Applying EA Perspective to CRM: Developing a Competency Framework

Customer relationship management (CRM) is getting attention as a business approach for new way of dealing with customer relationships. Although information technology is an important component of CRM, technology itself is not complete as a technology. Literature reports empirical evidences that a very high percentage of CRM projects fail to meet expectations from the business perspective despite the advance of tecnology. In this study, we explore possible causes of failures in CRM projects and use the concept of enterprise architecture (EA) in explaining failures. Applying the EA concept, it is argued here that organizational competencies in unstructured decision making are very critical for CRM success. Subsequent case analysis supports the theoretical underpinnings of the argument.