ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to define enterprise architecture (EA) and explains how it can benefit an organization. Enterprise capabilities relate to the basic concern of managing the system: governance, organization, integration, compliance, validation, and finally management. Business or enterprise capabilities share similar traits. The traits of a capability are a definition of what, definite and specific result, a clear definition, and a unique purpose. Understanding the organization or company’s core capabilities is an important piece toward creating a flexible EA. Design is the most overlooked part of implementing an enterprise system. Karl Schulmeisters in the paper “Enterprise Architecture: Bridging Entrepreneurs and Hard Problems” makes the point that creating an EA equates to creating a structure around which an organization will unite resources and staff to pursue a goal. Communication is the key to EA’s success or failure. Management of a company’s risk and response to change requires effective communication among people.
