Developing an Adaptive Enterprise Architecture Model Integrating Business Capabilities, Value Streams, and IT for Strategic Alignment in Complex Organizations

Abstract

This study presents the development of an adaptive enterprise architecture (EA) model designed to enhance strategic alignment in large, complex organizations. Developed through design science research in the finance industry, the model integrates business capability maps (BCMs), value streams, and IT applications into a unified business–IT view that evolves through continuous use. The accompanying development method provides a pragmatic, stepwise approach for constructing and refining the model in real organizational settings. Building on the proposed model and its development method, the study contributes by: 1) demystifying the creation of a practical, value-adding, and detailed BCM; 2) extending the capability-centric view of EA with value streams to enable a holistic understanding of enterprise value delivery; and 3) integrating business artifacts with the IT systems that realize them. Together, these contributions demonstrate how an adaptive EA model can evolve through practical application by continuously delivering value while fostering ongoing business–IT alignment and organizational sensemaking in complex environments.