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The most familiar business reference model is the "Business Reference Model", one of five reference models of the [[Federal Enterprise Architecture]] of the US Federal Government. That model is a [[function model|function-driven]] framework for describing the business operations of the Federal Government independent of the agencies that perform them. The Business Reference Model provides an organized, hierarchical construct for describing the day-to-day business operations of the Federal government. While many models exist for describing organizations - [[organizational chart]]s, ___location maps, etc. - this model presents the business using a functionally driven approach.<ref name="WH05"> [http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/omb/egov/documents/CRM.PDF FEA Consolidated Reference Model Document]. May 2005.</ref>
== History ==
One of the first Business Reference Models ever defined was the "IMPPACT Business Reference Model" around 1990. This [[reference model]] was part of the "IMPPACT Reference Model": an approach to integrated [[Product Structure Modeling|product]] and [[process modeling]] for discrete parts [[manufacturing]] using advanced computer technologies. It consists of languages and methodologies for developing an information reference model, system architectures, a link with emerging new standards such as [[ISO STEP]] and [[CIMOSA]], and a new approach for the definition of [[model semantics]]. The IMPPACT Business Reference Model described all interrelated manufacturing activities, information and material flow objects and resource objects for discrete part manufacturing.<ref>Wim F. Gielingh, Alexander K. Suhm, Michael Böhms (1993). ''IMPPACT Reference Model''. Springer ISBN 3540561501 p.30.</ref>
Overall in the 1990s Business Reference Models were hardly an item. For example jJust one 1991 book about [[IT management]] mentioned that Kodak management had developed a business reference model 10 years earlier.<ref>Gerard H. Gaynor (1991). ''Achieving the Competitive Edge Through Integrated Technology Management''. p. 259.</ref>. And a 1996 manual of the [[SAP R/3]] enterprise resource planning software stipulated the existence on the business reference model of the R/3 System.<ref>Rüdiger Buck-Emden, Jurgen Galimow, SAP AG. (1996). ''SAP R/3 System: A Client/server Technology'' Addison-Wesley.</ref> In the new millennium Business Reference Models started emerging in a several fields from [[Network management system]]s.<ref>Joan Serrat, Alex Galis (2003). ''Deploying and Managing IP Over WDM Networks''. pp. 89-121.</ref>, [[E-business]]<ref name="MA00"> Daniel A. Menascé, Virgilio A. F. Almeida (2000). ''Scaling for E-business: Technologies, Models, Performance, and Capacity Planning.'' Prentice Hall. ISBN 0130863289</ref>, and in the US Federal government. The US government published it's "Business Reference Model", Version 1.0 in February 2002.<ref>Federal Enterprise Architecture Program Management Office (2002). ''The Business Reference Model, Version 1.0''.</ref>
== Types of business reference models ==
=== Electronic businesses ===
In 2000 Menascé and Almeida<ref name="MA00"/> presented one of the first Reference Models for Electronic Business. The presented a reference model meant to provide a basis for defining conceptual activities in the electronic business and for identifying improvement opportunities. This reference model ranged from:
* on top a business view on the nature of the business and the processes that provide the services offered by the electronic business site, to
* on the bottom, a technological view on the way customers technically interact with the site.
From top to bottom it defined a series of four models from the [[business model]], the [[functional model]], the [[customer model]], to an [[resource model]].<ref name="MA00"/>
=== Federal government ===
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