Accepted for publication in the Journal of Computer Information Systems: Do not distribute or quote without permission of authors. (18-Aug-2012) 1 The Enterprise and Its Architecture: Ontology & Challenges Leon A. Kappelman, Ph.D. Professor of Information Systems Director Emeritus, IS Research Center College of Business, University of North Texas 1155 Union Circle #305249, Denton, TX 76203 Phone: 940-565-4698 Fax: 940-565-3803 Leon.Kappelman@unt.edu John A. Zachman CEO, Zachman International, Inc. 2222 Foothill Blvd., Suite 337 La Canada, CA 91011 Phone: 818-244-3763 Fax: 818-459-5099 http://www.zachman.com JAZachman@Zachman.com ABSTRACT “We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us.” — Sir Winston Churchill Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a set of concepts and practices based on holistic systems thinking, principles of shared language, and the long-standing disciplines of engineering and architecture. EA represents a change in how we think about and manage information technologies (ITs) and the organizations they serve. Many existing organizational activities are EA-type activities, but done in isolation, by different groups, using different tools, models, and vernaculars. EA is about bridging the chasms among these activities, from strategy to operations, and better aligning, integrating, optimizing, and synergizing the whole organization. This article: (1) posits that EA is about the architecture of the entire enterprise including its ITs; (2) describes an ontology for the information needed to holistically define and represent that architecture; and (3) asserts that this raises significant challenges for information system (IS) professionals, educators, and researchers who, like those in most other disciplines and professions, tend toward reductionist specializations. Key words: Enterprise architecture, communication, design, Industrial Age, Information Age, information system, language, learning organization, ontology, organization, reductionism, reductionist, requirements, requirements analysis and design, socio-technical, systems analysis, technology, trends THE TREND CAN BE YOUR FRIEND (OR YOUR ENEMY) “Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction.” — Albert Einstein We are blessed with an evolving abundance of wondrous new IT products for supporting just about any activity, function, process, or service, as well as for storing, virtualizing, switching, serving, powering, monitoring, trouble shooting, and managing IT itself. Wonderful though they may