The Zachman Framework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Zachman Framework - Essay Example Despite numerous achievements, many information systems leave sufficient room for improvement. Less than a decade ago, John A. Zachman (1996) wrote that information technologies and systems in most of Fortune 500 enterprises were in the state of deep frustration. Today’s information technologies are much better than those in the middle of the 1990s, but there are no limits to excellence. The Zachman framework exemplifies a successful attempt to revolutionize enterprise architecture principles and solve the centuries old problem of inefficient enterprise architecture, which hinders the development of relevant business frameworks. The beginning of the 1980s was marked with the rapid advancement of information technologies and systems. However, it was not before the end of the 1980s-the beginning of the 1990s that enterprise engineering ideas became popular and relevant. Throughout of the 1980s, most enterprise modeling ideas were limited to simplified application development, with no attention given to the concept of architecture and its implications for information systems evolution (Zachman, 1993). The lack of attention to enterprise architecture and reengineering precipitated the development of the Zachman framework. In today’s information systems practice, the Zachman framework is believed to be the most comprehensive and practical of all enterprise architecture systems known to the public (Urbaczewski & Mrdalj, 2006). The Zachman framework represents a logical structure that helps to clarify, classify, and organize the main descriptive representations of enterprise architecture (Zachman, 1993). ... The Zachman framework represents a logical structure that helps to clarify, classify, and organize the main descriptive representations of enterprise architecture (Zachman, 1993). The Zachman framework â€Å"comprises descriptive representations that are essential to successful management of enterprises and future development of information systems† (Zachman, 1993). The framework is built on previous models of architecture and engineering, used to organize processes and decisions in complex manufacturing processes (Zachman, 1993). The main goal of the framework is to simplify and facilitate the development of complex enterprise architecture solutions (Zachman, 1993). The Zachman framework is a bi-dimensional scheme of classifying all descriptive representations of any enterprise (Frankel et al, 2003). The framework comprises one vertical and one horizontal dimension; the former describes all perspectives of those who use the descriptions and models in the cells, whereas the la tter helps to answer â€Å"the basic questions of enterprise architecture – what, how, where, who, when, and why† (Frankel et al, 2003). Models represented in the Zachman framework include (from the top to the bottom) â€Å"scope, business model, system model, technology model, detailed representations, and the functioning enterprise† (Frankel et al, 2003). The scope sets the boundaries of enterprise architecture and creates a general picture of enterprise architecture to be considered by managers (Frankel et al, 2003). The business model incorporates all types of architectures and frameworks used by corporate owners (Frankel et al, 2003). The system model is devoted to architectures and systems used by architects and engineers,

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness Research Paper - 3

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness - Research Paper Example This paper illustrates that globalization is the process of improving the interactivity of the social, political interdependence, cultural, financial economic and incorporation of markets that are triggered by the development of technologies in the communication and transport sector at the same time liberalizing trade. Globalization together with the unparalleled change in technology has led to a weakening of the borders from the States control. There is an increase in the volume of cigar and money at an alarming rate which kills the tobacco industry. Fake tobacco products are smuggled into the State by organized criminals. There are various networks of companies, people, and groups who evade taxes and royalties to bring in fake cigarettes which look similar to the genuine products. As a result, they trade like any other company’s products hence killing the revenue collected by the company. The products sold by these smugglers cost much lower than the genuine products. With gl obalization and technological change, the products can be designed in a way, that one cannot differentiate them genuine products. The taxes can be avoided easily with fake documentation which can pass for the real documents. Application of the industrial organization model and resource-based model by Marlboro firm to earn above average returns can be done in various ways. First, with the application of the industrial organization model, Marlboro firm can make use of alliances with other cigarettes manufactures to form an association like a cartel. Since the organized cooperate more with other close competitors in the tobacco industry, this will reduce the probability of the collaboration to lift the revenues of the firm. Moreover, the firm can also make good use of its resource-based model by differentiating their products and making it known to the customers about the genuine products and how to separate from the fake products. All it takes are the internal resources of the company to implement strategies that can easily reduce cases of smuggling. In addition, the government regulatory controls can be partnered with, by the company by having agents or inspectors who are able to draw a clear line between fake and genuine products.