Is there a tactical level of business processes? : Emphasizing processes that enable adaptability, change, and improvement

Purpose – As companies are facing an increased need for knowledge creation, innovation, improvement, and change, the processes that enable these matters should be identified. The purpose of this paper is to identify and find a way of classifying these processes. Design/methodology/approach – The paper conducted literature studies to identify what could be the tactical processes. This has then been exemplified through a case study in the automotive industry where the focus has been on the formal process descriptions and how decisions and roles are distributed. Findings – From the case study the paper can identify processes that could be classified as tactical, as they are not only “something between” the strategic and operational processes, but also different by nature, as they are related to certain dynamic elements of a company, such as knowledge creation, innovations and improvements. Research limitations/implications – To some extent the research is based on formal descriptions in systems and documents from a case in the automotive industry. Interviews have been conducted but more cases and interviews would provide a better picture of the tactical processes and how they are designed and implemented. Practical implications – The paper argues that there is a level of processes that could be classified as tactical as well as strategic and operational. These processes are increasingly important as they represent activities within R&D and improvement, which are important aspects of, for example, lean strategies. Design, responsibilities and ownership of these tactical processes are important strategic decisions. Originality/value – The original value of the paper is that introducing the tactical level could facilitate the identification, analyses and decisions regarding the processes that play an increasingly important role in manufacturing strategies.