The Relationship Between Product Data Interchange and Business Process Re-engineering

The introduction of Product Data Interchange (PDI) in an organization generates the need for change. In this paper, the results of a case study analysis of PDI projects on Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) approaches are presented. The projects have been positioned in existing BPR frameworks and classified according to scope within a single department or organization, within a value system and within a value system introduced by support organizations. Success factors for PDI are comparable with those for BPR and include clear agreements regarding standards and software, the involvement of end-users, and the ability to perform quantitative (cost/benefits) analysis. In addition the redesign of activities, the value chain, or the value system should be considered. Our conclusion has been that the introduction of PDI should go hand in hand with BPR and thus can lead to a profitable relationship.