EA scope

To what extent an Enterprise Architecture effort, Strategy or a more common IT development can be applied Enterprise wide across geographies or business operations or to a Group of companies? The answer is essential for the scope specification of the development. 

Java Enterprise Edition (JavaEE), Enterprise Applications Integration (EAI) ..., the Enterprise portal thay all refer to the Enterprise. But what is that Enterprise? 

Legally an Enterprise (Group) has an identity and a single governance. It is up to the management to define the Group Operating Model (unification..., see Enterprise Architecture as Strategy book). If any. An operating model is the degree of integration and standardisation of various companies within a group. Some companies are part of the financial group but otherwise are left to their own devices. Loosely coupled, I would say, by design. 

In IT, the scope of the Enterprise may vary with every IT development. 

In the absence of an Operating Model (the norm), it is ultimately up to an IT group to negotiate with stakeholders the scope of the "Enterprise" for the specific development, if not clearly defined by business. It depends upon the organisational remit of the IT department, culture, individuals, business requirements... 

The scope of the Enterprise Architecture is frequently seen from an IT team point of view. As such, it may vary with every EA development.

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