Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sustainability Patterns for the Improvement of IT-Related Business Processes with Regard to Ecological Goals

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Business Process Management Workshops (BPM 2016)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing ((LNBIP,volume 281))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

The transformation of proven methods and knowledge to reusable artifacts in the form of patterns or anti-patterns is very common in many areas of IS research, for instance in Business Process Management (BPM). An area that lacks in support on the basis of patterns is the area of Green Business Process Management. With this paper, we introduce the concept of sustainability patterns in BPM that can be used for the improvement of existing processes or for the design of new processes in due consideration of ecological goals such as the reduction of resource consumption during the executing of these processes. We further present the results of a qualitative analysis that we conducted to extract a total number of 26 Ecological Process Patterns from real-world processes and a catalog with generic process weakness patterns. The identified patterns indicate a latent potential for process enhancement once the patterns are applied to real-world processes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    The pattern catalog is currently only available as internal working paper but can be requested from Patrick Delfmann of Münster University (patrick.delfmann@ercis.uni-muenster.de).

References

  • Alexander, C.: The Timeless Way of Building. Oxford University Press, New York (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambler, S.W.: Process Patterns: Building Large-Scale Systems Using Object Technology. SIGS Books/Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker, J., Bergener, P., Delfmann, P., Weiss, B.: Modeling and Checking business process compliance rules in the financial sector. In: International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS 2011), Shanghai, China, (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Buschmann, F., Meunier, R., Rohnert, H., Sommerlad, P., Stal, M.: Pattern-Orientied Software Architecture. A System of Patterns. Wiley, Hoboken (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  • Coplien, J.: A generative development-process pattern language: techniques, strategies, and applications. In: Coplien, J.O., Schmidt, D.C. (eds.) Pattern Languages of Program Design, pp. 183–237. Addison-Wesley, New York (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  • Delfmann, P., Hübers, M.: Towards supporting business process compliance checking with compliance pattern catalogues. Enterp. Model. Inf. Syst. Architect. 10(1), 67–88 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  • Forster, F.: The idea behind business process improvement: toward a business process improvement pattern framework. In: BP Trends, pp. 1–14, April 2006

    Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, M.: Analysis Patterns: Resusable Object Models. Addison-Wesley, Reading (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gamma, E., Helm, R., Johnson, R., Vlissides, J.: Design Patterns – Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software. Addison-Wesley, Reading (1995)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Hoesch-Klohe, K., Ghose, A., Lê, L.-S.: Towards green business process management. In: IEEE International Conference on Services Computing (SCC) (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • Houy, C., Reiter, M., Fettke, P., Loos, P.: Towards green BPM – sustainability and resource efficiency through business process management. In: Muehlen, M., Su, J. (eds.) BPM 2010. LNBIP, vol. 66, pp. 501–510. Springer, Heidelberg (2011). doi:10.1007/978-3-642-20511-8_46

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Houy, C., Reiter, M., Fettke, P., Loos, P., Hoesch-Klohe, K., Ghose, A.: Advancing business process technology for humanity − opportunities and challenges of green BPM for sustainable business activities. In: vom Brocke, J., Seidel, J., Recker, J. (eds.) Green Business Process Management-Towards the Sustainable Enterprise, Progress in IS, pp. 75–92. Springer, Heidelberg (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • Krcmar, H.: Referenzmodelle für Informationssysteme im Umweltbereich - von der Modellierung in EcoIntegral zur Umsetzung in EcoRapid. In: Becker, J., Knackstedt, R. (eds.) Tagungsband zur 6. Fachtagung Referenzmodellierung 2002 im Rahmen der MKWI 2002, Nürnberg (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lohrmann, M., Reichert, M.: Effective application of process improvement patterns to business processes. Softw. Syst. Model. 15, 1–23 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lübbecke, P., Fettke, P., Loos, P.: Towards ecological workflow patterns as an instrument to optimize business processes with respect to ecological goals. In: 49th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS 49), Kauai, USA (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lübbecke, P., Reiter, M., Fettke, P., Loos, P.: Simulation-based decision support for the reduction of the energy consumption of complex business processes. In: 48th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS 48), Kauai, USA (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mangalaraj, G., Nerur, S.P., Mahapatra, R.K., Price, K.H.: Distributed cognition in software design: an experimental investigation of the role of design patterns and collaboration. MIS Q. 38(1), 249–274 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mithas, S., Khuntia, J., Roy, P.K.: Green information technology, energy efficiency, and profits: evidence from an emerging economy. In: 31st International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), Saint Louis, USA (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowak, A., Leymann, F., Schleicher, D., Schumm, D., Wagner, S.: Green business process patterns. In: 18th Conference on Pattern Languages of Programs (PLoP 2011). ACM, New York (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowak, A., Leymann, F., Schumm, D., Wetzstein, B.: An architecture and methodology for a four-phased approach to green business process reengineering. In: Kranzlmüller, D., Toja, A.M. (eds.) ICT-GLOW 2011. LNCS, vol. 6868, pp. 150–164. Springer, Heidelberg (2011). doi:10.1007/978-3-642-23447-7_14

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Recker, J., Rosemann, M., Gohar, E.R.: Measuring the carbon footprint of business processes. In: Muehlen, M., Su, J. (eds.) BPM 2010. LNBIP, vol. 66, pp. 511–520. Springer, Heidelberg (2011). doi:10.1007/978-3-642-20511-8_47

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Reiter, M., Fettke, P., Loos, P.: Towards green business process management: concept and implementaion of an artifact to reduce the energy consumption of business processes. In: 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Science (HICSS 47), Waikoloa, USA (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  • Riehle, D., Züllighoven, H.: Understanding and using patterns in software development. Theor. Pract. Object Syst. 2(1), 3–13 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rozinat, A., van der Aalst, W.M.: Conformance checking of processes based on monitoring real behavior. Inf. Syst. 33(1), 64–95 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seidel, S., Recker, J.: Implementing Green business process: the importance of functional affordances of information systems. In: Lamp, J. (ed.) 23rd Australasian Conference on Information Systems. Geelong, Australia (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smirnov, S., Weidlich, M., Mendling, J., Weske, M.: Action patterns in business process model repositories. Comput. Ind. 63(2), 98–111 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aalst, W.M.P., Barros, A.P., Hofstede, A.H.M., Kiepuszewski, B.: Advanced workflow patterns. In: Scheuermann, P., Etzion, O. (eds.) CoopIS 2000. LNCS, vol. 1901, pp. 18–29. Springer, Heidelberg (2000). doi:10.1007/10722620_2

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • van der Aalst, W.M., Barros, A.P., ter Hofstede, A.H.M., Kiepuszewski, B.: Workflow Patterns. Distrib. Parallel Databases 14, 5–51 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dijk, A.: Contracting workflows and protocol patterns. In: Aalst, Wil M.P., Weske, M. (eds.) BPM 2003. LNCS, vol. 2678, pp. 152–167. Springer, Heidelberg (2003). doi:10.1007/3-540-44895-0_11

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • vom Brocke, J., Watson, R.T., Dwyer, C., Elliot, S., Melville, N.: Green IS: directives for the IS discipline. Commun. AIS 33(30), 508–519 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • Winter, R., vom Brocke, J., Fettke, P., Loos, P., Junginger, S., Moser, C., Keller, W., Matthes, F., Ernst, A.: Patterns in business and information systems engineering. Bus. Inf. Syst. Eng. 1(6), 468–474 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

Parts of the research described in this paper was supported by a grant from the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), project name GreenFlow, support code 01IS12050.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany

    Patrick Lübbecke, Peter Fettke & Peter Loos

Authors
  1. Patrick Lübbecke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter Fettke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Peter Loos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick Lübbecke .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia

    Marlon Dumas

  2. School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Marcelo Fantinato

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this paper

Cite this paper

Lübbecke, P., Fettke, P., Loos, P. (2017). Sustainability Patterns for the Improvement of IT-Related Business Processes with Regard to Ecological Goals. In: Dumas, M., Fantinato, M. (eds) Business Process Management Workshops. BPM 2016. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 281. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58457-7_31

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58457-7_31

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-58456-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-58457-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation