Abstract
This article analyzes the state-of-the-art regarding the development of generic methods and reference models. The analysis shows that the related research disciplines, method engineering and reference modeling, tend to converge. Furthermore, it shows that the differentiation between generic methods and reference models should not be maintained because both artifact types feature activity-oriented elements as well as result-oriented elements. Depending on the artifact type, however, generic methods and reference models vary regarding the relative importance of the activity view and the result view. A generic problem solution (generic term for methods and reference models) can be interpreted as a sequence of activities which aim at the development of results. The insights into the commonalities among generic problem solutions provide the opportunity to define a unified design process in the field of design science research. Implications and unification challenges that are related to such a unified design process are presented at the end of the paper.
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Winter, R., Gericke, A., Bucher, T. (2009). Method Versus Model – Two Sides of the Same Coin?. In: Albani, A., Barjis, J., Dietz, J.L.G. (eds) Advances in Enterprise Engineering III. CIAO! EOMAS 2009 2009. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 34. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-01915-9_1
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