{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7220657231","doi":"https://doi.org/10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09","title":"Bridging the Gap in Business Process Automation Methodologies for SMEs","display_name":"Bridging the Gap in Business Process Automation Methodologies for SMEs","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-10-01","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7220657231","doi":"https://doi.org/10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09","doi":"https://doi.org/10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09","pdf_url":"https://ijournalse.org/index.php/ESJ/article/download/4027/1113","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210232528","display_name":"Emerging Science Journal","issn_l":"2610-9182","issn":["2610-9182"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","erih-plus","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-20","russia-white-list-1"],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Emerging Science Journal","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"gold","oa_url":"https://ijournalse.org/index.php/ESJ/article/download/4027/1113","any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5025839627","display_name":"S\u00edlvia Moreira","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0976-8919","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0976-8919"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I155381812","display_name":"University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro","ror":"https://ror.org/03qc8vh97","country_code":"PT","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I155381812"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210166615","display_name":"INESC TEC","ror":"https://ror.org/05fa8ka61","country_code":"PT","type":"nonprofit","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210125590","https://openalex.org/I4210166615"]}],"countries":["PT"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"S\u00edlvia Moreira","raw_affiliation_strings":["1) INESC TEC\u2014Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. 2) University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0976-8919","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"1) INESC TEC\u2014Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. 2) University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I155381812","https://openalex.org/I4210166615"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5078782265","display_name":"Henrique S\u00e3o Mamede","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5383-9884","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5383-9884"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I201025148","display_name":"Universidade Aberta","ror":"https://ror.org/02rv3w387","country_code":"PT","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I201025148"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210166615","display_name":"INESC TEC","ror":"https://ror.org/05fa8ka61","country_code":"PT","type":"nonprofit","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210125590","https://openalex.org/I4210166615"]}],"countries":["PT"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Henrique S. Mamede","raw_affiliation_strings":["1) INESC TEC\u2014Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. 3) Department of Science and Technology, Universidade Aberta, Rua da Escola Polit\u00e9cnica, no. 147, 1269-001 Lisbon"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5383-9884","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"1) INESC TEC\u2014Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. 3) Department of Science and Technology, Universidade Aberta, Rua da Escola Polit\u00e9cnica, no. 147, 1269-001 Lisbon","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I201025148","https://openalex.org/I4210166615"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5043512853","display_name":"Arnaldo Manuel Pinto dos Santos","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5139-6728","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5139-6728"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I201025148","display_name":"Universidade Aberta","ror":"https://ror.org/02rv3w387","country_code":"PT","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I201025148"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210166615","display_name":"INESC TEC","ror":"https://ror.org/05fa8ka61","country_code":"PT","type":"nonprofit","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210125590","https://openalex.org/I4210166615"]}],"countries":["PT"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Arnaldo Santos","raw_affiliation_strings":["1) INESC TEC\u2014Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. 3) Department of Science and Technology, Universidade Aberta, Rua da Escola Polit\u00e9cnica, no. 147, 1269-001 Lisbon"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5139-6728","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"1) INESC TEC\u2014Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. 3) Department of Science and Technology, Universidade Aberta, Rua da Escola Polit\u00e9cnica, no. 147, 1269-001 Lisbon","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I201025148","https://openalex.org/I4210166615"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":3,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":{"value":40,"currency":"USD","value_usd":40},"apc_paid":{"value":40,"currency":"USD","value_usd":40},"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.0,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"10","issue":"5","first_page":"2753","last_page":"2787"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13287","display_name":"Robotic Process Automation Applications","score":0.6240000128746033,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1404","display_name":"Management Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13287","display_name":"Robotic Process Automation Applications","score":0.6240000128746033,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1404","display_name":"Management Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10703","display_name":"Business Process Modeling and Analysis","score":0.3345000147819519,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1404","display_name":"Management Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11024","display_name":"Information Systems Theories and Implementation","score":0.013700000010430813,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1404","display_name":"Management Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/business-process-automation","display_name":"business process automation","score":1.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/small-and-medium-sized-enterprises","display_name":"small and medium-sized enterprises","score":0.984000027179718},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/process-selection","display_name":"process selection","score":0.6859999895095825},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/prioritization","display_name":"priority setting","score":0.6940000057220459},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/digital-readiness-assessment","display_name":"digital readiness assessment","score":0.9980000257492065},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ai-enabled-decision-support","display_name":"AI-enabled decision support","score":0.8610000014305115},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/automation-governance","display_name":"automation governance","score":0.6729999780654907},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/organizational-readiness","display_name":"organizational readiness","score":0.6890000104904175},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/sociotechnical-systems","display_name":"socio-technical systems","score":0.628000020980835},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/change-management","display_name":"change management","score":0.3840000033378601}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115901376","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q184199","display_name":"Automation","level":2,"score":0.6222000122070312},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C195094911","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14167904","display_name":"Process management","level":1,"score":0.6047999858856201},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C9354725","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q286017","display_name":"Operationalization","level":2,"score":0.5202999711036682},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C56739046","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192060","display_name":"Knowledge management","level":1,"score":0.5167999863624573},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C174348530","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188635","display_name":"Bridging (networking)","level":2,"score":0.4830999970436096},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777655877","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3475740","display_name":"Design science research","level":3,"score":0.45719999074935913},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C116834253","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2039217","display_name":"Identification (biology)","level":2,"score":0.4309999942779541},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779530757","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1207505","display_name":"Quality (philosophy)","level":2,"score":0.42500001192092896},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C98045186","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205663","display_name":"Process (computing)","level":2,"score":0.41760000586509705},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C85345410","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q851587","display_name":"Business process","level":3,"score":0.41690000891685486},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C127413603","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11023","display_name":"Engineering","level":0,"score":0.3788999915122986},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C21457203","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4056293","display_name":"Process automation system","level":3,"score":0.35030001401901245},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144133560","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4830453","display_name":"Business","level":0,"score":0.3393999934196472},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C39389867","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q380767","display_name":"Corporate governance","level":2,"score":0.3301999866962433},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C48879800","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q622439","display_name":"Small and medium-sized enterprises","level":2,"score":0.33000001311302185},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780103759","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5264375","display_name":"Design science","level":2,"score":0.3262999951839447},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.314300000667572},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C110354214","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6314146","display_name":"Engineering management","level":1,"score":0.2849000096321106},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107327155","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q330268","display_name":"Decision support system","level":2,"score":0.27219998836517334},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C80309976","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7007379","display_name":"Business process management","level":4,"score":0.26350000500679016},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112930515","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4389547","display_name":"Risk analysis (engineering)","level":1,"score":0.26350000500679016},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C93453677","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1017580","display_name":"Business process discovery","level":5,"score":0.2619999945163727},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C76956256","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q27610560","display_name":"Process modeling","level":3,"score":0.2508000135421753},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C4438859","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q186117","display_name":"Timeline","level":2,"score":0.25040000677108765}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09","doi":"https://doi.org/10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09","pdf_url":"https://ijournalse.org/index.php/ESJ/article/download/4027/1113","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210232528","display_name":"Emerging Science Journal","issn_l":"2610-9182","issn":["2610-9182"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","erih-plus","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-20","russia-white-list-1"],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Emerging Science Journal","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09","doi":"https://doi.org/10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.28991/esj-2026-010-05-09","pdf_url":"https://ijournalse.org/index.php/ESJ/article/download/4027/1113","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210232528","display_name":"Emerging Science Journal","issn_l":"2610-9182","issn":["2610-9182"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","erih-plus","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-20","russia-white-list-1"],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Emerging Science Journal","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"score":0.7207000255584717,"display_name":"Industry, innovation and infrastructure","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/9"}],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":true,"grobid_xml":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7220657231.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7220657231.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":55,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W2136922540","https://openalex.org/W2146449629","https://openalex.org/W2151164148","https://openalex.org/W2511173071","https://openalex.org/W2529835800","https://openalex.org/W2609451121","https://openalex.org/W2737191587","https://openalex.org/W2774250009","https://openalex.org/W2806011710","https://openalex.org/W2897142551","https://openalex.org/W2901165075","https://openalex.org/W2944610253","https://openalex.org/W2955681383","https://openalex.org/W2976777857","https://openalex.org/W2978407228","https://openalex.org/W2981344320","https://openalex.org/W2982980691","https://openalex.org/W2996441822","https://openalex.org/W3001004827","https://openalex.org/W3008574247","https://openalex.org/W3032343155","https://openalex.org/W3044761164","https://openalex.org/W3081436959","https://openalex.org/W3083005250","https://openalex.org/W3083539368","https://openalex.org/W3098281022","https://openalex.org/W3131867310","https://openalex.org/W3138222796","https://openalex.org/W3160385847","https://openalex.org/W3187041175","https://openalex.org/W3194241964","https://openalex.org/W3197237886","https://openalex.org/W3201535710","https://openalex.org/W3214167544","https://openalex.org/W4220821368","https://openalex.org/W4224300396","https://openalex.org/W4226188642","https://openalex.org/W4236000168","https://openalex.org/W4285502349","https://openalex.org/W4285608683","https://openalex.org/W4309225776","https://openalex.org/W4312544589","https://openalex.org/W4312770575","https://openalex.org/W4313357536","https://openalex.org/W4366397919","https://openalex.org/W4399110387","https://openalex.org/W4399273485","https://openalex.org/W4405743262","https://openalex.org/W4409323774","https://openalex.org/W4411762012","https://openalex.org/W4412036228","https://openalex.org/W4415550972","https://openalex.org/W7143856227","https://openalex.org/W7150160288","https://openalex.org/W7153224674"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W4411762012","https://openalex.org/W4399110387","https://openalex.org/W7150160288","https://openalex.org/W4366397919","https://openalex.org/W7140298942","https://openalex.org/W7220922522","https://openalex.org/W7156018034","https://openalex.org/W4229373537","https://openalex.org/W4405794646","https://openalex.org/W7162449409"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Business":[0],"process":[1,92],"automation":[2,78,159,205],"(BPA)":[3],"promises":[4],"efficiency":[5],"and":[6,14,29,43,57,76,80,100,135,143,164,177,191,198],"quality":[7,152],"gains,":[8],"yet":[9],"many":[10],"initiatives\u2014especially":[11],"in":[12,24,117],"small":[13],"medium-sized":[15],"enterprises":[16],"(SMEs)\u2014fail":[17],"to":[18,33],"deliver":[19],"because":[20],"decisions":[21],"are":[22],"made":[23],"a":[25,61,71,114,183],"fragmented,":[26],"tool-led":[27],"manner":[28],"with":[30,161],"insufficient":[31],"attention":[32],"organizational":[34],"readiness.":[35],"This":[36,46],"study":[37,181],"addresses":[38],"that":[39,148,168],"gap":[40],"by":[41,87,130,153],"developing":[42],"evaluating":[44],"M4BPA.":[45],"technology-agnostic,":[47],"lifecycle":[48,187],"methodology":[49],"supports":[50],"BPA":[51,75,186],"from":[52,70],"opportunity":[53],"identification":[54],"through":[55,113],"implementation":[56],"sustained":[58],"operation.":[59],"Following":[60],"Design":[62],"Science":[63],"Research":[64],"approach,":[65],"design":[66,193],"requirements":[67],"were":[68,127],"derived":[69],"structured":[72],"review":[73],"of":[74,124],"related":[77],"research":[79],"translated":[81],"into":[82],"an":[83,136],"actionable":[84,199],"method":[85],"operationalized":[86],"four":[88],"decision-support":[89],"tools:":[90],"(1)":[91],"selection,":[93],"(2)":[94],"prioritization,":[95],"(3)":[96],"digital":[97],"readiness":[98],"assessment,":[99],"(4)":[101],"automation-technology":[102],"decision":[103,151],"support":[104],"(including":[105],"AI-enabled":[106],"options":[107],"where":[108],"appropriate).":[109],"M4BPA":[110,149],"is":[111],"evaluated":[112],"multi-site":[115],"demonstration":[116],"16":[118],"SMEs,":[119],"analyzing":[120],"63":[121],"candidate":[122],"processes,":[123],"which":[125],"22":[126],"automated,":[128],"complemented":[129],"SME":[131,162],"feedback":[132],"via":[133],"questionnaire":[134],"expert":[137],"focus":[138],"group":[139],"spanning":[140],"business,":[141],"IS,":[142],"technology":[144],"perspectives.":[145],"Results":[146],"indicate":[147],"improves":[150],"making":[154],"selection":[155],"criteria":[156],"explicit,":[157],"aligning":[158],"choices":[160],"constraints,":[163],"institutionalizing":[165],"governance":[166],"mechanisms":[167],"mitigate":[169],"common":[170],"failure":[171],"modes":[172],"(e.g.,":[173],"misalignment,":[174],"unclear":[175],"roles,":[176],"unmanaged":[178],"change).":[179],"The":[180],"contributes":[182],"validated":[184],"socio-technical":[185],"artifact":[188],"for":[189,195,201],"SMEs":[190],"provides":[192],"knowledge":[194],"IS":[196],"scholars":[197],"guidance":[200],"managers":[202],"seeking":[203],"sustainable":[204],"outcomes.":[206]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-04T10:54:05.112534","created_date":"2026-10-07T00:00:00"}
