From Theory to Practice: Empirical Insights on BPM Lifecycle Adoption and Low-Code Utilization in SMEs
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face growing pressure to adapt to dynamic, competitive markets. Business Process Management (BPM) offers a strategic pathway to operational efficiency and digital transformation. While the BPM lifecycle and low-code platforms are frequently presented as key...
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IEEE
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11062816/ |
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| author | Pavel Arno |
| author_facet | Pavel Arno |
| author_sort | Pavel Arno |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face growing pressure to adapt to dynamic, competitive markets. Business Process Management (BPM) offers a strategic pathway to operational efficiency and digital transformation. While the BPM lifecycle and low-code platforms are frequently presented as key enablers for SMEs, few empirical studies examine their practical implementation. This study addresses two research questions: 1) how SMEs use low-code technologies to support BPM, and 2) how they apply – or deviate from – the traditional BPM lifecycle. Using a triangulated research design combining a rapid literature review and an expert survey of BPM practitioners in SMEs, the study finds that low-code tools are widely adopted for basic BPM tasks such as process modeling and workflow automation. However, advanced features like AI and process mining are underutilized. Likewise, SMEs often skip or adapt BPM lifecycle phases due to organizational constraints. These findings highlight a gap between BPM theory and SME practice, emphasizing the need for more adaptive BPM frameworks and accessible low-code solutions tailored to SME contexts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-16031c0da3d84f05bf24f15a1cf93d8d |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2169-3536 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IEEE |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IEEE Access |
| spelling | doaj-art-16031c0da3d84f05bf24f15a1cf93d8d2025-07-11T23:01:07ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-011311738511740310.1109/ACCESS.2025.358526111062816From Theory to Practice: Empirical Insights on BPM Lifecycle Adoption and Low-Code Utilization in SMEsPavel Arno0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1588-6014Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face growing pressure to adapt to dynamic, competitive markets. Business Process Management (BPM) offers a strategic pathway to operational efficiency and digital transformation. While the BPM lifecycle and low-code platforms are frequently presented as key enablers for SMEs, few empirical studies examine their practical implementation. This study addresses two research questions: 1) how SMEs use low-code technologies to support BPM, and 2) how they apply – or deviate from – the traditional BPM lifecycle. Using a triangulated research design combining a rapid literature review and an expert survey of BPM practitioners in SMEs, the study finds that low-code tools are widely adopted for basic BPM tasks such as process modeling and workflow automation. However, advanced features like AI and process mining are underutilized. Likewise, SMEs often skip or adapt BPM lifecycle phases due to organizational constraints. These findings highlight a gap between BPM theory and SME practice, emphasizing the need for more adaptive BPM frameworks and accessible low-code solutions tailored to SME contexts.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11062816/Business process managementBPM lifecyclelow-codeSME |
| spellingShingle | Pavel Arno From Theory to Practice: Empirical Insights on BPM Lifecycle Adoption and Low-Code Utilization in SMEs IEEE Access Business process management BPM lifecycle low-code SME |
| title | From Theory to Practice: Empirical Insights on BPM Lifecycle Adoption and Low-Code Utilization in SMEs |
| title_full | From Theory to Practice: Empirical Insights on BPM Lifecycle Adoption and Low-Code Utilization in SMEs |
| title_fullStr | From Theory to Practice: Empirical Insights on BPM Lifecycle Adoption and Low-Code Utilization in SMEs |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Theory to Practice: Empirical Insights on BPM Lifecycle Adoption and Low-Code Utilization in SMEs |
| title_short | From Theory to Practice: Empirical Insights on BPM Lifecycle Adoption and Low-Code Utilization in SMEs |
| title_sort | from theory to practice empirical insights on bpm lifecycle adoption and low code utilization in smes |
| topic | Business process management BPM lifecycle low-code SME |
| url | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11062816/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pavelarno fromtheorytopracticeempiricalinsightsonbpmlifecycleadoptionandlowcodeutilizationinsmes |