Application of Business Process Reengineering as a Process Improvement Tool: A Case Study

The environment in which organisations function at present is characterised by precipitous variation and development. In consequence, if they are to remain competitive, organisations must constantly improve their processes and systems. The improvements referred to must relate mainly to the effective and efficient utilisation of scarce resources within the organisation, and cause a shift in organisational priorities. The shift from product centredness to customer centredness makes change inevitable. Globally organisations are eagerly seeking innovative philosophies and theories that will help them achieve growth, competitiveness and productivity. Business process reengineering (BPR) is recognised as a methodology which could be beneficial in attaining the goals. Developed during the 1990s, BPR is a derivative of other Japanese methodologies such as just in time and process focus. Its hallmark is the sweeping restructuring of processes, transformation of alignment and streamlining of processes within an organisation. The aim of the paper is to identify a specific application which could facilitate improvements to the processes of a selected organisation. The correct application of the BPR methodology would result in effective and efficient processes.