Are you viewing, mapping or managing your processes?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate if different applications of process orientation exist and how these are characterised. Furthermore, the objective is to investigate how the applications of process orientation relate to the line organization. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical research was conducted within the Region of Västra Götaland, Sweden. A questionnaire with the purpose of capturing the respondents' attitude towards their process initiatives was sent to people with explicit knowledge of process orientation. A total of 180 individuals were questioned (response rate 68 per cent). Findings – The study indicates that process orientation can be classified into three various applications – process view, process mapping, and process management. The study shows further that in most cases process approach is used as an improvement technique in traditional line organizations although all respondents answered that they desire more process orientation. Originality/value – By viewing process orientation as a spectrum of applications, the study contributes to a more nuanced debate on process orientation.