UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2012/2013
THIRD YEAR EXAMINATION FOR THE BACHELOR OF
SCIENCE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BIT 3204 BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING
DATE: DECEMBER, 2012 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question ONE and any other TWO
QUESTION ONE
a) Briefly explain why it is important to consider using BPR tools in a BPR project?
[4 Marks]
b) Describe the three basic types of benchmarking. [6 Marks]
c) Briefly explain how functions or processes to be benchmarked can be selected
[6 Marks]
d) Discuss the difference between employing IT to automate work and using them to
reengineer business processes. [4 Marks]
e) Re engineering offers a formal method for identifying and achieving radical
performance gains. Re engineering is key to unlocking performance improvements
in all industries, through business transformation. Research suggests that business
transformations occurs in 3 interdependent phases each offering its own challenges
and benefits. Discuss [10 Marks]
QUESTION TWO
a) BPR is often used by companies on the brink of disaster to cut costs and return to
profitability. The danger is that during this process the company may slash its
capacity for future growth. Discuss [5 Marks]
b) Describe the three basic principles that provide the foundation for service
organizations seeking to reengineer. [6 Marks]
c) Although information technology plays a central role in reengineering, “the IS
organization in many companies is unable to deliver.” Discuss [6Marks]
d) Outline three factors that would lead to failure of BPR effort in an organization.
[3Marks]
QUESTION THREE
a) A manager’s view on the system differs from that of a designer, a programmer’s
view may be completely different from both. Each of the participant’s views is,
however, relevant to develop the system successfully. Distinguish between the
following perspectives:
i). Business perspective [2 Marks]
ii). Logical perspective [2 Marks]
iii).Technical perspective [2 Marks]
iv).Infrastructure perspective [2 Marks]
b) A consolidated methodology was developed to provide a structured approach and to
facilitate understanding of BPR. List and describe the five processes in the
methodology. [10 Marks]
c) Outline some of the legitimate criticisms of re-engineering as it has been practiced.
[2 Marks]
QUESTION FOUR
a) The purpose of reengineering is to “make all your processes the best-in-class.”
Explain. [6 Marks]
b) According to many in the BPR field, reengineering should focus on processes and
not be limited to thinking about the organizations, after all organizations are only as
effective as their processes. Discuss using the example of Ford [10 Marks]
c) Explain the impact of BPR on organization structure. [4 Marks]
QUESTION FIVE
a) Briefly explain the steps that would be undertaken to reengineer for revenue.
[6 Marks]
b) Outline the relationship between Business Process Reengineering and Information
Technology. [4 Marks]
c) With the aid of examples, discuss the principles that underlie Business process
reengineering. [10 Marks]
