A business process can be defined as being either a collection of linked tasks culminating in the delivery of a service of product, or, a set of activities and tasks that, once completed, will achieve a business goal. Each process must involve a clearly defined input and a single output.
Business Processes – the basics
In any business there exists a common set of core processes that must exist for the business to function correctly. Small organizations start with less processes as they generally have a smaller infra-structure. As the company grows, then more processes are needed to maintain functionality. Typically, a SME would have 5 critical business processes: Sales & Marketing; Accounting & Technology; Quality & Product/Service Delivery; Management HR & Finance; Product Development. As the company grows in size, these 5 critical business process tend to evolve and split into separate entities forming 10 essential processes. a fully formed enterprise will have the following core processes, each, critical to the success of the business:
- Customer Strategy & Relationships (Marketing)
- Employee Development & Satisfaction (Human Resources)
- Quality, Process Improvement & Change Management
- Financial Analysis, Reporting, & Capital Management
- Management Responsibility
- Customer Acquisition (Sales)
- Product Development
- Product/Service Delivery
- Accounting Management
- Technology Management (Computer & IT)