
agreed that intelligent techniques are useful together with efficient resource management in order to
improve customer interactions (T9, R1, C3). Much more research is, however, needed on customer
engagement, and particularly on how customer interactions should be based on design-time and
runtime interactions (T9, R1, C4). It is still unclear how customer interactions and involvement can
be improved, and what role technology can play. It thus seems promising to dig deeper into how
machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques should be applied to access customer needs
from a big data perspective. Furthermore, since merely applying these technologies is insufficient,
further research may also study how to involve customers in decision-making to acquire customer
feedback throughout all BPM lifecycle phases, namely from early on during a process redesign project.
Trend 2. The SLR only covered seven papers dealing with the strategic link between BPM and
DI. Nonetheless, from an IS perspective, this trend can be examined in more depth by looking at the
explorative methods and techniques and the possible strategies for using new IT in order to achieve
process efficiency and effectiveness. For instance, no significant work is witnessed in our SLR sample
for ambidextrous BPM methods and the related balancing efforts, while research has shown that
strategies for IT success help create trust in new technologies. Prior studies already revealed that if an
organization needs flexible resources, then elasticity can be a possible strategy (T9, R2, C3). Nowadays,
also demand-driven collaboration is a major aspect for building coordination among departments and
business processes (T9, R2, C3). We also observed from the SLR sample that the process query method
can be used as a strategy to handle complaints in BPM (T9, R2, C3). Nevertheless, we call for more
research on finding a balance between explorative and exploitative BPM strategies, and on bringing
elasticity in a BPM infrastructure (e.g., by using cloud computing) (T9, R2, C4).
Trend 3. The SLR offered 16 papers dealing with the IS aspects of faster innovations, process
changes or ways of working. Typical avenues for scrutinizing this trends relate to those methods and
techniques that allow for faster BPM lifecycles and for better applying agile principles. Prior studies
mainly pointed towards the use of artificial intelligence for faster lifecycles (T9, R3, C3). We also
observed studies on organizational and cultural support for going agile (T9, R3, C3). Moreover, our SLR
showed evidence that collaboration and integration between BPM practitioners and an organization’s
environment are key to success (T9, R3, C3). On the other hand, some missing angles in the body
of knowledge relate to quality evaluation methods in agile principles because quality should be
guaranteed even when organizations go faster (T9, R3, C4). Another crucial research avenue covers
process-oriented developments that also minimize project risks in software development (T9, R3, C4).
Trend 4. A relatively high number of papers on the IS side dealt with the increasing need for
business-IT alignment. Studies have been published on the integration of a process architecture
with an enterprise architecture in order to reduce delays, to provide scalability and to give the
provision of violation control based on smart contracting in blockchains (T9, R4, C3). Cross-discipline
collaborations have also been broadly encouraged in the different BPM lifecycle phases (T9, R4, C3).
Nonetheless, we provide four avenues that deserve more research attention. The first avenue relates to
event-based processing in the presence of digital technologies. Secondly, a cloud-oriented BPM lifecycle
seems promising by aligning cloud computing technology with the process design phase, the process
implementation phase and some other BPM lifecycle components. Thirdly, more research should
address security and privacy issues in digital technologies to build trust: when many tasks are being
performed online in virtual networks, strong authentication and accessibility schemes are required.
Fourthly, scholars could focus more on supporting Industry 4.0 based on smarts tools and technologies
(T9, R4, C4) such as smart waste disposal process leads to sustainability. Business processes along with
digital innovations should be compatible with other available IT infrastructures in Industry 4.0.
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 16 of 29

Trend 5. Past studies have not yet addressed the importance of a new CxO role for BPM-DI
integration, as seen from the IS-related aspects. Despite the fact that this trend is more related
to managerial aspects, future studies could deal with the technical knowledge aspects needed
for decision-making.
Trend 6. Most papers on the IS side could be linked to efforts on how to make the BPM field
more attractive for both a technical and non-technical audience. They mainly dealt with risk and
compliance management in general, with knowledge fusion and knowledge reuse as supporting
techniques in knowledge-intensive BPM (T9, R6, C3). Regarding intelligent-based BPM, prior studies
have examined process monitoring through blockchains and smart contacting (T9, R6, C3). Despite the
current attempts, we see opportunities to increase BPM’s attractiveness by means of process modeling
alternatives, approachable monitoring tools, tools for case-driven and knowledge-intensive BPM
and monitoring tools for intelligent BPM. More specifically, scholars could use more load-balancing
strategies in BPM architectures. Also Metamodeling (i.e., creating a model of a model) turned out
to be a promising focus in process modeling. Other ideas relate to integrating heterogeneous data
sourcing or investigating a smooth and faster retrieval of information. Alternatively, one could study
big data analytics and machines in terms of innovative BPM (T9, R6, C4). Despite all these emphases,
scholars can focus more on the appealing style of BPM by doing research on event-based modeling
and aligning business process modeling with Industry 4.0 needs in order to stimulate more BPM-DI
advocacy. Process modeling in distributed online platforms (e.g., cloud and IoT) is also an interesting
research avenue (T9,R6,C4).
Trend 7. Since prior research on BPM-DI resistance was limited to a single paper in our SLR,
we call for much more research on how to use employee data and how to build user-friendly artifacts
for non-experts. Also experienced-based learning can be studied further from an organizational point
of view (T9, R7,C4).

5.2. Management-Related Research Agenda to Let BPM Advance in a Digital Economy

Similar to the IS-related research agenda in Section 5.1, the refined management-related research
avenues are presented in the final column of Table A4 in Appendix D, along with the key variables
uncovered in our SLR and with respect of the previously inductively created research avenues and
BPM-DI trends.
Trend 1. The managerial aspects on changing customer experiences are largely neglected in the
current literature. The four papers observed for this trend mainly dealt with developing trust among
customers and with response time traceability for customers to monitor and manage the response
times of requests related to particular business processes (T10,R1,C3). New research paths can address
the co-creation of process value and the realization of customer-oriented values such as a customer
understanding and an excellent customer journey. We also encourage more research on value creation
together with customers and by means of business intelligence. Building value propositions for
business processes, like in marketing, may also help satisfy customer needs and is worthwhile to
investigate more deeply (T10,R1,C4).
Trend 2. Regarding the strategic link between BPM and DI, our SLR showed 16 papers covering
topics like BPM-DI integration, balancing strategies, customization, ambidextrous BPM capabilities,
as well as the coordination, knowledge sharing, performance and legitimation of BPM ambidexterity
(T10,R2,C3). Since much of those topics still need further investigation, we call for more research on
the critical success factors of BPM ambidexterity, a value-driven BPM approach, disruptive business
models and guidelines for balancing exploitative and explorative BPM. Additionally, the integrated
nature of mechanisms in business processes still has much research potential (T10,R3,C4).
Trend 3. To obtain faster innovations and operations, we found that past studies mainly focused
on business process reengineering (BPR) and agile principles, as well as on quality dimensions. More
specifically, studies dealt with agile functions, agile capabilities and reengineering designs as part of
project management. Quality dimensions such as service quality and meeting internationally accepted
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 17 of 29

quality standards like ISO9000 should be used in agile BPM as well. Studies were also observed
regarding dichotomy elimination (T10,R3,C3). Nonetheless, we call for more research on studying and
improving the DI process, time and project management for process owners, as well as on maturity
models facilitating BPM ambidexterity. No studies were related to time management by process
managers/owners. For allowing faster digital process innovations, more research is required regarding
human-centric and process-centric BPM approaches (T10,R3,C4) for obtaining more agility.
Trend 4. For business-IT alignment, the SLR incorporated many studies on IoT acceptance and
resistance factors, cloud adoption in BPM, the rapid growth of Industry 4.0, and the challenges in
blockchains (T10,R4,C3). All these topics still have research potential, whereas standardization in
BPM-IT alignment and interoperability between BPM infrastructures and digital technologies are less
covered today and are thus more promising areas (T10,R4,C4).
Trend 5. Similar to the IS-related sample, we did not observe any paper dealing with the roles of
CEO, CIO or chief process managers for governing specific BPM-DI matters and duties. This finding is,
however, surprising given the crucial role of top management support for BPM-DI success. Therefore,
we highly encourage more research on this subject. One potential research path is to scrutinize the
conflicting role division among different CxO roles. Another crucial avenue is to conduct research
on investment decisions in BPM and digital technologies. Moreover, research is needed on top
management support for promoting a technology transformation culture (T10,R5,C4).
Trend 6. Attempts to increase BPM’s attractiveness have been widely covered in our SLR sample.
For instance, we found studies on best practices, flexibility in BPM functions and technology adoptions,
service integration projects, green supply chains, agile principles for knowledge sharing, value-driven
BPM, ambidexterity adoption, and the use of intensive cognitions moving towards subjectivity as BPM
practitioners start thinking more intellectually with the use of knowledge-intensive business processes
(T10,R6,C3). We encourage more research on modeling and managing distributed online platforms
as well.
Trend 7. Again, little research was observed regarding BPM-DI resistance. While we mapped
four studies to the managerial side of trend 7, no studies were found that deal with useful change
management models and techniques for BPM ambidexterity in particular, and about ideas on how to
teach management and innovation at different school levels (e.g., in primary schools). In addition,
learning through comparison with previously successful technology adoptions in the area of BPM is
still a potential avenue (T10,R7,C4).

5.3. Future Recommendations for BPM Practitioners

Based on the above discussion, which have extended the seven BPM-DI trends of Van Looy and
Poels [12] with research insights related to IS-related topics and research avenues of managerial studies,
we encourage organizations to switch from a merely traditional BPM approach to also have a more
explorative BPM to obtain ambidexterity. More specifically, our sampled papers give evidence that
the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and blockchain in
appropriate business functions can significantly enhance an organization’s business process capabilities.
However, digital innovation in a business process is facilitated when careful considerations are made
regarding learning and development, and about managing knowledge and cultural acceptance of the
new technologies used within business processes. Moreover, adopting agile BPM also seemed crucial
for business process success.
Hence, after a detailed analysis of the derived themes leading to promising research avenues (i.e.,
calls for research), we now suggest demonstrated practical guidelines (i.e., calls to action) for BPM
managers and practitioners based on our sample of 231 papers. In the following paragraphs, we use
paper IDs as references to indicate how the initial nodes and further guidelines emerged (i.e., indicated
as numbers between brackets). These suggestions are based on the results tables, and summarized as
technical, ambidexterity and learning guidelines.
A summary of the practical guidelines is provided in Figure 5.
 Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 18 of 29
Sustainability 2020, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 19 of 30

Trends Practical
Guidelines
Trend 1: Ever Customer
changing Use Interaction
customer Blockchain
experience
Traceability

Use Enhance
Trend2: Stronger
Online customization
strategic link
service
between BPM and
platforms Ensure
digital innovation
flexibility

Trend3: Faster Use Real-time

innovations, Intelligent Guidelines
process changes, Physical
way of working assets
Use data
Apply Kaizen driven
principles Approach

Big data Promote

Trend4: and IoT in dynamic
Increasing need Health capabilities
for business-IT
alignment Change
learning
culture

Trend 5: New CxO

role to bring BPM Support digital
and DI to the innovations
Board

Trend 6: BPM
Enhance IT orchestration
becomes more
capabilities
appealing (e.g.,
process modelling
and monitoring)
Use innovative
designs

Trend 7: Less
Process innovation
resistance to BPM
Training
and digital
innovation
Promote subject
oriented BPM

Figure 5.5.Summary
Figure Summaryof
ofthe
the derived practicalguidelines.
derived practical guidelines.

Regarding
Regarding thethetechnical
technical guidelines,
guidelines,wewe
recommend the usethe
recommend of blockchain technology intechnology
use of blockchain customer in
interactions for increasing the traceability of products when building a trustworthy
customer interactions for increasing the traceability of products when building a trustworthyenvironment
environment (ID: 31). Next, organizations can develop an online service platform to enhance
customization by using a secure catalogue and ensuring flexibility in each step of the BPM lifecycle
(ID: 10, 49, 52). We also suggest using IoT and big data collectively (i.e., instead of separately) in
various processes for real-time guidelines and for gaining access to useful information (ID: 139, 184,
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 19 of 29

(ID: 31). Next, organizations can develop an online service platform to enhance customization by using
a secure catalogue and ensuring flexibility in each step of the BPM lifecycle (ID: 10, 49, 52). We also
suggest using IoT and big data collectively (i.e., instead of separately) in various processes for real-time
guidelines and for gaining access to useful information (ID: 139, 184, 192). This approach seems
particularly useful in pharma and healthcare industries when using data of patients, medicines and
diseases to achieve a better health treatment. We also recommend to combine intelligent physical assets
(e.g., intelligent devices) and human intelligence for creating operational and strategic capabilities
(ID: 56). Additionally, data of smart data factories can be used for learning, communicating predictions
and handling customer complaints.
The BPM ambidexterity guidelines specifically relate to exploitation and exploration, and for
creating a balance between explorative and exploitative business processes. For instance, digital
innovation can be stimulated by means of an organizational learning atmosphere. Organizations
should avoid unnecessary investments in exploitative BPM and IT capabilities when business process
requirements are changing fast (ID: 40, 93). Instead, they should spend more on dynamic capabilities,
such as business intelligence, to boost organizational performance. Furthermore, BPM practices
influence the cultural values in an organization. When employees dislike the exploitative BPM
practices, they might favor a more explorative culture instead (ID: 37, 38, 41, 44). In order to attain the
full benefits of BPM ambidexterity, different skills and expertise are required for both explorative and
exploitative business processes. Another suggestion is to apply the Kaizen principles of continuous
process improvements by actively involving stakeholders in feedback and by supplementing feedback
with objective performance measures (ID: 20, 180, 206). It is also important to find a balance between
standardization on the one hand and process flexibility and agility on the other hand without
compromising transparency in business processes (ID: 24, 40). A data-driven approach can also be
used (i.e., by using data of employees, customers, managers and business intelligence data) to measure
ambidexterity performance and process improvements (ID: 47). Alternatively, the capabilities for IT
orchestration (e.g., automated configurations, coordination, and management of computer systems and
software) can be combined with resource allocation and intensive communication between all BPM
participants for transferring responsibilities to the team level in order to attain agility and performance
(ID: 121, 126).
Since learning organizations become predominant, we conclude with guidelines related to the
educational settings for digital process innovation. Organizations should promote an innovative
culture and find the best fit between operational intelligence capabilities and the learning potential
of employees while adopting new IT (ID: 96, 99). They should also use a cognitive approach rather
than focusing on objectivity to promote subject-oriented BPM, which provides opportunities to
employees to suggest improvements themselves and adopt new IT. Furthermore, external support and
collaboration is needed to build a connection between the Triple Helix entities (i.e., academia, industry
and governments) to promote a learning culture in BPM with the help of knowledge-intensive BPM
(ID: 224). Finally, students should learn about the development and analysis of business processes
(i.e., throughout each BPM lifecycle phase) by being more involved in real BPM projects and they
should ideally get access to real-life data in BPM systems or suites (e.g., from IT departments or IT
consultancy firms).

5.4. Research Limitations

We acknowledge some research limitations that are typical to the SLR research methodology (e.g.,
regarding the selection of databases, keywords and timeframe). Moreover, we note that our themes
were coded in a qualitative way based on a text analysis. Therefore, future research can extend this
study by using case studies and quantitative analyses (such as organizational surveys) to validate the
themes with respect to digital innovations in an ambidextrous BPM environment. Nonetheless, our
proposed research agendas can currently guide us towards promising avenues.
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 20 of 29

Moreover, this study is predominately based on the impact of digital innovations on business
process management, whereas multiple factors are involved in BPM change and process improvements
that have not been discussed in this paper. For instance, other internal and external factors could
be considered in future studies, such as changes in social culture and work culture [67]. In addition,
this paper considered recent BPM and DI trends derived from one significant study, while we
acknowledge that additional BPM-DI trends can be supplemented by future studies as well.

6. Conclusions
Emerging technologies and digital innovations force us to rethink and streamline BPM. Digital
process innovations help accomplish tasks in faster and smarter ways. For instance, smart cities profit
from IoT devices for doing technology-enabled monitoring. Our SLR has shown that BPM combined
with emerging technologies can change the value propositions of customers, which opens new avenues
to develop a strategic alignment between the organizational policies or rules on the one hand and the
BPM characteristics on the other hand.
We have built on the empirical work of [12] to differentiate between the yet covered BPM-DI themes
in the literature and the still uncovered avenues in order to encourage relevant and well-motivated
research. We therefore classified a comprehensive sample of more than two hundred papers on the
co-evolution of BPM and DI into different categories and along seven BPM-DI trends.
By offering a range of calls for research and calls for action derived from the current body of
knowledge, we open new gateways for BPM researchers to incorporate novel ideas in more specific
sub disciplines. Furthermore, practical guidelines are discussed in various dimensions for BPM
practitioners and managers to consider when taking important technology transformation decisions
about BPM.

Author Contributions: T.A. collected and analyzed the data, and wrote the paper. A.V.L. participated in idea
generation, offered critical comments, helped in writing and participated in revising. All authors have read and
agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Acknowledgments: This research is organized by the MIS research group of Ghent University.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Appendix A. IS Research Themes

Table A1. Research themes in IS-related BPM papers (n = 135).

Trend IS-Related BPM Studies with a Digital Innovation Focus

1 # How to use machine learning and artificial intelligence in BPM to meet customer
expectations. (95)
# Resource allocation per customer need at design time and runtime. (147)
# Customer decision-making for selecting the most suitable cloud configuration. (155)
# Smart process application development for customer interactions. (228)

2 # Strategic decision-making by process querying methods in BPM. (98)

# Strategic link between process improvements and IoT. (30)
# Demand-driven collaborations between equipment manufacturers and SME’s. (79)
# Using blockchains in supply chain management, business processes and to build a
trustable environment. (27, 35)
# Developing elastic strategies and checkpoints in cloud computing services and
workflows. (14, 229)
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 21 of 29

Table A1. Cont.

Trend IS-Related BPM Studies with a Digital Innovation Focus

3 # Usefulness of Artificial Intelligence in business processes and complex customer
service practices. (45)
# Quality evaluation methods in Agile BPM. (207)
# Developing agile-oriented models, algorithms and methodologies in work
practices. (2, 85, 88, 178)
# Cloud resource configurations and use in logistics. (189, 105)
# Agile process-oriented software development, programming, techniques,
languages, applications, projects and process improvements. (7, 86, 89, 122, 182,
& 205)
# Agile-based collaborative networks and an integrated MIS architecture. (106, 120)

4 # Industrial internet-based architecture frameworks with cloud manufacturing and

mutual conceptual similarities. (65)
# Emerging BPM techniques in the fourth industrial revolution. (76)
# Making a sematic framework of the BPaaS model with semantic web and data
mining techniques. (151)
# Designing a middleware platform for creating and structuring an environment by
cloud computing. (217)
# Using cloud computing characteristics, e.g., scalability architecture, load balancing,
resource configuration/allocation and cloud migration, to enhance ERP capacity,
process orchestration and workflow efficiency. (1, 13, 50, 65, 136, 143, 185, 220).
# Smart contracts by blockchains in various departments leading to a lean
architecture in BPM. (4, 6).
# Addressing security and privacy risk issues in cloud and IoT workflows, and
making security-aware routing in business processes to ensure confidentiality. (12,
51, 67, 70, 131, 145, 152, 173, 200, 214, 216)
# Event processing, resourcing with Internet of Things, exploring its pros and cons,
and its integration with IT and BPM. (81, 82, 84, 103, 109, 201, 202, 204)
# Cloud-based planning, design, execution, implementation, deployment and
performance evaluation in various business processes. (102, 110, 111, 188, 190, 196)
# Service-oriented architecture, service level agreements (SLAs) violation detection
and SLA-based virtualization and autonomic rules in a Cloud and BPM
environment. (135, 208, 215, 227)
# Cross-discipline collaborations through privacy, preserving in communications and
BPMS architectures. (62, 161)
# Reducing delays in networks and architectures enabling a delay-tolerant BPM
execution. (230, 119)
# SAP software fulfilment of business process requirements. (71)

5 # No papers found

6 # Green computing and green BPM, supporting an elastic process. (137)

# Risk and compliance management by cloud-based BPM systems to ensure quality
in organizations. (61)
# Protecting unauthorized access by security models, frameworks, rule definition,
constraints and documentation, leading to performance and energy management.
(16, 56, 129, 225)
# Cost reduction strategies, risk and compliance management and solutions in a
cloud environment for data transfer, storage and client satisfaction. (8, 9, 11)
# Knowledge management aspects including knowledge sharing, knowledge fusion,
reusing knowledge, process knowledge and knowledge transformation on cloud
and blockchains. (26, 69, 78, 218, 221)
# Working in blockchains to increase collaboration in BPM systems, caterpillar
approach, monitoring and verification of choreographies. (33, 91, 92)
# Application modeling, monitoring, industrial techniques, cloud and map- reducing
for manufacturing, correctness, recovery actions, customization and to meet
design/runtime requirements. (10, 49, 52)
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 22 of 29

Table A1. Cont.

Trend IS-Related BPM Studies with a Digital Innovation Focus

6 # Structure-based exact query or use case on process model repositories, heuristic
scheduling algorithm and selection strategies in workflow systems of the cloud
process itself as a service. (54, 59, 163,138, 186, 222).
# Cloud-based privacy preservation and simulation, correct and optimal resource
allocation in business process modeling. (132, 187, 213)
# Load balancing strategies with models of different complexity and BPMN in clouds.
(63, 146)
# Metamodeling, integrating heterogeneous data sources in a BPM environment of
Industry 4.0. (114, 162)
# Use of Internet of Things in process-aware distributed deployment, IoT-aware
semantic frameworks, healing distributed BPM, and distribution in workflows.
(112, 116, 117, 166, 168)
# Automating cloud migration and management processes. (130, 194).
# Developing classifications, methodologies and requirement analyses for new
technologies. (139, 149, 156, 199, 219).
# Developing algorithms and logic-based solutions through machine learning and
big data analytics.(139, 184, 192)

7 # Impact of disruptive technologies such as cloud computing and IoT on jobs for
learning purpose. (46)

Appendix B. Managerial Research Themes

Table A2. Research themes in managerial BPM papers (n = 87).

Trend Managerial BPM Studies with a Digital Innovation Focus

1 # How to manage blockchains that can help in goods traceability and trust interfaces
for consumers by employee training. (31)
# How customer service response time can increase in cloud control and monitoring
by introducing time management attributes. (53)
# BPM systems for knowledge-based service organizations in which BPM
practitioners use knowledge and experience while performing tasks. (174)
# Satisfying customer needs and changing requirement by using BPMN within IoT
platform. (87)

2 # Making strategic tools, doing customizations in business processes and finding the
balance between structure, culture and processes in ambidextrous organizations.
(37, 38, 41, 44)
# Conceptualization and operationalization of ambidextrous BPM, IT capabilities
and IT management for business processes. (40, 93)
# Combining ambidexterity with coordination, knowledge management, and
decision making in organizations. (43)
# Creating value by business intelligence, digital process innovations for
transforming technology and enhancing ambidexterity performance. (96, 99)
# Organizational development and integration strategies by using new IT like IoT.
(80, 210)
# Finding a balance between strategic transformations and the incremental side of
lean paths. (176)
# Exploring the integrated nature of mechanisms and their involvement in
intellectual capital as a single or multiple element. (211)
# Empirical evidence for ambidexterity performance and business process
innovations. (39)
# Supporting decision-making for legitimizing ambidexterity. (42)
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 23 of 29

Table A2. Cont.

Trend Managerial BPM Studies with a Digital Innovation Focus

3 # Defining, setting directions, and highlighting the significance of blockchains for
collaboration and change in BPM. (3, 28, 32, 34, 36)
# Agile functions and capabilities for project management, development, and
performance. (18, 23, 25, 177)
# Process reengineering, combining lean and agile techniques for process
improvements. (20, 180, 206)
# Agility for digital process innovations and adaptations in BPM. (121, 126)
# BPM reengineering designs used in project management. (19)
# Process-centric, objective-centric and human-centric management theory with
technology flexibility and agility. (24)
# Examining the role of business intelligence and analytics in organizations. (47)
# Developing a framework for dichotomy elimination between BPM models and
pyramidal management. (181)
# On the importance of Business Development Application (BDA)-capable BPM
systems for consumer companies. (22)
# Supporting business processes in the external collaborations of universities, using
cloud computing by setting input/output quality dimensions. (224)
# Organizational support and structural aspects for adopting agile and critical
factors. (125)

4 # Growth, struggling phases, standardizations, risk management in industry 4.0 and

BPM. (15, 73, 74, 77, 115)
# Agile strategies for teaching BPM and sharing knowledge in cloud workflows.
(21, 144)
# Introducing, integrating and discussing cloud computing, its adoption and use in
software value networks, Quality of Service (QoS) characteristics, dependency, and
network governance. (55, 68, 141, 142, 148, 158, 193)
# IoT resistance and acceptance in sports industry and its applications in cold chain
logistics. (170, 203)
# Manage printing through material management. (198, 223)
# Identifying challenges of blockchains, such as deployment, acceptance, and
customer experience. (29)
# Extending BPM’s role to digital innovation. (48)
# Identifying cloud computing risks and audit tasks. (183)
# Providing a business model win-win solution in SME’s business provider and
cloud service consumer. (193)

5 # No papers found

6 # Proposing agile-based modeling contributions. (17, 175)

# Cloud computing promotes flexibility, creates collaborations, learning paths, and
service integration in event-based modeling. (57, 58, 100)
# Influence of industry 4.0 modeling and mapping on green manufacturing, supply
chain’s economy and environment. (75, 160, 163)
# Model development for cloud computing and an IoT environment. (108, 118)
# Quality and speed in IoT, the role of IoT in defining smart cities, its interaction with
humans and intellectual capital (intensive cognitive companies), its evolutionary
impact (manufacturing), and IoT adoption for process improvement with other
new IT. (128, 164, 165, 169, 171, 172)
# Benefits and challenges of cloud computing and reshaping trends of integrated
decision management support systems. (195, 212)
# Reducing business activity towards core aspects such as value propositions,
distribution channels and customers. (231)

7 # Explaining the basics of blockchains. (127)

# Identifying hindering factors of cloud BPM adoption. (140)
# Supporting education in universities with cloud computing technologies. (226)
# Increasing ambidexterity by developing knowledge management capabilities and
ICT skills. (94)
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 24 of 29

Appendix C. IS Research Agenda

Table A3. IS-related research agenda for BPM-DI.

(C4)
(C1) (C2) (C3)
Demonstrated Research Avenues
BPM-DI Trend Initial Research Avenues by [12] Key Variables in Our SLR
(More Research on . . . )
Methods and techniques for
# Customer interaction
intelligent/collaboration/case-driven
# Intelligent techniques # Design time and
BPM to proactively meet changing
# Resource management runtime interactions
customer needs
# Using machine learning and AI
Trend 1
How to use customer data (e.g., for customer involvement
expectations, performance # Involvement and engagement
perceptions, satisfaction) in # Smart process applications in decision-making
diagnostic/predictive/prescriptive
process analytics
Explorative methods and
# No results found
techniques (ambidextrous BPM)
# Balancing explorative and
Trend 2 # Process query methods exploitative BPM
The strategic use of new IT to
# Trust # Elasticity using cloud
improve process efficiency and
effectiveness # Elasticity
# Demand-driven collaboration

Methods and techniques for faster

# Using AI
BPM cycles # Quality evaluations in
Trend 3 agile methods
Applying agile principles to BPM # Organizational support # Process-oriented developments
(agile BPM) # Collaboration and integration

How to integrate the process # Reducing delays

architecture into the overall # Scalability
enterprise architecture with # Violation control # Event-based processing
application and technical # Smart contracting # Cloud-oriented BPM lifecycle
Trend 4 # Security and privacy issues
architectures that embrace new IT # Data mining techniques
# Supporting Industry 4.0
Collaboration platforms per
# Cross-discipline collaborations
process lifecycle stage
New CEO role to bring BPM DI to
Trend 5 # No results found # Personalized technical skills
the board
Process modeling alternatives
(e.g., journey mapping via comic # Supporting elastic processes
books and video apps)
# Load-balancing strategies
How process monitoring tools can # Metamodeling
become more approachable for a # Integrating heterogeneous
# Risk management
wider (non-expert) audience (e.g., data sources
dashboards and tableaux # Compliance management
Trend 6 # Using machine learning
techniques)
# Using data analytics
Tools supporting case-driven BPM # Event-based modeling
and # Knowledge fusion # Modeling aligned with the fourth
knowledge-intensive/unstructured # Reusing knowledge industrial revolution
processes
Monitoring tools for intelligent
# Monitoring in blockchains
BPM
How to use employee data (e.g.,
job satisfaction, perceived work
# Disruptive
difficulty, stress) in
technologies impact
diagnostic/predictive/prescriptive
Trend 7 # Experienced-based learning
process analytics
User-friendly artifacts (e.g.,
evaluation criteria) to be # No results found
accessible to non-experts
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 25 of 29

Appendix D. Managerial Research Agenda

Table A4. Management-related research agenda for BPM-DI.

(C4)
(C1) (C2) (C3)
Demonstrated Research Avenues
BPM-DI Trend Initial Research Avenues by [12] Key Aariables in our SLR
(More Research on . . . )
Co-creation of process value with
# Trust
end customers # Value creation by
The realization of process-oriented business intelligence
Trend 1
values like customer understanding and # Response time # Value propositions
experience (Customer # Traceability # Satisfying customer requirements
Process Management)
BPM critical success factors from a
# No results found
DI perspective
Strategic alignment between BPM and
# Integration
DI (value-driven BPM)
Disruptive business models and the
# Meta synthesis
impact on BPM
# Exploring the integrated nature of
Trend 2 # Balancing strategies business processes
# Customization
Guidelines for balancing an exploitative # Ambidextrous BPM capabilities
and explorative approach # Coordination
(ambidextrous BPM) # Knowledge sharing
# Performance
# Legitimization

# Improvement through BPR

Studying and improving the process
and agility
of DI
# Quality dimensions
# Human-centric management
Trend 3 # Agile functions # Objectivity
Time management and project
# Agile capabilities # Process centricity
management for process owners
# Reengineering design

Maturity models facilitating a

# Dichotomy elimination
BPM-DI adoption

# IoT acceptance
The degree to which traditional # IoT resistance
# Standardizations
Trend 4 business-IT alignment models apply to # Cloud Adoption
a DI context # Interoperability
# Industry 4.0 growth
# Blockchain challenges

BPM governance, and the sometimes

conflicting roles of Chief # Promote a culture of
Trend 5 Operations/Process managers, Chief # No results found technology adoption
Information managers and Chief # Investments in DI
Innovation managers

# Flexibility
# Service integration
# Green SCM
Best practices and success stories to # Green Manufacturing
# Managing distributed
Trend 6 share knowledge and find # Agile knowledge sharing
online platforms
BPM-DI advocates # Value proposition
# Increasing ambidexterity
# Quality and speed in IoT
# Intensive cognition

How change management models and

# No results found # Explaining blockchains
techniques offer best practices for BPM
# Hindering factors in
Trend 7 New curricula in IT and BPM # No results found BPM-IT adoption
# Learning through comparisons
How management and innovation can with previous successful
# No results found technology adoption
be taught to kids as from primary school

Appendix E. SLR Sample

Bibliometric details about our SLR sample can be found here: https://docs.google.com/
spreadsheets/d/1nhysmrCB2A3xgUkHtPh7oRfUGP4hQnoWBtLSiR7TNSs/edit?usp=sharing/.
Sustainability 2020, 12, 6827 26 of 29

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