Service‐oriented concepts: bridging between managers and technologists

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a common understanding of service‐oriented concepts to enable unambiguous discussion around service‐oriented architecture (SOA). Managers often have limited understanding of SOA, and for some reason, technologists seem to have difficulty explaining the concept using terminology and analogies that managers can understand. This paper addresses the long‐standing communications gap between managers and technologists as they attempt to evaluate how SOA or SOA‐related investments can add business value. Design/methodology/approach – The approach for this paper is to state the problem between managers and technologists and then provide concepts to break down the communication barrier. The paper then goes on to provide an argument for an optimal approach for SOA implementation and investment that meets management requirements. Findings – Unless SOA can be aligned to business processes, it will be viewed as a risky proposition that adds to cost without directly addressing business needs. Practical implications – Managers need to understand the differing SOA points‐of‐view and what they mean for business performance. If one has difficulty in implementing ERP, then one will have more difficulty in implementing SOA. It is the responsibility of management to understand how these SOA‐related concepts impact the business, if for no other reason than that they are costly and risky. Of course, the concepts vary in cost and complexity, but they all vary in benefit potential to the business. Originality/value – The originality of this paper can be noted by the fact that confusion around SOA approaches between managers and technologists still exists. This paper seeks to eliminate that widespread confusion by presenting service‐oriented concepts in an unbiased, holistic view.