Title: Defining the term "Business Architecture" | BAInstitute.org
Headings: Defining the term "Business Architecture"
Defining the term "Business Architecture"
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Content: This definition came from Steven Spewak in his book Enterprise Architecture Planning. This is fairly easy to comprehend as we all understand “blueprints” from the construction industry and using this as a metaphor for the enterprise works quite well. Those preferring a more formal definition of architecture must consider the one referenced in The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF); the fundamental organization of a system, embodied in its components, their relationships to each other and the environment, and the principles governing its design and evolution. For the enterprise, using the word “architecture” in a term or phrase must also include or inherit this formal definition. Using the term “architecture” and failing to consider, for example, the relationships between components or governance, corrupts and degrades its meaning. In economics, a business (also called firm or enterprise) is a legally recognized organizational entity designed to provide goods and/or services to consumers while earning a profit and increasing the wealth of its owners. Businesses persevere and prosper because they make a fair profit and sustain a competitive advantage. Improving performance is an imperative in order to grow and expand the business. Considering the above and thinking first in simple, conversational terms, the Business Architecture is a blueprint of the enterprise built using architectural disciplines to improve performance.