Abstract. In the field of Enterprise Architecture, The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) is a well known framework, that links Business Architecture, Data Architecture, Application Architecture, Technology. A key concept within Business Architecture domain is Business Capabilities, that are delivered by Business Component (BC). A BC is a business unit that encompasses a coherent set of activities, supported by assets including people, processes and technology. Current TOGAF version recognizes the BC requirements but misses how to bridge those requirements with a data, application and technology architecture. Defining the bridge is specifically the purpose of our extension called Business Capabilities Centric Enterprise Architecture (BCCE), where we adapt some TOGAF phases, extend the core TOGAF meta-model and add architectural contents. We have validated our approach on a telecommunication example taken from literature. A major benefit of the proposed extension is to link changes of business to data, application and technology architectures.

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We illustrate a conceptual framework for business oriented Service Level Management (SLM). Currently IT systems are complex objects that support business operations. To be meaningful, a control system should link business and IT performances. This need, though recognized by most IT management frameworks, is not specifically analyzed. Defining a methodology capable to identify this link is the purpose of our work. The proposed methodology identifies relevant IT systems supporting business activities. The key novelty is that the integration between business Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and IT systems KPIs is performed through a new uptake of Use Case approach. The paper illustrates the conceptual framework, the method and its use in a large transportation organization. The proposed approach has been successfully used by an organization.

Our paper provides a method to manage sustainable service levels in call centers. We defined a service level management process and a related capacity and workforce management that considers Erlang-A operational model for staffing levels. Based on such model, we compute the minimum sustainable price for a service contract based on the fixed service levels, and enable transparent pricing against a certified service level. The model has been implemented in a tool and are being tested in real call centers.

We survey actual practices of IT SLM (Service Level Management) in large organizations. The survey is based on a comprehensive analysis framework, called ESLAM (Extended Service Level Analysis Model) that considers (a) service level variables, that are what SLM measures (b) service information system, that processes information on service level technology, and (c) service organization that defines roles and procedures to run SLM. The survey was based on face to face interviews to both IT intensive (Banks and Telcos) and non-intensive (as Railways) organizations and has considered also context variables, as size and organizational shape, to develop correlation analysis. The survey has identified key drivers of SLM maturity and shown that IT intensive organizations, as banks and telecommunications, develop a more mature SLM. Also SLM maturity is unrelated to organizational size.