Process Science: The Interdisciplinary Study of Continuous Change
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2021-09-03
Author(s)
Brocke, Jan vom
;
Aalst, Wil
;
;
Kremser, Waldemar
;
Mendling, Jan
;
Pentland, Brian
;
Recker, Jan
;
Roeglinger, Maximilian
;
Rosemann, Michael
;
Abstract (De)
The only constant in our world is change. Why is there not a field of science that explicitly studies continuous change? We propose the establishment of process science, a field that studies processes: coherent series of changes, both man-made and naturally occurring, that unfold over time and occur at various levels. Process science is concerned with understanding and influencing change. It entails discovering and understanding processes as well as designing interventions to shape them into desired directions. Process science is based on four key principles; it (1) puts processes at the center of attention, (2) investigates processes scientifically, (3) embraces perspectives of multiple disciplines, and (4) aims to create impact by actively shaping the unfolding of processes. The ubiquitous availability of digital trace data, combined with advanced data analytics capabilities, offer new and unprecedented opportunities to study processes through multiple data sources, which makes process science very timely.
Language
English
Keywords
Process
Science
Change
Temporality
Sustainability
Interdisciplinarity
Multi-level
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
None
Refereed
No
Publisher place
Available at SSRN
Official URL
Eprints ID
264295