Service-oriented architecture (SOA) can transform your enterprise or it can be another IT-driven initiative with little or no bearing on business performance. Which way is your organization approaching SOA, if at all?
We are still in the early phases of SOA adoption. Early adopters and first movers share some common traits. First, they have recognized SOA as a significant force for change, and have acted on it. Second, some have seen SOA as a means to leverage an innovative culture to create new opportunities and business models. As a result, to position SOA as a transformation enabler requires combining it with other ingredients to create the elixir of transformation. Foresight, innovation, early adoption despite risks, first-mover advantage, business urgency -- all of these are significant factors in transformational behavior.
Source: Managing Automation, http://www.managingautomation.com