Network Science Applied to Enterprise Architecture Analysis: Towards the Foundational Concepts

Earlier research has identified network analysis techniques, methods, and models used to analyze structural aspects of an enterprise architecture (EA) modeled as a network or graph. However, there is still no common set of conceptual elements for such research that could allow one to identify the information requirements needed to perform this type of analysis. In the present research, we organize foundational conceptual elements in a meta-model as a step towards fostering the development of this research field and creating alignment among researchers. As a second contribution, we classify the existing knowledge about network analysis in an EA context through a systematic literature review, according to the proposed meta-model; this results in a library of 74 network analysis initiatives (e.g., metrics or methods) for EA, which we evaluate reasoning about their efficacy and utility and also surveying experts. Our work thus identifies and systematizes the state of art of network science as a toolset to be applied in the EA context.