Title: 8. Business Layer : ArchiMate® 3.1 Specification
Headings: 8
Business Layer

8 Business Layer
8.1 Business Layer Metamodel
8.2 Active Structure Elements
8.2.1 Business Actor
8.2.2 Business Role
8.2.3 Business Collaboration
8.2.4 Business Interface
8.2.5 Example
8.3 Behavior Elements
8.3.1 Business Process
8.3.2 Business Function
8.3.3 Business Interaction
8.3.4 Business Event
8.3.5 Business Service
8.3.6 Example
8.4 Passive Structure Elements
8.4.1 Business Object
8.4.2 Contract
8.4.3 Representation
8.4.4 Example
8.5 Composite Elements
Figure 68: Product Metamodel
8.5.1 Product
8.5.2 Example
8.6 Summary of Business Layer Elements

Content: A business actor that is assigned to a business role is responsible for ensuring that the corresponding behavior is carried out, either by performing it or by delegating and managing its performance. In addition to the relation of a business role with behavior, a business role is also useful in a (structural) organizational sense; for instance, in the division of labor within an organization. A business role may be assigned to one or more business processes or business functions, while a business actor may be assigned to one or more business roles. A business interface or an application interface may serve a business role, while a business interface may be part of a business role. The name of a business role should preferably be a noun. Figure 55: Business Role Notation
ArchiMate modelers may represent generic organizational entities that perform behavior as either business actors or business roles. For example, the business actor “Supplier” depicts an organizational entity, while the business role “Supplier” depicts a responsibility. Specific or generic business actors can be assigned to carry responsibilities depicted as business roles.