Business Process Management as a Unique Profession

-- A Promotional Message from ABPMP

Dr. J. Leon Zhao, VP and Director of Communications and Brett Champlin, President

(October 27, 2005)

Recent research studies confirm that Business Process Management is rapidly evolving as the dominant management paradigm of the 21^st Century. An April 2005 BPMG study found that “…the practice of BPM as a primary means to manage business has already gained substantial adoption” and “…more than 80% of the world’s leading organizations are actively engaged in BPM programs, many of these on a global scale”. An APQC benchmarking study completed in March 2005 found that “BPM is the way best-practice organizations conduct business.” That study also examined proven strategies, approaches, tools and techniques (including business process frameworks and maturity models) employed by world-class, process-focused enterprises and found that while “technology, by itself, does not constitute Business Process Management, much of the promise of BPM initiatives will not be realized without powerful, flexible and user-friendly IT solutions to support them.”

As the practice of information technology moves into the age of utility and services computing, the information revolution revolves now around business process management support. As part of business initiatives, organizations around the world are automating their business processes to transform the intra- and inter-company relationships. Business process management systems are a new breed of software that automates the routing, monitoring, and control of business processes.

Along with this business process management revolution, a new genre of specialists, referred to as Business Process Management Professionals, is emerging to support the practice.

The Association of Business Process Management Professionals (ABPMP) is a non-profit, vendor-independent, professional organization dedicated to the advancement of business process management concepts and its practices. ABPMP is practitioner-oriented and practitioner-led. The mission of ABPMP is to engage in activities that promote the practice of business process management, to develop a common body of knowledge in this field, and to contribute to the advancement and skill development of professionals who work in this discipline. ABPMP produces educational and networking events for continuing education and sharing of best practices, new ideas, and experiences of its members and professional colleagues.

Founded in 2003, ABPMP has grown into a professional association with hundreds of BPM practitioner members. ABPMP has a Board of Advisors made up of the most well known authors, practitioners and thought-leaders in the field who offer advice to the Board of Directors on the industry and how ABPMP can best serve its membership.

ABPMP is undergoing rapid growth. It now has chapters in Chicago, Philadelphia, Portland, New York, and Michigan. In addition, new chapters are being formed in Austin, Atlanta, Boston, Connecticut, Dallas, Washington D.C. and Southern California. A chapter-at-large is also under development to network with individuals not near an existing or a forthcoming chapter.

More details about ABPMP may be found at its official website: http://www.abpmp.org.