A CURRICULUM TO FILL THE GAP BETWEEN BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE TO MEET THE GLOBAL NEED FOR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ROFESSIONALS

Rassule Hadidi
University of Illinois Springfield
ABSTRACT
This study incorporates the Business Process Management Common Body of Knowledge
developed by the Association of Business Process Management (BPM) Professionals, in the
Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) model curriculum developed by a joint
committee of the Association for Information Systems and the Association for Computing
Machinery. The study identifies four knowledge areas: performance management, process
transformation, process management organization, and enterprise process management from the
Common Body of Knowledge that need to be covered in the MSIS model curriculum. Specific
courses are identified to incorporate these knowledge areas. Industry stakeholders and a small
number of higher education institutions have provided professional training and certification in
this area since the 1990’s with the hope of filling the gap that exists between business and
technical expertise of many business school graduates.
As a result, more colleges and professional organizations develop courses, certificates,
and programs in the BPM area. The author hopes and anticipates continuing the dialogue
between the academic and professional organizations in order to look at similarities and
differences that exist among the BPM Common Body of Knowledge proposed by professional
organizations and existing academic MSIS and the Master of Business Administration (MBA)
requirements to fill the gap between business and technical knowledge to meet the global shortage
of skilled business and industry professionals.