European, Mediterranean & Middle Eastern Conference on Information Systems 2014 (EMCIS2014) October 27th – 28th 2014, Doha, Qatar 1 THE ROLE OF ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE IN ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION – A SYSTEMATIC MAPPING STUDY Negin Banaeianjahromi, Department of Software Engineering and Information Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland Negin.Banaeianjahromi@lut.fi Kari Smolander, Department of Software Engineering and Information Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland Kari.Smolander@lut.fi Abstract Enterprise architecture (EA) and enterprise integration (EI) are important topics to any enterprise around the globe. Constant changes in the environment seem to have become the biggest challenge of a modern enterprise, which emphasizes the constant need to integrate the enterprise into its changing environment. Aiming at eliminating the integration challenges, EA is proposed as a solution. The objective of this study is to survey and analyse the available literature on determining the role of EA in EI and also to identify gaps and state-of-the-art in research. This paper presents a systematic mapping study that found 50 papers in the intersection of EA and EI, these papers were surveyed, analysed, and classified with respect to research focus, research method, and paper type. Based on the analyses, “framework and conceptual model” is recognized as the most common applied research method and “evaluation research” as the most common paper type. Furthermore, majority of papers that develop “framework and conceptual model” are based on “validation research”, that is, they are not evaluated or implemented in practice. Based on the analysis, “interview” and “survey” are the two least applied research methods and “experience papers” is recognized as the least used paper type. Keywords: systematic mapping study, enterprise architecture, enterprise integration. 1 INTRODUCTION Constant change is the inseparable and the most important characteristic of today’s enterprises. To survive in this competitive era, the enterprises need to adapt themselves to the change. Enterprise integration (EI) is the task of performance improvement in complex organizations by managing the participants interactions (Huat Lim et al., 1997). EI provides a discipline to organize all the knowledge that is required to identify and carry out the change in the enterprises (Bernus and Nemes, 1997). To achieve EI many scholars have believed in enterprise architecture (EA) as the ultimate solution (Anaya and Ortiz, 2005; Chen et al., 2008, 1997; Erol et al., 2009a; Hoogervorst, 2004; Kang et al., 2010; Lam, 2005a; Noran, 2013; Panetto et al., 2012; Peristeras and Tarabanis, 2000; François B. Vernadat, 2007). Conventionally, EA has been used for EI to align business and IT (Information Technology) in the organizations (Bernus and Nemes, 1997; Chen et al., 1997; IFIP-IFAC, 1999; Sowa and Zachman, 1992; Zachman, 1987). EA provides organizations means to cope with the core challenges of the ICT age (Chen et al., 2008; Goel et al., 2009; Kim et al., 2006): integration, interoperability, agility, and change.