Enterprise Architecture Benefits: The Divergence between Desirability and Realizability in EA Implementation

摘要

Nowadays Enterprise Architecture (EA) is receiving considerable attention both from academia and industry. In this paper we articulate and validate EA benefits by investigating desirability and realizability in EA implementation. By conducting a theoretical analysis and an empirical study it is found that EA benefits are claimed differently from different perspectives by different claimers. Based on this research, which focusses on desirability and realizability of EA benefits, the results reveal that there really exists a paradox between the desirability and realizability: the most desirable EA benefits are not always simultaneously the most realizable, and vice versa. This study contributes by providing the EA community with a classification of EA benefits that facilitates a more comprehensive and more realistic understanding towards EA benefits.