Enterprise Modelling Can Be Used as a Research Method: An Application to Sustainability Reporting Research

Sergio España*, Gudrun Thorsteinsdottir, Vijanti Ramautar, Oscar Pastor

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Enterprise modelling (EM) refers to eliciting and documenting knowledge about an organisation from several interrelated perspectives. Often EM is industrially applied and scientifically researched within the fields of enterprise and information systems (IS) engineering. In this paper, we put forward that EM constitutes a sound and valid research method that could be used outside these disciplines. Its systematic elicitation and modelling techniques lend themselves to rigorous empirical investigations. We report on our experience in applying an EM method as a research method in a project exploring the relationships between sustainability reporting and strategic management practices. The results were rich in high-quality, detailed research data, that allowed drawing strong evidence-based conclusions. If EM were known in other scientific fields interested in phenomena taking place inside or around enterprises, these research communities would benefit from a structured and rigorous approach to investigate aspects related to the organisational structure, processes, communications and information, motivations, and relationships among these, which are core constructs in EM methods.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Practice of Enterprise Modeling - 16th IFIP Working Conference, PoEM 2023, Proceedings
EditorsJoão Paulo A. Almeida, Monika Kaczmarek-Heß, Agnes Koschmider, Henderik A. Proper
PublisherSpringer
Pages161-176
Number of pages16
ISBN (Print)9783031485824
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024
Event16th IFIPWG 8.1 Working Conference on the Practice of Enterprise Modeling, PoEM 2023 - Vienna, Austria
Duration: 28 Nov 20231 Dec 2023

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Business Information Processing
Volume497 LNBIP
ISSN (Print)1865-1348
ISSN (Electronic)1865-1356

Conference

Conference16th IFIPWG 8.1 Working Conference on the Practice of Enterprise Modeling, PoEM 2023
Country/TerritoryAustria
CityVienna
Period28/11/231/12/23

Keywords

  • Enterprise Modelling
  • Environmental
  • Ethical
  • Research Methodology
  • Social and Environmental Accounting
  • Social and Governance
  • Sustainability Reporting

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