Book review for "Enterprise Architecture As Strategy: Creating A Foundation For Business Execution".

1. Prepared by:
Ashraf Fouad
1
Book
Review
24-Feb-2024

2. Trademarks
• All brands, company, and product names are used for identification
purposes only and may be trademarks that are the sole property of
their respective owners.
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3. Disclaimer
• “Enterprise Architecture As Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution” Copyright
2006 Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, and David C. Robertson
• The purpose of this book review is to provide:
1. Objective feedback for potential readers (Educational purpose, no affiliate links are included).
2. Constructive feedback for the authors.
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4. • Harvard Business Publishing, Amazon, Oreilly
• ISBN: 978-1591398394
• Publish date: 1-Aug-2006
• 256 pages
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Enterprise Architecture As Strategy:
Creating a Foundation for Business Execution
David Robertson
Source: LinkedIn Profile
Teacher, Speaker, Author, Consultant, Biker
Peter Weill
Source: LinkedIn Profile
Senior Research Scientist & Chairman, Center for
Information Systems Research (CISR) MIT Sloan
School
Jeanne W. Ross
Source: LinkedIn Profile
Retired Researcher; Law School Student

5. Ross Four Quadrant Model
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Source: FORGET STRATEGY: FOCUS IT ON YOUR OPERATING MODEL
Learn about how a company’s operating model guides IT investment and enhances business agility
MIT Sloan Center for Information Systems Research

6. Topics Covered
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1- To Execute Your Strategy, First Build Your Foundation
2- Define Your Operating Model
3- Implement the Operating Model via Enterprise Architecture
4- Navigate the Stages of Enterprise Architecture Maturity
5- Cash In on the Learning
6- Build the Foundation One Project at a Time
7- Use Enterprise Architecture to Guide Outsourcing
8- Now—Exploit Your Foundation for Profitable Growth
9- Take Charge! The Leadership Agenda
To build an effective foundation for
execution, companies must master 3 key
disciplines:
1- Operating model.
2- Enterprise Architecture.
3- IT engagement model.
1- Defining the operating model with
real examples from multi-national
corporates.
2- Transforming from a model to
another.
What is the process for every operating
model to build your Enterprise
Architecture?
Defining four stages of architecture
maturity:
1- Business Silos.
2- Standardized Technology.
3- Optimized Core.
4- Business Modularity.
The benefits of Enterprise Architecture:
1- Reduced IT Costs.
2- Increased IT Responsiveness.
3- Improved Risk Management.
4- Increased Management Satisfaction.
5- Enhanced Strategic Business
Outcomes.
IT engagement model that assures
business and IT projects achieve both
local and company-wide objectives.
Outsourcing relationships:
1- Strategic partnership.
2- Cosourcing alliance.
3- Transaction relationship.
Profitable growth in organic and
acquisition-driven growth.
1- Symptoms of an ineffective
foundation for execution.
2- Link all the contents of previous
chapters in key actionable steps for your
plan in building foundation for
execution.

7. What I liked in the book?
• Simple English for non-native English speaker.
• Grey scale diagrams that are simple to understand.
• The book is full of real world examples for multi-national companies  It convey
the message it is not theoretical / academic book.
• The book covers:
1. Founding big corporates.
2. Inorganic growth (Acquisition/Merge).
3. C-Level mindset.
4. Outsourcing models and how to benefit from them.
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8. Is this book still relevant in the year 2024?
• Target Audience: Enterprise Architects, CTO, & CIO.
• Although the book is published on the year 2006; it is being referenced in more
recent articles / books (Ex: Sogeti labs (2016), The practice of Enterpise
Architecture (2021)).
• Thanks to “Sergio Caredda” for the article “Operating Models: the theory and the
practice” (2021) that shows 17 different operating models. IMHO, The most
relevant one to Enterprise Architecture & IT in general was the “Ross Four
Quadrant Model”.
• Having companies transformation stories that is mentioned in the book ensure
confidence of your next steps.
• The book is still relevant as of year 2024.
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9. Thanks
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