An organization’s value is substantiated by consistent, high quality processes engineered in its operational unit and the allocation of the limited resource to achieve the desired objective. Intrinsic to the development of a process are the articulation of a coherent workflow, identification of the optimal skillset required at each stage of the process and commissioning of the right technology platform. However, processes need to evolve with perceptible changes in the customer mindset, new technologies, exponential growth needs and the unrelenting pressure on cost reduction. More than ever, organizations today need to institutionalize continual process improvement to avoid the risk of receding into obsolescence. While organizations choose from a menu of process improvement models, it is important to assess the maturity of the endto- end process, identify potential gaps and tailor solutions in order of criticality. This paper studies the implementation of the process audit tool in a functional unit within the services industry for measuring process maturity, and examines the benefits and challenges of implementation.

A process is a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end. This includes a systematic series of mechanized or chemical operations that are performed in order to produce something (Oxford English Dictionary, 2011). A process is a collection of activities that takes one or more kinds of input and creates an output that is of value to the customer (Hammer and Champy, 1993). Figure 1 demonstrates the input-output process model.

A business process is defined as a structured, measured set of activities designed to produce a specific output for a particular customer or market. It implies strong emphasis on “how” work is done within an organization, in contrast to the emphasis of a product focus on “what”. A process is thus a specific ordering of work activities across time and space, with a beginning and an end, and clearly defined inputs and outputs: a structure for action (Davenport, 1993).

The strategic intent of the organization is derived from the current market practices, customer needs and competitor evaluation. After establishing the vision, mission, goals and objectives, the business unit lays down the policies and procedures to achieve these objectives. A business process is derived from the business objectives and goals. Figure 2 shows the derivation of a process.

Operations Management Journal, Process Maturity Model, organization’s value, new technologies, exponential growth, potential gaps, measuring process maturity, Services Industry.