BPM@KMU - Designing e-learning for the introduction of BPM in small- and medium-sized enterprises

Abstract

Business Process Management (BPM) becomes more and more relevant also for small- and medium-sized companies (SME's). Today's strategies and approaches for the implementation of BPM rely on methods and tools mainly developed by and focused on large enterprises but less on the needs of small- and mid-sized organisations. With the BPM@KMU project the Institute of Information Systems of a Bavarian university conducts together with the Virtual University of Bavaria (VHB) and a set of SMEs a project which aims on an efficient implementation of BPM in such organisations. Considering e-Learning as an enabler or tool which matches existing barriers for the implementation of Business Process Management, this paper offers a case study report on the observations when designing and implementing the BPM@KMU e-Learning program guided by the Cybernetic e-Learning Management Model. The paper considers first project results and shows, that e-Learning can address the heterogeneous maturity and previous knowledge about BPM by an adequate set of instructional as well as technological strategies and concepts. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.