Currently a lot have been said about the BRICS Countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) according to some Gartner Group’ predictions for BPM they say: “By 2013, dynamic BPM will be an imperative for companies seeking process efficiencies in increasingly chaotic environments.”[GARTNER] But how does it apply to the BRICS Countries? We will see in this paper how local characteristics aligned to BPM Practices will make the difference among BRICS Countries.

1. B RICS - Brazil - Russia - India - China - South Africa
usiness Process Management (BPM)
REDIRLEY MATHEUS SANTOS, CBPP(1)
redceldan@gmail.com
(1) Association of Business Process Management Professional – ABPMP
CBPP – Certified Business Process Professional
Acting Area: Business Process Management – Software Engineering
Abstract: Currently a lot have been said about the BRICS Countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China
and South Africa) according to some Gartner Group’ predictions for BPM they say: “By 2013,
dynamic BPM will be an imperative for companies seeking process efficiencies in increasingly
chaotic environments.”[GARTNER] But how does it apply to the BRICS Countries? We will see
in this paper how local characteristics aligned to BPM Practices will make the difference among
BRICS Countries.
Key Words: BPM, BPMN, Business, Process, Management, BRICS.
1. Introduction increasingly technology-aided definition,
improvement, innovation, and
A deeper look into each of BRICS
management of end-to-end business
Countries’ characteristics make us notice
processes that drive business results,
that among all of them Brazil is one of the
create value, and enable an organization
most opened country. This uniqueness
to meet its business objectives with more
gives to Brazil an advantage among all
agility. BPM enables an enterprise to
others. It is fact all of them have their
align its business processes to its business
internal problem.
strategy, leading to effective overall
According to the ABPMP International's
company performance through
Guide to The BPM CBOK®, "Business
improvements of specific work activities
Process Management (BPM) is a
either within a specific department, across
disciplined approach to identify, design,
the enterprise, or between organizations."
execute, document, measure, monitor,
[ABPMP]
and control both automated and non-
We can never forget that BPM is about
automated business processes to achieve
focus OF the customer rather than only
consistent, targeted results aligned with
focus ON the customer. It is in this
an organization’s strategic goals. BPM
specific point Brazil has its advantage.
involves the deliberate, collaborative and
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2. 2. Technical Approach 2.2. Most of Brazilian approach
2.1. Usual and common events Brazil has been prominent in the global
scenario of Business Process
It notorious that if you go to a developed
Management. Without losing the focus on
country such as US – United States – to
the discipline even in the best practices of
buy an airplane they will say:
Business Process Management. The
_ here is our catalog. (Seller in US)
Brazilians has special characteristics that
_ please feel free to choose the best
enjoy people doing business with them.
airplane for you. (Seller in US)
They are Flexible, They Innovate.
There is nothing wrong with this
technique and approach. Let’s come back to that dialog but now
But if the customer says: between a customer and a Brazilian seller.
_ Well, it not exactly what I am looking
for. Is there anything else you can show _ here is our catalog. (Seller in BR)
me or do you can make a customization _ please feel free to choose the best
for me in that specific item of this airplane for you. (BR provider)
airplane? (Customer) Again, There is nothing wrong with this
Definitely, it will make them (Seller) technique and approach.
crazy. Actually I already know their But if the customer says:
answer: _ Well, it not exactly what I am looking
_ here is our catalog; please choose the for. Is there anything else you can show
option for you, sir. me or do you can make a customization
Who have never passed through this for me in that specific item of this
situation before negotiating with your airplane? (Customer)
headquarter in US, asking for more Definitely, the Brazilian provider will
functionalities in your system adapted to say:
any other region rather than US, for _ We will make an analysis over what
example, LAC - Latin America and you are looking for and think about a
Caribbean, EMEA – Europe and Middle solution that may not fit 100% what you
East, APAC – Asian Pacific Countries, are willing to have but definitely will be
etc. closer to 99,99%. Believe or not the
Even if they say that they will think about customer at the end of project will get
it. It would at least take a long time to get what they want.
accomplished consequently making the The Brazilian people talk, make
customer loose the time-to-market. argument, think out of the box, creates
It is not a fantasy history, this happens a and innovate.
lot. You may think that I am tendentious to
Brazil but I have been doing business all
over the world for the last 13 years.
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3. “What strikes fear in the hearts of today’s in BPM all over all other ABPMP in the
business leaders? Commoditization and world.
Globalization. Unless a company can Brazil also wants to certify that there are
innovate, it cannot make margins and will professionals who work for the
be marginalized as a commodity player. government able to work with BPM
Unless a company can innovate, it will be initiatives.
left behind in the brave new world of total Initiatives and researches by academicals
global competition. But, what exactly is people regarding the adoption of BPM in
the government have already been done
innovation, and how does innovation
at: [HIGOR M. SANTOS at all]
happen? These are the most important
business questions of our times. In this SOUTH AFRICA has established BPM
Innovation Section we will explore the within its strategic plan 2008-2011 as you
many facets of innovation and distinguish can see from the [SOUTH AFRICAN
between Business Innovation and the DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN
notion of invention. Business Innovation AFFAIRS]
isn't some occasional event; it's an
ongoing process that companies must INDIA is very intensive on BPM
master if they are to set the pace of initiatives but more related to its use in
innovation in their industries. And that's known BPM Suites or companies that
precisely what will separate the winners sells this application.
from the losers in the 21st century.” As India also knows the importance of
[BPMI]. BPM on the Government you can check
some of the efforts on [JYOTI BHAT
2.3. Real Solution is coming from
AND JUDE FERNANDEZ]:
Governments to people
CHINA is working toward BPM
One good thing related to the Business
initiatives as soon as they realize that
Process Management is those
improvement of the processes can
governments that are putting efforts on
leverage and optimize the service,
BPM initiatives to the people. All of them
products and all other deliveries, if you
will reap the fruits of BPM benefits; this
count on the low price of the man-power
is the real case for Brazil, India, and
China may be even stronger than they are
South Africa.
nowadays.
BRAZIL through ABPMP – Brazil
RUSSIA, I really need to see more BPM
Chapter – Association of Business
initiatives from Russians changing and
Process Management Professionals is the
sharing of knowledge on this matter
country who under this association has
would be a wonderful start.
the most number of certified professionals
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4. In a quick search in Google you can find
2.4. BPM it all about Innovation
and focus of the customer that just only in 2011 we had the [First
BPM Conference in China]
2.4.1. What about the other
countries? A good article from [JIM SINUR] from
Gartner; Strange Brew: BPM in China
INDIA – Probably you already had an
experience with an Indian Software
RUSSIA – Another country where the
Factory.
language just as China is a barrier. Of
They do exactly what is required at the
course not all Brazilian speaks English
requirement documents even if it is
but in Brazil or for sure in several
wrong or even if the Indian programmer
countries when a citizen speaks more than
sees that it will not work properly. What I
one language it is a plus for his
am trying to say here is that, the
professional’s resume as well as for his
programmer experience should not be
personal life. But I do not see much
neglected, and also should be listened
articles or documents done by Russian
when they see something that seems not
about BPM, maybe in the near future. In
to be correct while programming what
single search on Google for: BPM in
was asked for.
Russia no relevant article regarding
Business Process Management comes up
CHINA – They are emerging country
to the research rather than that you will
acting in all areas giving different points
see an Army car.
of views in several aspects.
As long as we have more seminars,
BRAZIL – It is extremely necessary to
meetings, cross-knowledge among all
solve the discrepancy of property
other countries and China maybe they
distribution among different classes. This
become the most important country in
is one of the several reasons Brazil
BPM or maybe they become just one
government is working on BPM
more country in BPM.
Initiatives.
A wide range of new programs and
utilities have been emerging from China, 3. Conclusion
due to the country restrictions on use of
It is time to take the advantage of BPM; it
several constituted day by day programs,
does not mean, do whatever it takes to get
web sites and applications we currently
the customer or citizen satisfied but show
use.
flexibility, knowledge, expertise, etc.
A language barrier still must be broke,
Certainly there is a lot to do. What is an
not only from China to English but also
advantage today may not be tomorrow
from other regions to Chinese or
but frequent researches as well
Mandarin.
certification and success cases speaks
better than a piece of paper.
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5. And BRICS and BPM have all in : [HIGOR M. SANTOS at all] -
common let’s see the final lap in this race Um Estudo Exploratório sobre adoção de
BPM em Organizações Públicas –
for customers all over this globalized
An Exploratory Research about the
world. Adoption of BPM in Public
For all BRICS Countries; Let’s create its Organizations.
own icons and influence people to <http://www.lbd.dcc.ufmg.br/colecoes/w
evangelize BPM all over the world. bpm/2011/umestudo.pdf>
4. References / Bibliography
[First BPM Conference in China] -
[GARTNER] - GARTNER GROUP – http://ise.thss.tsinghua.edu.cn/BPM2011/
Gartner Expands BPM definition, 2011 English/index.jsp
Avaliable at:
<http://acmisis.wordpress.com/2010/10/0 [JIM SINUR], Strange Brew: BPM in
1/gartner-group-expands-bpm- China
definition/> <http://blogs.gartner.com/jim_sinur/2009/
11/24/strange-brew-bpm-in-china/>
[ABPMP] - ABPMP – Association of
Business Process Management, 2011 –
What is BPM?
Available at:
<http://www.abpmp.org/displaycommon.
cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=215>
[BPMI] - BPM Institute: INNOVATION
HOME PAGE, 2011
Available at:
<http://www.bpminstitute.org/topics/inno
vation.html>
[JYOTI BHAT AND JUDE
FERNANDEZ]:
<http://www.bptrends.com/publicationfile
s/SEVEN%2012-07-10-COL-
BPM%20in%20India-
BPM%20in%20Indian%20Govt.pdf>
SOUTH AFRICAN DEPARTMENT OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS at:
<http://www.dfa.gov.za/department/stratp
lan2008-2011/strategic_plan08.pdf>
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