“To successfully use complex information technology to drive contemporary business, the interplay between the requirements of business and the possibilities of technologies needs to be understood in a well-structured way – information system architecture is the basis for this.”

Paul Grefen is a Full Professor and Chair of Information System Architecture in the School of Industrial Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). His current research is positioned at the interface of the application of advanced information technology and the support of flexible collaboration in business, both within and between organizations. It covers three main focal points: architectural design of business information systems, inter-organizational business process management and service-oriented business design and support.

Long-Running Research Activities are: 1) DIBPM (Dynamic Inter-organizational Business Process Management) is a long-running research activity into support for dynamically established inter-organizational business processes, for example in dynamic virtual enterprises. 2) BASE/X (Business Agility through Business Engineering in the Extended Enterprise) develops an approach for the engineering (structured design and implementation) of service-dominant business in a value-driven, networked, multi-stakeholder business environment.

Paul’s current Research Projects are: 1) DyNaMoS (Dynamic Network Approach to Mobility Solutions) explores the use of the BASE/X business engineering approach in the transport and traffic management domains. 2) HORSE (Integrated Robotics in Advanced Manufacturing Processes, European H2020 Framework) develops a framework and system for support of advanced, process-oriented manufacturing in an Industry 4.0 context. 3) C-MobiLE (Integrated Mobility Solutions in Urban Environments, European H2020 Framework) focuses on research, development and innovation towards the use of integrated mobility solutions in urban environments. 4) DATAS and ISOLA (both financed by NWO) research the advanced use of data processing in logistics scenarios.

Paul Grefen received his PhD in 1992 from the University of Twente, where he held assistant and associate professor positions in the Computer Science Department. He was a visiting researcher at Stanford University in 1994. He chaired the TU/e Information Systems subdepartment from 2006 to 2014. Currently, he is the Research Director of the School of Industrial Engineering.

As a researcher and manager he has been involved in various European research projects (WIDE, CrossFlow, CrossWork, GET Service, HORSE, C-MobiLE) as well as various projects within the Netherlands. He is an associate editor of the International Journal of Cooperative Information Systems and a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Production Management and Engineering. Paul is also an editor and author of books on the WIDE and CrossWork projects, and has authored books on workflow management, electronic business and service-dominant business engineering. He is a member of the Executive Board of the European Supply Chain Forum.