A Framework for a Sustainable Adoption of Business Process Management

Business process management (BPM) emerges as a methodology for enhancing an enterprise’s processes by identifying, supporting, and governing them to achieve continuous improvement and sustainable competitive advantage. This study conducted a semi-structured systematic literature review of 92 articles published between 2000 and 2024, following the methodology outlined by Tranfield and Denyer. The main objectives of the review were to systematize the field and propose a comprehensive framework for a sustainable adoption of BPM. This framework resulted from the analysis and integration of relevant notions associated with BPM, and from the evolution of process management, shaped by the approaches and tools examined across key stages of its development. From a theory-building approach, six stages for adopting BPM were defined, from initial levels of documentation to more mature phases characterized by integrating advanced technologies. Furthermore, the proposed framework bridges theory and practice by outlining the phases a firm should consider improving its process management. This research has also identified critical gaps in this field, including the limited number of studies on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and sustainability from a holistic perspective. Furthermore, the results also reveal a limited number of studies in developed countries. These gaps emphasize the need to further study BPM from an integrative approach in resource-limited contexts, such as developing countries or SMEs, to support sustainable development.