Process automation as the foundation for e-business

E-business is becoming the trademark of the 2000s. Companies are using the Web to communicate with their partners, connect with their back-end systems, and perform e-commerce transactions. However, the transition from traditional business to e-business requires a fundamental re-implementation of their business operational systems. Many companies have focused their transitions on developing web- based interfaces to their legacy applicatjon However, the backend infrastructure is often inadequate to support the offering, not only for established corporations but also, surprisingly, for many newly formed dotcoms. On the other hand, successful c-business companies have identified workflow as the key technology for connecting front-end and back- end applications, for integrating, automating, and monitoring business and e-commerce processes, and for providing on-line service delivery. In this paper we discuss the benefits of workflow automation and we show why workflow is a key technology for building the foundation for ebusiness. We will demonstrate these concepts by presenting an example of a very successful ebusiness startup that has placed HP Changengine at the core of its c-business platform.