Enterprise Network and Supply Chain Structure: the role of fit

Nowadays it is necessary to organize the network according an integration of all the enterprise operations and develop a structure where all the knowledge is organized for identify the need for change in the enterprise. Given the essential role that manufacturing plays in the economic development in an ever-decentralizing environment, the book is dedicated to the topic of enterprise networks and logistics. The final aim is better understanding the present state and future trends of research in this important area, in order to better position oneself strategically for challenges in the future era of agile and distributed manufacturing. This chapter focuses the attention around the enterprise architecture that has the scope to define the structure and operation of an organization. The intent of an enterprise architecture is to determine how an organization can most effectively achieve its current and future objectives and, more specifically, in this chapter the enterprise architecture development is viewed as largely process of decision making under uncertainty and incomplete knowledge. Taking value maximization as the primary objective of the enterprise architecture decision-making process, the chapter attempts to develop guidelines for value enhancement. It is here assumed that portion of the value of enterprise architecture initiative is in the form of embedded options (real options), which provide architects with valuable flexibility to change plans, as uncertainties are resolved over time.