ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: In this contribution we investigate Enterprise Systems (ESs) from a coordination perspective. ESs are regarded as means mediating the coordination of actions. These actions take place in socially organized work contexts called activity domains. Coordination in each activity domain is conceptualized as activity modalities, which represent human innate, phylogenetically acquired predispositions for coordinating actions. ESs and activity domains are seen as providing certain capabilities that the organization needs. This perspective enables the modeling of the organization in a uniform way as an organizational anatomy, which is an image showing how capabilities provided by activity domains and ESs depend on each other. As a result, a novel reconceptualization of ESs is achieved that includes aspects ranging from human cognition to practical ES implementation guidelines.
