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OPERATIONS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Vol. 15, No. 2, 2022, pp. 164 - 173
ISSN 1979-3561 | EISSN 2759-9363
A Comprehensive Business Process Management
Application to Evaluate and Improve the
Importations Practices on Big-box Stores
Odette Chams-Anturi
Department of Economic Science, Universidad de la Costa, Colombia.
Email: ochams@cuc.edu.co
Milton Soto-Ferrari
Department of Marketing and Operations, Indiana State University, USA.
Email: milton.soto-ferrari@indstate.edu (Corresponding Author)
Anamaria P. Gomez
Department of Educational Leadership, Indiana State University, USA.
Email: apenalozagome@sycamores.indstate.edu
Juan P. Escorcia-Caballero
Department of Entrepreneurship and Management, Universidad del Norte, Colombia.
Email: juane@uninorte.edu.co
Daniel Romero-Rodriguez
Department of Industrial Engineering, Universidad del Norte, Colombia.
Email: hromero@uninorte.edu.co
Maureen Casile
Department of Management, Information Systems, and Business Education, Indiana State University,
USA.
Email: maureen.casile@indstate.edu
ABSTRACT
Big-box or chain stores are massive retailers that sell all
types of products to final consumers. Managing business
processes that integrate information systems is a critical issue
in big-box stores nowadays. Commercial initiatives have
focused on optimizing internal processes to enhance
productivity and react to fluctuating business environmental
forces. This research proposes a comprehensive business
process management (BPM) design and application for the
importations process on a big-box store located in Colombia,
highly integrated with basic and advanced information systems.
Big-box stores use advanced information systems that
synchronize with multiple essential internal processes. We
modeled the importations process phases with a robust
graphical framework for BPM methods and flexible
automation. We evaluate the actual process time performance
and contrast its current state with the novel BPM model
implementation benefits. The application of the proposed BPM
model contemplates a 43% reduction in the execution times of
process activities with a projected 30% decrease in default
costs.
Keywords: Business Process Management (BPM), Big-box stores,
Importations process.
1. INTRODUCTION
Business process management (BPM) focuses on the
knowledge, mastery, and continuous improvement of the
processes and resources to control operational risks and meet
organizational objectives (Sinur and Bell, 2003; Holzmüller-
Laue et al., 2013). Chang (2016) describes BPM as a
business methodology that develops the efficiency of
business processes through modeling, automation,
monitoring, and optimization. Organizations constantly need
to enhance their operations but lack the flexibility to adapt to
the unpredicted conditions presented by fluctuating business
environments. BPM uses designing tools, techniques, and
management methods to identify, analyze, execute, and
cultivate processes. BPM has become a critical method to
provide companies with adjustable practices that enable
process leaders to review and modify activities to increase
adaptation—ensuring that those involved can respond
efficiently to unexpected changes. (Castillon-Mendoza and
Solorzano-Aranzamendi, 2012).
Companies’ studies about BPM implementations
reported that the benefits include considerable cost savings
Chams-Anturi et al: A Comprehensive Business Process Management Application to Evaluate and Improve the Importations Practices
Operations and Supply Chain Management 15(2) pp. 164 - 173 © 2022 165
and reduced service times. BPM is considered a platform to
build new applications or improve existing ones,
investigating various ways of managing operations and
resources to accomplish the established objectives (Zhang et
al., 2004). Smith and Fingar (2003) state the importance of
the information technology infrastructure in BPM since
it allows companies and their departments to model,
implement, and manage their business processes. BPM
controls the processes and resources using technology to
connect all business levels, including directors or managers,
with all activities. Following the premise that directing the
processes and resources toward the organizational goal
requires knowing the system’s restrictions to achieve success
(Dani et al., 2019).
Nowadays, big-box stores use advanced technology
integrated with information systems to operate most logistics
processes. Big-box or chain stores are massive retailers that
sell all types of products to final consumers. Numerous big-
box stores are national, or at least with massive regional
operations. They are often headquartered in a distant
location, and many activities, including legal, financial,
accounting, and marketing decisions, are practically run
from the corporate headquarters with solely their information
systems (Goetz and Rupasingha, 2006). The adequate
integration of the information systems in conjunction with
their business operations is crucial to enhancing productivity.
BPM applications seek to facilitate this by providing higher
control and monitoring of the value activities.
As denoted, the objective of BPM is to optimize the
efficiency of processes through automation, providing
support in the business environment to increase flexibility
and productivity. Although recent studies show that BPM
solutions have outstanding benefits (Dani et al., 2019;
Matejaš and Fertalj, 2019), to our knowledge, there are no
recent studies comprehending applications in big-box stores.
Therefore, our study aims to develop and detail a BPM
implementation identifying the critical activities in an actual
big-box store business process. We seek to evaluate the
benefits of a BPM application on a Colombian big-box store
positioned nationally with 270 chain stores. The company is
a highly low-cost retailer which tries to offer customers
products at the lowest possible rates. Products sold at the
chain stores are acquired from local and international
suppliers or producers; the store works by catering to
extensive customer demography and best use scale
economies.
The retail store administrators claim that the excellent
inventory management and cost-cutting at every stage of the
business allow them to provide minimal customer services.
However, in recent years, one of their most critical process,
importations, has presented difficulties with the traceability
of the information and the response proficiency of their
internal clients. The administrators state that an ineffective
follow-up in the international purchases and product
nationalization is causing a lack of orientation and planning
since it is impossible to identify the process bottlenecks on
time. Employing BPM, our research proposes the design and
automation of the importations process phases for the
described big-box store, aligning the operational activities
with the objectives and strategies to concentrate the efforts
on value creation. We complement the BPM application by
modeling all activities with their projected time and expected
improvements. The development allows permanent visibility
and measurement of each modeled phase, significantly
improving the response time, productivity, and performance,
including increased customer satisfaction and staff
efficiency.
2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
In its initial applications, BPM was considered a
technical or managerial discipline; currently, researchers
agree on its multidisciplinary nature conveying the novelty
knowledge concerning its development (Grau and
Moormann, 2014). The use of information technology
software with a built-in alert system, such as BPM systems,
can be a practical support for monitoring processes, reducing
the complexity and uncertainties, and enhancing supervision
of risks within organizations (Suša Vugec et al., 2018). BPM
conceptualization is assessed in the literature with a
chronological evolution, known as waves, including
numerous research that unified valuations into the
methodology. The following sections exemplify this
chronological assessment and its current state.
2.1 BPM Origins
The first definitions of work improvement
methodologies emerged in the 1920s; these focused on the
production and analysis to design and implement effective
methods in the operation of activities. In the 1950s,
researchers included a new system valuation based on the
fulfillment of objectives and goals covering the levels of the
organization. Up to this point, the administration and
improvement of objectives were widely studied and applied.
Still, it was not until the 1980s that scholars introduced
quality aspects in the analysis. These emphasized the
concepts of total quality administration (TQM), enterprises
resource planning systems (ERP), and the idea of the value
chain. The organization is visualized as a decomposition of
its parts, identifying the sources of competitive advantage in
activities generating value. This first stage is recognized in
the literature as the “first wave” (Kaptelinin et al., 2003;
Smith and Fingar, 2003a, 2003b).
During the 1990s, the definitions followed the concept
of re-engineering, which explained the parameters of review
and re-design of processes to improve measurement systems
by signifying it in a process-oriented form. The appropriate
application of continuous improvement and innovation gave
way to competitiveness. Re-engineering introduces concepts
such as streamlining, restructuring, transformation, and
reinvention of processes with downsizing. This stage in the
evolution is considered the “second wave” (Kaptelinin et al.,
2003; Smith and Fingar, 2003a, 2003b). BPM arose as the
third wave in the 2000s. BPM encompasses the technologies
and practices of all waves and on all sides of ERP
technologies and techniques, including re-engineering to
establish an organization more adjusted to current business
processes and management (Smith and Fingar, 2003; Smith
and Fingar, 2003; Kaptelinin et al., 2003; Castillon-Mendoza
and Solorzano-Aranzamendi, 2012). Figure 1 shows a
simplified timeline of the evolution, and Table 1 shows the
three waves in the development of BPM and its importance.
Chams-Anturi et al: A Comprehensive Business Process Management Application to Evaluate and Improve the Importations Practices
164 Operations and Supply Chain Management 15(2) pp. 164 - 173 © 2022
Figure 1 BPM Evolutionary Chronological Evolution
Table 1 Waves of The Evolution of The Business Management
EVOLUTION
IMPORTANCE
Movement: First Wave
ERP systems emerged
Productive processes
Movement: Second Wave
Re-engineering and post-engineering
Strategic processes
Movement: Third Wave
BPM
Strategic and support processes
2.2 BPM Life Cycle
BPM covers cultural, organizational, and legislative
aspects, including the technological level and expanding the
design, execution, and measurement processes. There are
several views on the BPM life cycle which consists of four
cyclical points: process design, system configuration,
process enactment, and general diagnosis (Van der Aalst et
al., 2003; Van der Aalst, 2004a, 2004b; Havey, 2005; Hill et
al., 2006). In this context, process design refers to paper-
based business processes modeled electronically, whose
graphical standards are essential in the life cycle. System
configuration synchronizes the previous step with the system
infrastructure, such as directing roles and organization charts
on the company directory. Process enactment consists of
implementing the graphical business process modeling. A
BPM analyst identifies and improves all the processes in the
general diagnosis stage by implementing a cyclical
approach.
BPM modeling techniques have expanded in recent
decades. Some researchers emphasized the significant
advantages that BPM modeling incorporated into systems
management. Cernauskas and Tarantino (2009) studied
operational risk management with process control and BPM
modeling, proposing a model for financial institutions based
on a methodology that integrates process designing and
statistical power. These terms are used in electronic
workflows as a tool to improve processes. Often BPM seeks
to reduce costs and cycle times, reduce operational risk, and
enhance monitoring of activities. Swan (2007) studied the
effects of process management and inquired about the
conceptualization BPM offers to managers regarding design,
configuration, enactment, supervision, and business process
diagnosis. Sun (2007) presented studies about the analysis
and design of workflow in BPM, stating that the successful
management of BPM depends on the excellent graphic
process modeling of the workflow that fosters the control and
coordination of activities. The graphical process models
(GPM), such as meta graphs, are derived from graph theory,
which portrays the information of BPM to provide valuable
data for the decision-making process and communication
between managers.
2.3 BPM Current Research
In the literature, BPM methodologies are classified into
those focused on implementing large-scale enhancements in
an organization, those based on the gradual improvement of
individual activities and business processes, and those based
on the field of information technologies focused on process
automation (Harmon and Wolf, 2014; Matejaš and Fertalj,
2019). Research by Harmon and Wolf (2014) showed that
organizations currently use the latter more frequently with
acceptance as a practice for continuous improvement of
business processes. For instance, Danilova (2019)
investigated the role and responsibilities of process
administrators in BPM and the obstacles and enablers of its
application. The study proposes a theoretical framework on
the property and control of the process. Suša Vugec et al.
(2018) considered BPM in practice. Due to the technological
development of the last decades, their investigation showed
that the traditional BPM approach was not sufficient for
achieving superior organizational performance. The main
limitation of traditional applications is developing
community or social software in new areas. In the research,
the authors identified case studies that have attempted to
analyze social BPM based on dimensions of the structure,
process and content, risk, and crisis management.
Lahajnar and Rožanec (2016) presented different
methodologies to evaluate BPM effectively. The research
emphasizes that BPM applications in organizations require
an adequate methodological approach. Although businesses,
especially software companies, have promoted many
solutions focused on using technologies when the
methodology remains essential. The study simplifies the
adoption of these decisions by building a framework for
evaluating BPM practices by designing a hierarchical
decision-making model, which formalizes the decision-
making process, contributing to an appropriate final decision
for the organization in terms of the methodological approach.
Likewise, Aversano et al. (2016) discuss that adequate BPM
implementations feature the mismatches between business
processes and supporting software systems and performance.
Fera et al. (2017) emphasized the application of a
business process methodology for implementing an RFID
system in a warehouse. This study focused on a BPM
methodology evaluating RFID technology for a bicycle
manufacturer. Results indicate that the application of BPM
showed improvements in economic profitability and
processes traceability in the warehouse. ZhenHua et al.
(2009) point out BPM prototypes or architectures
developments as a solution for third-party logistics
companies to integrate the organization processes with their
clients and partners. Silva et al. (2019) delved into the study
Chams-Anturi et al: A Comprehensive Business Process Management Application to Evaluate and Improve the Importations Practices
Operations and Supply Chain Management 15(2) pp. 164 - 173 © 2022 165
of BPM by describing a company’s mapping and analysis
processes in the Brazilian shipbuilding and offshore
construction sectors. The authors developed a case study,
doing semi-structured interviews to collect the data. The
study used the ANSI standard flowchart tool to visualize the
process activities.
Similarly, Do Nascimento et al. (2019) analyzed the
applications of corporate governance and the unified BPM
cycle in public credit recovery activities. The authors
considered implementations of the corporate governance
structure and audition of the existing processes. The study
was conducted in a federal public defense agency using
questionnaires, observation, and focus groups. Hrabal et al.
(2020) studied BPM beyond implementation methodologies,
workflow, and automation by analyzing the critical human
factor roles employing modeled competencies for process
owners, process analysts, and industrial engineers. The focus
is on qualitative research, using questionnaires, interviews,
and case studies in Czech companies. The research found
that competencies are similar in small and large
organizations and recommended different role positions for
both. These competency models are a tool for human
resource management, which can improve the success of
BPM projects.
Keates (2019) investigates BPM in implementing IoT
devices in livestock operations in Australia, such as
extensive farms, and the importance of panels on websites
and mobile applications towards an integrated control center,
with BPM at its core, promoting support for decision-
making. The investigation focuses on Meat and Livestock
Australia (MLA), Hitachi Consulting, and individual
agricultural companies. The study uses BPM systems to
drive workflow and process orchestration to enhance data
collection and decision-making. Likewise, Suša Vugec et al.
(2019) investigated how adequate BPM and sound corporate
performance management (CPM) is essential in business
practice to improve overall organizational performance
(OP). The article explores the link between BPM and CPM
and its alignment on OP. The study surveys medium and
large organizations in Slovenia and Croatia and concludes
that the BPM-CPM alignment increases when the BPM and
CPM maturities are higher, consequent with greater OP.
Tsagkani and Tsalgatidou (2022) highlight that BPM
models constitute a great source of knowledge, but
participants sometimes cannot understand them. Modeling
abstraction techniques assists in better understanding process
models. The study reorganizes the existing process models
by focusing on the abstraction of activities, data, and roles,
among others, to exploit the structure of the model as the
properties of the components. The research presents the
design of a tool for the automatic application of the
suggested abstraction rules to differentiate models of actual
processes, allowing a better understanding for participants.
Research on BPM remains widely active, including
topics such as process-oriented vision analysis methods for
business information systems and identifying success factors
in BPM-based theoretical models (Trkman, 2010; Zota and
Ciovica, 2015; Matejaš and Fertalj, 2019). Matejaš and
Fertalj (2019) emphasize the diverse and valuable endeavors
to integrate BPM into existing systems; however, studies
might lack the conceptual models, components,
technologies, tools, and other guidelines for their
implementation. While this brief review of the theoretical
framework denotes the increasing use of BPM and its
different approaches in several organizations, an essential
need for further research on detailed models describing the
integration of BPM and components with current practices is
fundamental. We found that few studies have used
implementation tools and methodologies to re-design or
improve essential business processes in chain stores or
similar businesses. We believe that our proposed research
methodology expands the body of knowledge about BPM in
business environments and aims to display a comprehensive
BPM application with all its essential components to
evaluate and improve process practices in big-box stores.
3. BUSINESS PROCESS
MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT
IN A BIG-BOX STORE
Organizations face significant challenges and
limitations due to globalization, market competition, and
supply chain uncertainty, among others, which require
coordination and cooperation between all parties and
information technology needs (Wang et al., 2020). After
many decades of technological progress and advances in
cooperation, we are more connected than ever, and it is
crucial to develop innovative operations strategies (Huang et
al., 2020; Sansone et al., 2020),
Big-box stores use advanced technology integrated
with information systems to operate most logistics processes.
Big-box or chain stores are massive retailers that sell all
merchandise to final consumers. Retail is generally defined
“as the activities that include selling goods or services
directly to the end consumer or the final customer for their
personal use through shops, personal selling, door-to-door
selling, markets, over the internet” (Daultani et al., 2020,
p.1). Retail has undergone significant transformations over
the years, mainly due to the digitization of businesses, the
change in processes, and consumer behavior (Simangunsong
and Subagyo, 2021).
This research analyzes the activities in one of the
largest big-box stores in Colombia. The company has
approximately 70 years in the retail market, with 100%
national capital and an approximate market share of 22
percent. It has more than 400 stores across the national
territory, including 270 chain stores and an assortment of
smaller stores focusing on selling locally. This big-box store
is recognized as the leading retailer in commercializing
optimal quality consumer products. The company markets a
broad portfolio of private and store-brand products in several
categories: grocery, textiles, toys, sports, home appliances,
technology, and others. We focus our analysis on an essential
process, importations that involve international purchasing
and product nationalization. The company imports products
from different countries, including the United States, China,
Panama, Canada, Netherlands, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru,
Turkey, Argentina, and Chile. Managers and administrators
report issues with the traceability of information and respond
to internal customers because most tasks are performed
manually using spreadsheets integrated with an ERP-SAP
system. The process considers only the orders from SAP into
purchases, cost settlements, and receipt of merchandise. The
importations process is considered critical for the big-box
Chams-Anturi et al: A Comprehensive Business Process Management Application to Evaluate and Improve the Importations Practices
166 Operations and Supply Chain Management 15(2) pp. 164 - 173 © 2022
store’s performance. The company shares dynamic
spreadsheets using an ERP-SAP system to develop the
purchase orders, costing settlements, and delivery of goods.
Currently, the lead times of most of the activities in
importations are not evident and need to be approximately
estimated, which difficulties identifying the drawbacks of
the supply chain. The proposed BPM application
preliminarily analyzed the importations operations’ actual
status and evaluated the process after re-designing. As part
of the framework approach to assessing if the modification
of the procedure could benefit the activities of the as-is
practices, we estimated the expected time improvement
required to execute each activity. After the re-design, we
considered the initial estimated time minus a projected time
saving, applying a conservative reduction coefficient
between the range of 20% and 40%. We developed this
analysis with the assistance of the general administration
responsible for the importations’ performance. After
considering these adaptations, it was possible to estimate
new overall lead times for the importations operations.
The first task of the importations process begins with
the suppliers, as presented in Figure 2, with the development
of a purchase review, where some aspects are quoted and
negotiated (e.g., price, freight, and terms of negotiation).
After this evaluation, the supplier places and accepts the
purchase order, where forms and permits are shared. The
next stage is coordinating the shipment with the cargo agent,
the transportation intermediary. The supplier sends the
invoice supporting documentation, a requirement for
merchandise nationalization. This material is essential to
initiate the payment order, which the big-box store financial
department performs.
Figure 2 Big-Box Store Actual Importations Process and Documentation Requirements
The clearance notification documentation refers to the
customs agency’s merchandise nationalization once the
shipment arrives. A pre-inspection is developed on-site, and
if approved, the unloading is made according to the cargo
and its documents. Once the product is nationalized, the big-
box store transportation logistics complete the shipment
from the port containers to the warehouse. This activity is
performed swiftly; otherwise, the company might incur late
fees in port. Finally, payments are made to suppliers. The
overall process includes the suppliers, cargo agents, and
customs agencies. Consequently, it is possible to distinguish
three main phases (represented in Figure 3) in the
importations process: (i) the suppliers’ evaluation, (ii) the
financial management, and (iii) the delivery of goods.
Figure 3 Importations Process Phases
Given this structure, the possible improvements of the
process rely on tracing and automating the receiving
activities, systems controls, management activities, and
delivery. Administrators, via an internal survey, claim that
the framework of the current events is inadequate to ensure
the required visibility of the entire process. The lack of
efficient coordination with an information system that
controls all functions is causing delays and ineffective
Chams-Anturi et al: A Comprehensive Business Process Management Application to Evaluate and Improve the Importations Practices
Operations and Supply Chain Management 15(2) pp. 164 - 173 © 2022 167
processing times (Chams-Anturi et al., 2020). Therefore, this
research exclusively considers the suppliers’ evaluation
selection all through receiving the goods or merchandise, as
they are more sensitive in fulfilling the importations process.
We modeled and re-designed the previously defined
main phases using BPM. Initially, Figure 4 describes the
detailed activities needed to execute the suppliers’
management after submitting the purchase requirements in
the suppliers’ evaluation phase. In the beginning, the
purchasing department of the retail store submits a purchase
requirement shared with available suppliers. The purchasing
department records all available offers and selects the most
suitable. The commercial area of the retail store must
approve the order since the supplier must be in good standing
(i.e., previous orders properly fulfilled on time). If the order
is approved, the purchasing department confirms the supplier
order. If the order is not approved, the purchasing department
is notified, and another competing order is considered for
evaluation.
Figure 4 Suppliers Management
Once the order is confirmed, the supplier registry must
be created with the commercial area, as presented in Figure
5. The supplier sends the order requirements and payment
conditions. The commercial area registers the supplier,
creates a purchase order, and notifies if the payment type is
made with a line of credit (credit note or letter) or direct
payment previous contact with the big-box store’s loan
management and financial services. These activities
conclude the suppliers’ evaluation phase.
Figure 5 Suppliers Registry
If payment is via credit note, the loan management and
financial services is the primary task for the financial
management phase, as denoted in Figure 6. The treasury
department of the retail store requests a loan amount to
various banks. Once a line of credit with the conditions and
bank is selected, the administration authorizes and notifies
the treasury department to use the line of credit in the
required orders or activities.
Chams-Anturi et al: A Comprehensive Business Process Management Application to Evaluate and Improve the Importations Practices
168 Operations and Supply Chain Management 15(2) pp. 164 - 173 © 2022
Figure 6 Loan Management and Financial Services
Once all supplier information and payment conditions
have been approved, the delivery of the order onsets with
suppliers and transportation intermediaries. Once the cargo
arrives in the country, the main activity performed by the
big-box store is receiving the merchandise as part of the
delivery of goods phase, as presented in Figure 7. The
customs agency receives the shipment and reviews the order
documentation provided by the supplier. If the requirements
are met, the goods are cleared and released. If the
requirements are not met, the retail store is notified, and the
documentation must be updated to release the cargo. Once
the merchandise is released, the transportation and
warehouse management of the big-box store carries the
internal transportation and inspection. The procedure begins
with the waybill creation and the freight transportation to the
warehouse. After merchandise arrives at the warehouse, a
quality inspection is performed, concluding the delivery.
Figure 7 Receiving Merchandise
A significant reduction in the execution time of the re-
design of the importations process is achieved with the time
saved estimated by calculating the trivial operations no
longer necessary in the activities. This evaluation was
performed for this study in collaboration with the
administrators for each described activity. Table 2 reports
the time savings of an overall 43% that are derived from
implementing the proposed BPM modeling with a projected
30% decrease in default costs. Consequently, these projected
decreases conduct to a significant reduction in storage costs
for the big-box store.
4. DISCUSSION
Business process management (BPM) focuses on the
knowledge, mastery, and continuous improvement of the
processes and resources to control operational risks and meet
organizational objectives. Our research proposed a
comprehensive BPM application for the importations
process on a big-box store located in Colombia, presenting
difficulties with the traceability of the information and the
response capability of their internal clients. The company has
drawbacks with information traceability and the ability to
respond to queries of internal customers (Chams-Anturi et
al., 2020). We developed and designed an automated BPM
model, implementing a detailed graphical outline of the main
phases involved to analyze the associated activities.
Table 2 Time Saved for Importations Process Phases
Phases
Actual Time (Days)
Projected Time (Days)
Suppliers management
10
6
Suppliers registry
7
4.5
Loan management
21
11
Receiving merchandise
7
4
Total
45
25.5
Chams-Anturi et al: A Comprehensive Business Process Management Application to Evaluate and Improve the Importations Practices
Operations and Supply Chain Management 15(2) pp. 164 - 173 © 2022 169
The proposed process flow model provides enhanced
control and monitoring in real-time of all operations with the
integration of its actors and envisions that the traceability of
the process is accomplished in real-time, which creates the
opportunity of designing timely control mechanisms. A
significant reduction in the execution time of the re-design
of the importations process is achieved with the time saved
estimated by calculating the trivial operations no longer
necessary in the phases with an overall 43% reduction in the
execution times. Process modifications involve trial-and-
error actions, which can cause dissatisfaction among
employees who participate in the activities. For this reason,
it is vital to maintain effective communication with all those
involved, not only in the importations process but also with
all internal suppliers and customers, to evolve consistently
and efficiently when these types of disapproval situations
arise. Once the big-box store implements the proposed
model, managers could analyze its performance
(management indicators) in real-time; therefore, personnel
must evaluate facts and data to benefit from the model’s
advantages successfully.
The big-box store must exploit the information for
improved decision-making, primarily when investing in
training and technology acquisition. Providing more details
on completing the process will also generate difficulties at
the beginning stages since it would require greater staff
empowerment under elevated levels of competence and
responsibility. To develop work strategies, managers must
consider and coordinate the activities needed to move
forward with the new business process model (Escorcia-
Caballero et al., 2019; Moreno-Luzon et al., 2019). Using
the proposed BPM application, we can visualize all process
phases. However, each chain member is responsible for the
culture of acceptance and the strategy formation process.
The big-box store management and board of directors
recognize the challenge of resistance to change. Managers
are aware of the depiction required to develop attitudes and
open-mindedness assessment of new scenarios (Chams-
Anturi et al., 2020). Process administrators of the BPM
model must explicitly define the strategies for the linked
business areas, which are the ones that would lead the
acceptance initiative. The employees must have the
disposition towards the continuous improvement of the
operations. This endeavor implies having personnel for
whom this challenge generates high-intensity motivation
accompanied by a process aligned with a business strategy
that produces a path for meeting the retail goals.
5. CONCLUSIONS
Our study details the design of a novel BPM model
application to enhance the competitive advantages of the
importations process in an actual big-box store. The BPM
application analyzed the importations operations’ actual
status and evaluated the essential phases after re-designing.
A significant overall reduction of the re-design is achieved
with the time saved estimated by calculating the trivial
operations no longer necessary in the activities. We projected
the costing benefits of the BPM model in its implementation.
They contemplated an overall 43% reduction in the
execution times in importations activities (Receiving
merchandise (42.9%), Loan management (47.6%), Suppliers
management (35.7%), and Suppliers registry (40%)), with a
30%, decrease in default costs and a significant reduction of
storage costs for the big-box store (according to the
administrators for each activity). These reductions are
substantial to the big-box store since the automation of the
process will escalate the assessment in each operation,
generating substantial cuts in delays and expenses.
Positive outcomes are reflected in fewer storage costs
and extra fees. A significant advantage of the BPM
application is that there are accurate indicators of cost
overruns caused by suppliers for not sending documentation
on time. These allow the cargo transporters to improve the
withdrawal time of the merchandise in the port. The
distribution centers will have the information on the
shipments that arrive at the docks, increasing the flexibility
in adjusting spaces in the warehouses to avoid taking longer
loads in the ports reducing storage costs in leased locations.
The big-box store expects to present significant
reductions in terms of time and costs, warranting superior
control and real-time monitoring of the process, including
the grander integration of administrators with the BPM
implementation. We recommend developing strategies in the
business area to reduce employee resistance to change
through human resource training, individual-group
consultations, and fostering teamwork.
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Odette Chams-Anturi is an Assistant Professor at the Science Economics Department, Universidad de la Costa (Colombia).
Her research interests are Supply Chain Management, Organizational Learning, Innovation, and Ambidexterity. She has
worked in public and private companies of mass consumption and healthcare entities.
Milton Soto-Ferrari is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing and Operations at Indiana State University. His
research interests include Business and Healthcare Analytics, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, and Advanced
Forecasting Techniques. His recent publications are related to management policies, healthcare analytics, and forecasting
policies.
Anamaria P. Gomez is a Doctoral Student in the Department of Educational Leadership at Indiana State University. She
graduated with a Master of Arts from the Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology at Western
Michigan University. Her research interests include Technology-Education and Human Resources Management. She has
worked for several private and public companies in the areas of risk management and human resources.
Juan P. Escorcia Caballero is an Assistant Professor at the Entrepreneurship and Management Department, Business School,
Universidad del Norte (Colombia). His research interests are Supply Chain Quality Management, Innovation, and
Ambidexterity. He has published several journal and conference papers. He has participated in three research projects funded
by the Administrative Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Colombia.
Daniel Romero-Rodriguez is an Assistant Professor at Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia (2018-present). He
completed a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering at the University of South Florida in 2018. His research interests include Resilience
Measurement, Social Systems Resilience, and Supply Chain Risk Management. He is a researcher on the project "Voluntarily
Redistribution of Immigrants in Colombia" in collaboration with the Immigration Policy Lab from Stanford University.
Maureen Casile is an Assistant Professor of Management at Indiana State University. Her research interests include Social
Entrepreneurship, Active Learning Pedagogy, Intrinsic Motivation, and Undiagnosed Autism in the workplace.
