Proc. of 2nd Intern. Workshop “New Models of Business: Managerial Aspects and Enabling Technology”, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia, June 26-28, 2002, 212-220 Algebraic Modeling and Performance Evaluation of Business Processes D. Guster 1 St. Cloud State University, USA N.K. Krivulin 2,3 St. Petersburg State University, Russia Abstract An algebraic approach to the modeling and performance evaluation of business processes is developed based on fork-join queueing network formalism and idempotent algebra. As an illustration, a model of computer system security operation is considered. We introduce a related performance measure, and show how it may be used to analysis of actual systems. Keywords: business process, computer system security, performance evaluation, fork-join queueing networks, idempotent algebra 1. Introduction Most of the innovative activities under Continuous Improvement Efforts, Business Process Reengineering (BPR), and other programs companies try to implement to achieve better results in their operation are based on extensive use of information technology and systems. Among other analytical functions, the information systems normally provide for modeling of business processes on the basis of both mathematical methods and computer simulation. Although pure mathematical approaches can be inferior to computer simulation in versatility and flexibility, they allow one to get results easier and faster provided that there is an appropriate mathematical model and related solution methods. Of particular interest are the models that enable one to get closed-form solutions when evaluating business process performance measures and other quantitative characteristics. Clearly, the last models together with their solutions could be efficiently incorporated into any information system. 1 St. Cloud State University, 720 4th Ave. S., St. Cloud, MN 56301-4442, USA, e-mail: Guster@stcloudstate.edu 2 St. Petersburg State University, Universitetsky Ave. 28, Petrodvorets, St. Petersburg, 198504 Russia, e-mail: Nikolai.Krivulin@pobox.spbu.ru. 3 The work is partially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research – National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant #99-01-39137. © D. Guster, N.K. Krivulin, 2002 212