This section provides definitions of words, terms, phases and acronyms, frequently used or referenced in the business process change community. As the business process change market evolves, these terms evolve and change, as well. Formal business process languages like BPML have semantic definitions that are enforced by the language standard. Other groups, such as the Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC), publish formal glossaries. Still other groups define terms in ways specific to their particular community. Most of these communities use or define these terms in slightly different ways. Old terms take on new and varied meanings, new terms emerge, and it is often confusing to business managers trying to communicate across the various business process change communities. This glossary recognizes these differences, seeks to provide generic definitions and suggests a common language. In cases where we know that communities use these terms in ways significantly different from those we provide, we note the fact. We hope our members and visitors find this glossary helpful and we pledge to work hard to keep it current.

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Niche Specialization

A competitive strategy that focuses on offering products to specific groups of buyers or to buyers in particular geographical locations.

Non-Value Adding Activities

Processes or activities that neither add value to a final product or service, or enable activities that add value. In most cases these activities are left over from older processes and somehow continue even though they are no longer necessary, or they are done because some departmental managers wants them done, "because that's the way things are done in this department," even though they add noting to a specific process.