Reengineering: Business Change of Mythic Proportions?

Reengineering is a powerful change approach that can bring about radical improvements in business processes. However, the popular management literature has created more myth than practical methodology regarding reengineering. It has relied more heavily on hype than on research, common sense, or lessons of the past. In this paper, we attempt to “demythologize” some key aspects of reeingineering by describing what we have observed in our research and practice. Seven reengineering myths are identified, discussed, and dispelled. By separating rhetoric from reality, we hope to help others to have reasonable expectations for success with their reengineering initiatives.