In IT management, maturity models have proved to be an important instrument because they allow for a better positioning of the organization and help find better solutions for change. Over the last few years, over a hundred maturity models have been developed to support IT management. However, the procedures and methods that led to these models have only been documented very sketchily. Using a scientific approach, we have developed criteria for the development of maturity models. These criteria also serve as a basis for the comparison of sparsely documented maturity approaches. The results thus obtained have been generalised and consolidated into a generally applicable model. A case study will illustrate the applicability of our model. The results of this paper are meant to serve as a manual for methodically well-founded designs and evaluations of maturity models.

Purpose -Maturity models are a prospering approach to improving a company's processes and business process management (BPM) capabilities. In fact, the number of corresponding maturity models is so high that practitioners and scholars run the risk of losing track. This paper therefore aims to provide a systematic in-depth review of BPM maturity models. Design/methodology/approach -The paper follows the accepted research process for literature reviews. It analyzes a sample of ten BPM maturity models according to a framework of general design principles. The framework particularly focuses on the applicability and usefulness of maturity models. Findings -The analyzed maturity models sufficiently address basic design principles as well as principles for a descriptive purpose of use. The design principles for a prescriptive use, however, are hardly met. Thus, BPM maturity models provide limited guidance for identifying desirable maturity levels and for implementing improvement measures.Research limitations/implications -The authors are confident that this review covers the majority of publicly available BPM maturity models. As the number of corresponding maturity models seems to be constantly growing, exhaustiveness can hardly be guaranteed. The study's results stimulate future research. Inter alia, adopters from industry require more elaborate support by means of ready-to-use and adaptable instruments for maturity assessment and improvement. The paper also reaffirms the need for maturity model consolidation in the field of BPM. Originality/value -As existing literature reviews focus on process improvement or BPM in general, the paper's findings extend current knowledge. They also increase transparency. Its results provide guidance for scholars and practitioners involved in the design, enhancement, or application of BPM maturity models.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: to identify, evaluate and structure the research that focusses on omni-channel retailing from the perspective of logistics and supply chain management; and to reveal the intellectual foundation of omni-channel retailing research. Design/methodology/approach The paper applies a multi-method approach by conducting a content-analysis-based literature review of 70 academic papers. Based on the reference lists of these papers, the authors performed a citation and co-citation analysis based on the 34 most frequently cited papers. This analysis included multidimensional scaling, a cluster analysis and factor analysis. Findings The study reveals the limited consideration of logistics and supply chain management literature in the foundation of the omni-channel retailing research. Further, the authors see a dominance of empirical research as compared to conceptual and analytical research. Overall, there is a focus on the Western retail context in this research field. The intellectual foundation is embedded in the marketing discipline and can be characterised as lacking a robust theoretical foundation. Originality/value The contribution of this research is identifying, evaluating and structuring the literature of omni-channel research and providing an overview of the state of the art of this research area considering its interdisciplinary nature. This paper thus supports researchers looking to holistically comprehend, prioritise and use the underpinning literature central to the phenomena of omni-channel retailing. For practitioners and academics alike, the findings can trigger and support future research and an evolving understanding of omni-channel retailing.

Purpose – Business process management (BPM) is a key concept in information systems (IS) research that helps to connect business strategy with the use of technology in an organization. Contemporary BPM research is no longer only about methods, procedures, or tools for managing or modeling processes but about assessing and developing BPM capability in organizations. For this purpose, a vast collection of maturity models has been designed by practitioners and scholars alike. Such models are used to assess the status quo and benchmark it against other organizations, and, most important, to guide the development of BPM capability. With this study, the paper challenges the maturity model perspective of such development models. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, methods of qualitative IS research are employed to address the research objectives. Findings – The paper shows that maturity model-based guidance would be inadequate. Instead, other concept-external factors resulting from organizational and environmental characteristics appear to be important indicators. The theory discussion introduces alternative takes on BPM capability development, lays out implications for BPM practice, and presents potentially fruitful paths for future research in the area of BPM capability development. Originality/value – This paper challenges the current perspectives and contributes a new direction for conceptualizing BPM capability development.