Enterprise architecture Assignment: Critical Analysis With Practical Evidences

Question

Task:
1. Write a report on how should SteelCo structure its architecture function in terms of necessary architecture positions?
2. How many architects does the company need for each of these positions? Provide detailed explanation.

Answer

Introduction
In this enterprise architecture assignmentframework, methodologies, and skills of Enterprise Architecture (EA) have been developed. This report on enterprise architecture assignment has been divided into the following three parts and widely described with the unit learning outcomes of this project. Based on each part of the enterprise architecture assignment it has been possible to answer those questions and critically analyse with EA practical shreds of evidence.

Part I: Case Study Report
Q1. Answer SteelCo is one of the largest manufacturing enterprises that have been divided into two parts to develop its architecture functions (Bhatia et al., 2017). Analysing the necessary problems and providing excellent solutions with EA representation for SteelCo are structured in this part of enterprise architecture assignment.
With the help of this framework, SteelCo’s structure and its architectural function have been demonstrated in terms of necessary architecture positions.

• Organisational Strategy-
  Being a large manufacturing company SteelCo’s organisational strategy grew largely with a corporate adjacent (Korhonen and Halén, 2017, p. 353). SteelCo follows a C-level corporate strategy into its leadership approach.
• Human Capital strategy-
  SteelCo divides its human capital into two major split components one is Division Alpha and the other one is Division Beta. Human capital is dependent on SteelCo’s IT, Finance, HR, and legal divisions.
• SteelCo’s Structure-
  It has been fulfilled with an IT structure with the availability of works and jobs in defined units (Rahimi et al., 2017, p. 7).
• Roles & Responsibilities of the practitioners-
  IT professionals are responsible for EA and Human Capital reporting. SteelCo’s organisational components are distinct from the unique outcomes and a set of responsibilities.
• Categorization-
  Herein enterprise architecture assignment, limited funding in the case of SteelCo’s finance department directed this. It has also been defined as low limited funds.

Figure 1: Suggestive EA for SteelCo structure
(Source: Korhonen and Halén, 2017, p. 356)

• Competencies-
  Measurable skills of SteelCo’s division IT professionals create the personality traits and abilities against any competitive organisation.
• Goals and KPIs-
  Bhatia et al., (2017), stated that Organisational Goals, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are measured to ensure expected business performances.

Q2. Answer
Business architects of SteelCo create bridges between enterprise strategy and enterprise business model (Sklair, 2017). In this case of enterprise architecture assignment, two types of business architects require SteelCo due to divisions for each position.

Explanation:
Herein enterprise architecture assignment alpha and beta components of SteelCoCompany need two separate IT architects to continue the business process. Thus, after getting the acquisitions with the smaller companies’ complementary business market niches can be identified by the architects.

On the other hand, it is also clear on this enterprise architecture assignmentthat due to being a highly centralized manufacturing shop Division Alpha business architect fabricates its own single line of products and distributes it within the IT investment strategy (Gong and Janssen, 2019, p. 5). SteelCo provides supporting activities to this division for increasing sales and production.

Alternatively, Division Beta needs its own architect position and creates departmental leadership planning with IT leverage and main business opportunities. Beta architects of the SteelCo manufacturing company have also followed an aggressive IT investment strategy which is a little bit different from alpha but similar to the general EA innovative working ways (Sklair, 2017).

Part II: Operational Model Determination
Q1. Answer
Operating model determines how business professionals and people using the process and technology to deliver the business values.Herein enterprise architecture assignment diversified operating model has been taken into account and each of its three strategic business units discussed.

The primary focus of the target operating model is to enable the application of corporate strategy and switch to the business vision or operation (França et al., 2017, p. 158). As MultiCorp is a diversified multi-profile company thus it has been essentially made a conglomerate process with a diversified operating model.

Figure 2: Diversification Operating Model for MultiCorp
(Source: Arbussa et al., 2017)

With the help of this above framework presented in the enterprise architecture assignment, it has been clear that MultiCorp is based on the diversification of business facts and strategic business units. Customers or suppliers are worked with a unique operation where major independent transactions have occurred with a minimal business process or standardization.

The enterprise architecture assignmentexamined the words of França et al., (2017, p. 161) who stated that, integrating a diversified operating model for MultiCorp, most of the IT decisions and component divisions have been made. However, knowing the exact business process design that makes each of the strategic business units can be used to leverage a common set of shared services within this integrated organisation and specific environment. On the other hand, each of the strategic business units of MultiCorp i.e. Unit Alpha, Beta, and Gamma respectively make separate and own operating models and conglomerates with MultiCorp’s whole business strategy (Arbussa et al., 2017).

Q2. Answer
What business processes are standardized company-wide?
Business process standardization (BPS) within this MultiCorp organisation is assumed as an important aspect with the leading key business units and IT actions. Implementing BPS and comprehensively examining the relation with EA is the significant idea of this multi-profile company (Martin and Bell, 2017). Being a large company, MultiCorp can determine the significant benefits of the process-based approach and deal with the business process management system in big business.

Each of its Business units
Standardization of business processes at large companies like MultiCorp has been measured with its economic potential and business operation level with all units.

Alpha (Food manufacturer); Beta (Restaurant Business); and Gamma (Hotels, Tourism chain) have been identified as different BPS categories across all the departments in the MultiCorp business sector.

• Based on the perspective of Harmon, (2019) considered in the enterprise architecture assignment, all the business units have made their own reduced process inventory to increase the production and service speed.
• On the other end, all the business units switch to reduced flow time whereas employee efficiency and productivity can be determined.
• With the help of resource utilization, business process metrics i.e. both time & inventory creates their own business operation model to improve strategic effectiveness with the organisation BPS.

In this way, BPS can be created in a wider approach within each of MultiCorp’s business units and used to support technically and managerially (Martin and Bell, 2017). Regulating the BPS can be used to make another level of business maturity with an innovative idea.

Figure 3: Business process and MultiCorp’s marketing standardization
(Source: Harmon, 2019)

Q3. Answer
The benefits of a data warehouse that MultiCorp multi-profile companies understand is to enable business performance into an analysed based data integration process with sub distinct areas. Data integration is a process of combining and cleaning the processed data with a unified form. Herein enterprise architecture assignment all the business units of MultiCorp create a wide variety of source systems and are used as disparate formats to know the IT analysis with the cover terms in big data management policies (Akhmetshin, 2017, p. 1685). Quantitative and Qualitative are two specific types of data noted in the enterprise architecture assignment that has been measured for MultiCorp. On the other hand, data integration sample data flow has been used in this multi-profile business sector and used with the common integration approaches with all strategic business units. The impact of data integration on the cost benefits of each component of MultiCorp has been used with a common communication language to prerequisite the diverse coordination process (Brinch, 2018).

Figure 4: Data Integration for MultiCorp
(Source: Akhmetshin, 2017, p. 1689)

Thus, it is stated in the enterprise architecture assignment that researchers and practitioners have responded to the problem of development and are used to several ways of data integration with various needs and theoretical argumentative processes. In relation to EA across the whole MultiCorpCompany and each of its business units (Alpha, Beta, Gamma) makes their own brand recognition process with a lesser intent that are useful for the customers (Brinch, 2018). After integrating data, it has been possible to Data virtualization with completely different approaches where data is really and physically moving to and from databases. By using on-premise, cloud-based business benefits from integration tools can be done with a faster time value in MultiCorp organisation and with a robust integration technique process, all the business ways have been informed in this operating model (Akhmetshin, 2017, p. 1691).

Q4. Answer
High-level design (HLD) explains the architecture whereas for MultiCorp unit gamma with technological landscape defines highest level of IT landscaping.Organisational structure relating to the EA’s management system has been communicated with the system design to reach all levels of employees (Petricevic and Teece, 2019, p. 1490). It has been noticed in the enterprise architecture assignment that the disrupted organisational business model creates complex landscape technologies and is used instead of methodologies to grow up into higher-level tasks. The IT landscaping diagram that has shown in the below figure can be used to deal with a lot of Large to Medium Enterprises (LMEs) like this MultiCorp organisation. Using the highest IT landscaping and identifying the role of each business unit creates business process relations with EA. As suggested by Adan, (2019) with regards to the case scenario of enterprise architecture assignment, with the help of the IT landscaping diagram it has been possible for all business professionals to save the cost-saving and help to prevent the disinvestments by replacing them with IT assets. Moreover, after identifying the highest-level architecture for this Business profile and MultiCorpCompany it can be used to put money and resources on other IT assets with all business units (alpha, beta & gamma).

Figure 5: Example of IT landscaping
(Source: Petricevic and Teece, 2019, p. 1500)

Part III: Installation Problems detection, IT tools
Q1. Answer Installation problems have been detected for FinCorp financial company and comprehensively analysed with the implementing tool and techniques processes (Kotusev, 2018). On the other hand, facilitating IT-business alignment and maximizing the best IT-tools for this organisation has been demonstrated in this part of enterprise architecture assignment. Accommodating the investment growing problems and used for the EA initiative in this part represented as an organisational meeting in the EA repository and visualization capabilities. At the time of the EA tool vendors were identified three major problems which are discussed in this part of enterprise architecture assignment.

Table 1: Problems with the installed EA tool (Source: Hope et al., p. 22)

Q2. Answer
How can the tool be used to facilitate business and IT alignment?
Aligning IT with business strategies can be used with a good communication process to promote more effective alignment within the way of collaboration.

• Identifying existing gaps-
  Gaps in FinCorp’s EA tool configuration are pretty sceptical towards the CIO chosen process (Szabó and Öri, 2017, p. 2). With the business IT alignment efforts and identifying the existing gaps, FinCorp's financial departments close the misalignment gaps.
• Convergence striving-
  With the existing challenges faced by EA tools, strategic goals can be set by their own organisational objectives. Meanwhile, CIOs are remembered that technology cannot be end in itself rather to striving for the entities alongside with other IT business processes.
• Goals and Strategies with EA tools-
  As per the guidance of Bhattacharya, (2017, p. 84), Sustainable business success can be clearly articulated with the number of stakeholder formation and hiring external IT leaders for technology upgradation and introducing new business strategies and aligning with IT.
• Hiring BRM-
  Business relationship manager (BRM) can be used to facilitate the realignment and own convergence process to create the business operations and acting as a strategic role player with FinCorp’s effective IT capabilities (Robertson et al., 2018, p. 308). To achieve the feudal departments and converged models within the primary strategic goals of FinCorp makes an ideal path for the IT alignment.

Figure 6: IT alignment with the EA tools in FinCorp
(Source: Szabó and Öri, 2017, p. 6)

Maximize the value
Thus, to maximise the value of the EA tool for the FinCorp it has been possible to know about the advantages and disadvantages of each EA tool and impact on the IT alignment procedure. On the other hand, Bhattacharya, (2017, p. 87), stated that providing correct solutions for each problem faced during EA tool implementation time may also improve the business and IT alignment.

Q3. Answer
Core concepts

Strategy, data, applications, security, business, and infrastructure are the six core elements for a sub-architectural domain and EA components that provide excellent solutions to the problems and produce a tangible capacity (Masuda and Viswanathan, 2019).

On the basis of TOGAF architecture development method (ADM) the core concepts of business operation model and has been discussed in this case of enterprise architecture assignment. As per the ideas of Alaeddini et al., (2017, p. 60), While dealing with the problems faced by EA tools and techniques for mitigating the TOGAF standard idea this framework has been demonstrated clearly the organisational vision.

Figure 7: Core Concepts for EA and framework useful for FinCorp
(Source: Masuda and Viswanathan, 2019)

Apparently, Business, Data, Application and Technology architecture are the core concepts outlined in this section of enterprise architecture assignment that can deal with EA tool issues and create proper planning towards the ADM and phases of business model and building blocks.

How newly implemented EA becomes best?
On the other end, enterprise architecture helps the business and IT leaders to capture and understand the opportunities and may be used to manage the challenges and risks that occur due to EA tools (Alaeddini et al., 2017, p. 75). However, it is stated in the enterprise architecture assignment that the benefits of using the core concepts with the newly implemented EA processes is considered the best option for FinCorp and the architects are also impressed with the analytical capabilities, modelling and visualization offered by these.

Q4. Answer
Comprehensive analysis of the role of audit and situation compliance with the EA implemented tools and facilitated informed decision making towards FinCorp’s business stakeholders. As per the guidance of Noran and Bernus, (2017, p. 355), Role of EA and audit of IT personnel is to upkeep the IT networks and services with the organisational maintenance procedures. An example of Audit results for EA management has been discussed herein enterprise architecture assignment which is beneficial for the federal EA requirements and modified processes under the FinCorp’sBusiness reference model (BRM). On the other hand, technical, data and performance reference models have also been useful for this case of enterprise architecture assignment (SEC, 2017). Improving the commission's EA, it can be used for implementation purposes in several business actions to facilitate the financial business services in the FinCorp organisation. FinCorp has selected and acquired the most powerful tool for auditing and deals with the compliance standards in EA. Thus, to provide assurance with the audit included tests and considered the necessary arrangements with some basic elements of EA highlighted for FinCorp’s architectural mechanisms (SEC, 2017).

Figure 8: Role of Audit and Compliance in FinCorp
(Source: Timm and Sandkuhl, 2018)

How the newly implemented software tool will facilitate for stakeholders’ decision-making?
However, as per the ideas of Noran and Bernus, (2017, p. 358), tools and methods that are used to support the EPA concepts and decision making also create benefits for EA in FinCorp’s stakeholders' engagement.

Furthermore, it is also discussed in the enterprise architecture assignment that stakeholder perception for FinCorp’s EA can be demonstrated through the newly implemented EA tools and established with an efficient collaboration between the architects and within the business domain. Both the information system validate decision making approaches towards FinCorp’s business stakeholders and uses any sense to contribute the original measurement for decision making approaches.

Based on the perspective of Timm and Sandkuhl, (2018) considered in this segment of enterprise architecture assignment, using EA software tools and implementing both parts for the business stakeholders creates the future decision process due to the principle of long-term strategy making within the financial outcomes of the FinCorp company.

Q5. Answer
Contribution to achieving original EA objectives
FinCorp invests on IT alignment for poor business and vendor representatives. Thus, with the help of storing architectural information to the EA tool analytical capabilities the model visualization can be drawn under the business and IT alignment (Bui, 2017, p. 6). Moreover, the purpose of the newly installed EA tool discussed in the enterprise architecture assignment is being achieved to create a map of IT assets and with a set of existing governing principles. EABM proposed the EA leads to the FinCorp’s benefits through its impacts on the value-added benefit enabling i.e. resource complementary, resource portfolio optimization, organisational IT alignment and information availability respectively. Aldea et al., (2018, p. 5), stated that, switching to the business performance measurement and resource management FinCorp should be used as strategic goals and objectives for the part of measurement and resource allocation processes. Using the EA tools, it has been possible to help the FinCorp organisation business alignment and deal with the IT goals and infrastructure objectives in future.

Improvement of business and IT alignment
As per the guidance of Bui, (2017, p. 6) undertaken in the enterprise architecture assignment, EA has been used to advancement of domain knowledge creation given by the general IT managers and increases the long-term business alignment with the IT process. Business- IT alignment is also known as B/I alignment and used to deal with the marketplace and performance competitiveness. FinCorp financial organisation doing the same thing as an instrument transform to the part of business. Aligning the business IT objectives and creating roadmap commitment to invest the alignment gaps by spending on business priorities to help in business agility (Aldea et al., 2018, p. 9).

Conclusion
Focusing on the all part of this assessment this report on enterprise architecture assignment is coherently organised and discussed with the Enterprise Architecture (EA) logic. Throughout the whole part, a concise and persuasive process emerging to the business and IT alignment it has been possible to use the EA frameworks, domains with governance. Moreover, this report on enterprise architecture assignment is based on the case scenarios of three LMEs i.e. SteelCo, MultiCorp, and FinCorp and for all of these implementations of EA with IT data model has been demonstrated with a global business environment.

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