Our study contributes to the nascent discourse on enterprise architecture management (EAM) benefits by proposing a theory-led, empirically validated model to explain how EAM benefits unfold. Drawing on the resource-based theory, and based on empirical insights from 8 case studies, we find that EAM does not create benefits per se, but only creates value if an organization develops four second-order EAM capabilities – EA modeling, EA planning, EA implementation, and EA governance. The discovery that EAM resources only unfold their potential when forming EAM capabilities casts doubt on the established practice of initiating EAM as a modeling and documentation endeavor.

我们的研究通过提出一种理论主导的，经过实验验证的模型来解释EAM收益如何发展，从而为有关企业体系结构管理（EAM）收益的新兴论述做出了贡献。利用基于资源的理论，并基于8个案例研究的经验洞察，我们发现EAM本身并不能创造收益，只有在组织开发了四项二阶EAM功能（EA建模，EA计划， EA实施和EA治理。EAM资源只有在形成EAM功能时才能发挥其潜力，这一发现使人们对启动EAM作为建模和文档工作的既定实践产生了怀疑。