Tuning enterprise architectures to stay competitive and fit is an enduring challenge for organizations. This study postulates a meta-framework for Efficacious Adaptive Enterprise Architectures (EA), the 2EA framework. We use fundamental long-standing principles found in complex adaptive systems. These principles explain adaptive success. Also, we set forward managerial implications about the dynamics of EA to function effectively on four architectural levels, i.e. enterprise environment, enterprise, enterprise systems and infrastructure. Principles of efficacious adaptation have not been incorporated into current EA frameworks and methods underlining an improvement area. Subsequently, we extend baseline work into a meta-framework and evaluate it accordingly following the design science method. Our meta-framework supports organizations to assess and adapt EA capabilities – modular units of functionality within the organization – to the continuously changing environment, stakeholder interests and internal organizational dynamics. Our research contributes to foundational work on EA and can be used for strategic EA development and maturation.

1. A meta-framework for
Efficacious Adaptive Enterprise Architectures
Rogier van de Wetering, PhD and Rik Bos, PhD
The Open University of the Netherlands
Dia 1
19th International Conference on Business Information Systems
July 8th 2016, Leipzig
Reference: Van de Wetering, R. and Bos, R. A meta-framework for
Efficacious Adaptive Enterprise Architectures , in International Conference on Business
Information Systems. 2016, Springer International Publishing: Leipzig, Germany. [download]
[download]

2. Dia 2
Short introduction
Professional experience
• 2015-now Assistant Professor, Management,
Science & Technology, Open University
• 2005-2015 Manager at Deloitte Consulting
• 2010-2013 External lecturer, medical
informatics, Utrecht University
• 2007-2011 PhD research, Utrecht University
Education
• PhD research (‘11), Faculty Mathematics & Computer
Sciences, Utrecht University (A Strategic PACS Maturity
Approach)
• Information Sciences (‘05), Utrecht University, Melbourne
University

3. Agenda
Dia 3
1
Background and objectives
Complexity Science
Framework development process
Key takeaways
2
3
4
2EA framework and principles of adaption
Conclusion and outlook
5
6

4. Key takeaways
Dia 4
Enterprise Architectures (EA)
should not be regarded as
‘static’ and ‘homogeneous’
blueprints of organizations
Organizations that
embrace these principles
are better equipped to
deal with both the internal
and external dynamics
Principles of efficacious
adaptation are elementary
drivers for adaptation of
EA in organizations

5. Dia 5
Little research has been done on fitness and adaptation in the context
of EA
Paradigm shift
• Organizations take into account
dynamics of changing environment
(Brown, 1997; Eisenhardt, 2000)
• Attention towards co-evolutionary
nature of IS/IT (Benbya & McKelvey,
2006; Vessey & Ward, 2013)
• Dynamic approach frames future
IS/IT research (Merali et al., 2012)
Enterprise Architecture research
• EA enables organizations to achieve
strategies
• Represented in layers (e.g.
Janssen, 2009)
• Need for dynamic architectural
complexity stressed by
Zimmermann et al. (2015)

6. Dia 6
Propose a theory driven conceptual meta-framework for efficacious
EA adaptation to leverage current and future EA capabilities
Research objectives
• Principles of efficacious adaptation
explaining adaptive success
• Principles impact organizations’
ability to adapt / co-evolve IS/IT
capabilities (Benbya et al., 2006)
• Propose conceptual meta-
framework for EA adaptation
• Leverage current and future EA
capabilities and support adaption
Research question
• Describe a conceptual meta-
framework on a generic level
• We address the following main
research question:
“How can a meta-framework for
efficacious EA adaptation be designed
using complexity science as a frame
of reference and principles of adaptive
success?”

7. We built upon ideas from complexity science and Complex Adaptive
Systems theory as a frame of reference
Dia 7
Sciencedaily (2016), Rainforest [ONLINE]. Available at:
https://images.sciencedaily.com/2012/09/120905135008_1_900x600.jpg [Accessed 7 July 2016].

8. Familiar Complex Adaptive System…
Dia 8
Adls, (2013), Charting the Changes [ONLINE]. Available at: http://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/adls-
media/8725730/financialmarkets.jpg [Accessed 7 July 2016].

9. Dia 9
Familiar Complex Adaptive System…
Shutterstock, (2013), Biomimicry [ONLINE]. Available at: https://s3-eu-west-
1.amazonaws.com/static.nextnature.net/app/uploads/2013/07/ant-bridge_2302146k-640x400.jpg [Accessed 29
June 2016].

10. Familiar Complex Adaptive System…
Dia 10
Global-integration, (2016), Networked organizations [ONLINE]. Available at: http://global-integration.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/03/Networked-organizations-330x300.png [Accessed 7 July 2016].

11. Dia 11
Ideas from complexity science apply particularly well to the
development, continuous adaptation and alignment of EA’s
Complexity science and CAS perspective
• Complexity science studies
behaviors of CAS: co-evolving,
massively entangled and emergent
• Challenges traditional science:
“at any level of analysis, order within a
system is an emergent property of
individual interactions at a lower level
of aggregation” (Stacey, ’95)
EA relevance
• EA as a CAS?
• Hierarchical, multilevel system,
comprising aggregation hierarchies,
architecture layers and views
• EA adaptation needs a ‘holistic’ and
‘complex’ theoretical framework that
fits the diversity of organizational
components

12. Dia 12
Framework development process: Simon’s view
Design science method
• Incremental development process
following ‘initial stages’ of the DSRM
(Peffers, 2007; Venable et al., 2012)
• Focus on ‘building activities’ in a first
attempt to design a conceptual
meta-framework
• Ensured quality and validity through
complementary validation methods
Foundational baseline work
• 1st pillar Benbya et al. (2006) and 1st
principles of efficacious adaptation
• 2nd pillar builds upon an integration
among architecture frameworks
(Zarvić, Wieringa, 2014)
• NOT ANOTHER FRAMEWORK!

13. Dia 13
Our meta-framework consists of four architectural, connected and
interrelated layers with capabilities….
Enterprise environment
Focus capabilities:
Enterprise-wide value delivery through business process, management,
structures and relations.
Focus capabilities:
Leveraging heterogeneous and loose coupled IS/IT, software and
information.
Focus capabilities:
Co-evolvement with environmental dynamism and the business
ecosystem.
Focus capabilities:
Scalability and cost efficiency infrastructure deployment.
Enterprise
Enterprise systems
Infrastructure
EA capabilities
Legend
Layers
(1) Co-evolutionary tension and change
(2) Organizational complexity
(3) Complementarity
and interactional
complexity

14. Dia 14
.…First we will look at the four architectural, connected and
interrelated layers with capabilities….
Enterprise environment
Focus capabilities:
Enterprise-wide value delivery through business process, management,
structures and relations.
Focus capabilities:
Leveraging heterogeneous and loose coupled IS/IT, software and
information.
Focus capabilities:
Co-evolvement with environmental dynamism and the business
ecosystem.
Focus capabilities:
Scalability and cost efficiency infrastructure deployment.
Enterprise
Enterprise systems
Infrastructure
Four layers and capabilities
• EA capabilities are
modular units of
functionality (‘what’)
• Main challenges include
dynamics of ecosystem
competitors, alignment,
flexibility, connectivity,
standards, etc.
• Multi-level challenges can
be dealt with using
principles of efficacious
adaptation

15. Dia 15
The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight
principles of efficacious adaptation….
• Adaptive Tension:
environmentally
imposed tensions
• Deviation
Amplification:
Mutually causal
relationships amplify
self-organization
• Change Rate: Higher
internal change rates
offer advantage
Co-evolutionary tension
and change
• Requisite Variety:
manage external
variety by matching
internal degree of
complexity
• Modular Design:
decomposable
subunits tend to
evolve faster
Organizational
complexity
• Causal Intricacy:
mutual adjustment
among groups
• Complementarity:
individual elements of
a strategic planning
process cannot be
individually optimized
• Coordination
Rhythm: Support of
both interaction and
entangled
Complementarity and
interactional complexity

16. Dia 16
The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight
principles of efficacious adaptation….
• Adaptive Tension:
environmentally
imposed tensions
• Deviation
Amplification:
Mutually causal
relationships amplify
self-organization
• Change Rate: Higher
internal change rates
offer advantage
Co-evolutionary tension
and change
• Requisite Variety:
manage external
variety by matching
internal degree of
complexity
• Modular Design:
decomposable
subunits tend to
evolve faster
Organizational
complexity
• Causal Intricacy:
mutual adjustment
among groups
• Complementarity:
individual elements of
a strategic planning
process cannot be
individually optimized
• Coordination Rhythm:
Support of both
interaction and
entangled
Complementarity and
interactional complexity
Fostering tension along
architectural levels;
continuous adoption of new
(modular) capabilities, competition
between capabilities (i.e. survival
of the fittest)

17. Dia 17
The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight
principles of efficacious adaptation….
• Adaptive Tension:
environmentally
imposed tensions
• Deviation
Amplification:
Mutually causal
relationships amplify
self-organization
• Change Rate: Higher
internal change rates
offer advantage
Co-evolutionary tension
and change
• Requisite Variety:
manage external
variety by matching
internal degree of
complexity
• Modular Design:
decomposable
subunits tend to
evolve faster
Organizational
complexity
• Causal Intricacy:
mutual adjustment
among groups
• Complementarity:
individual elements of
a strategic planning
process cannot be
individually optimized
• Coordination Rhythm:
Support of both
interaction and
entangled
Complementarity and
interactional complexity
Incremental EA design that fosters
emergence of new architectural
capabilities and generate new
innovative relations among
capabilities.

18. Dia 18
The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight
principles of efficacious adaptation….
• Adaptive Tension:
environmentally
imposed tensions
• Deviation
Amplification:
Mutually causal
relationships amplify
self-organization
• Change Rate: Higher
internal change rates
offer advantage
Co-evolutionary tension
and change
• Requisite Variety:
manage external
variety by matching
internal degree of
complexity
• Modular Design:
decomposable
subunits tend to
evolve faster
Organizational
complexity
• Causal Intricacy:
mutual adjustment
among groups
• Complementarity:
individual elements of
a strategic planning
process cannot be
individually optimized
• Coordination Rhythm:
Support of both
interaction and
entangled
Complementarity and
interactional complexity
Enabling continuous change of EA
capabilities spanning processes,
people, technology and assets and
thus increasing its absorptive
capacity.

19. Dia 19
The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight
principles of efficacious adaptation….
• Adaptive Tension:
environmentally
imposed tensions
• Deviation
Amplification: Mutually
causal relationships
amplify self-
organization
• Change Rate: Higher
internal change rates
offer advantage
Co-evolutionary tension
and change
• Requisite Variety:
manage external
variety by matching
internal degree of
complexity
• Modular Design:
decomposable
subunits tend to
evolve faster
Organizational
complexity
• Causal Intricacy:
mutual adjustment
among groups
• Complementarity:
individual elements of
a strategic planning
process cannot be
individually optimized
• Coordination Rhythm:
Support of both
interaction and
entangled
Complementarity and
interactional complexity
Extent to which one can add,
modify, and remove capabilities
with ease, with very few ‘strong’
with most relations among the
EA capabilities being ‘short-term’

20. Dia 20
The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight
principles of efficacious adaptation….
• Adaptive Tension:
environmentally
imposed tensions
• Deviation
Amplification: Mutually
causal relationships
amplify self-
organization
• Change Rate: Higher
internal change rates
offer advantage
Co-evolutionary tension
and change
• Requisite Variety:
manage external
variety by matching
internal degree of
complexity
• Modular Design:
decomposable
subunits tend to
evolve faster
Organizational
complexity
• Causal Intricacy:
mutual adjustment
among groups
• Complementarity:
individual elements of
a strategic planning
process cannot be
individually optimized
• Coordination
Rhythm: Support of
both interaction and
entangled
Complementarity and
interactional complexity
Causal influences may be
multidirectional; thus, focusing on
technical (functionality,
interoperability, interfaces etc.),
business and organization
requirements.

21. Dia 21
Conclusion and outlook
Contribution
• Adapt EA in alignment with the
turbulent environment,
organizational dynamics and
stakeholder interests
• Identify and execute improvement
activities in alignment with principles
• Grounded checklist and analysis
tool to identify improvement areas
Future research
• Application in practice (cases)
• Expert sessions, interviews and
focus groups
• Extending the 2EA framework (‘new
view/perspective’) with Dynamic
Capabilities
• Define architectural complexity
measures; assessment tool

22. Q&A
Dia 22

23. Contact
Dia 23
dr. R. (Rogier) van de Wetering
Assistant Professor
Faculty Management, Science & Technology
nl.linkedin.com/in/rvandewetering
twitter.com/drvandewetering
researchgate.net/profile/Rogier_Van_de_Wetering2
openuniversiteit.academia.edu/RVanDeWetering