Enterprise Architecture as Strategy

Andrew Sparks recently posted over at the Oracle blog how the book Enterprise Architecture as Strategy written by Ross, Weill, and Robertson has helped him come to a better understanding of enterprise architecture maturity and the underlying IT architecture that supports it.

The book as described by Andrew, uses the concept of EA as a framework to bind the existing business operating model to IT architecture. Here are 3 disciplines that are needed in order to execute this foundation.

1. Operating Model The level of business process integration and standardization for delivering goods or services to a customer. a framework of four generic operating models is described, each with differing emphasis on business process integration or standardization.
2. Enterprise Architecture This is the organizing logic for business processes and IT infrastructure reflecting the integration and standardization requirements of the operating model. The book also describes how organizations go through four stages of maturity in applying Enterprise Architecture to design their business processes. It is exactly this maturity model that provided key insights for me (see below)
   
3. IT Engagement Model This is the governance that you put in place to ensure that business and IT projects meet local and corporate objectives.
   

Do you agree with the Enterprise Architecture as Strategy framework?