This research initiative addresses the use of business process modelling as an organizational practice to describe, analyse and design business processes within or across organizations, be it as part of an effort to understand current procedures (“as-is” modelling) or to design blueprints for improved operational procedures (“to-be” modelling). Organisations use a variety of mostly graphical process modelling grammars to develop semi-formal diagrammatic representations of their business processes. The focus of this research initiative is to study these grammars, motivated by the belief that process modelling grammars can be important means to help individuals and organizations in their efforts to understand and design organizational practices, but in order to do so, the grammars must be designed and used effectively.

Based on this belief, we identify three main research streams within the initiative:

• Research Stream 1 aims to reach a deeper understanding of the development and characteristics of process modelling grammars.

• Research Stream 2 aims to reach a deeper understanding of how process modelling grammars are used in organizational practice, and the  consequences that stem from their use.

• Research Stream 3 aims to extend and enhance the research method of ontological analysis to support current and future research on process modelling.