Pursuing Operational Excellence can lift the pressures of regulations and process execution that all business leaders feel today. A LNS Research survey shows that Operational Excellence improvements are a top priority, but many companies have difficulty expanding it to the shop floor.  To fulfill and support strategy that is crucial in achieving Operational Excellence, manufacturing professionals must take a closer look at Enterprise Architecture (EA). This LNS Research Spotlight provides a thorough understanding of EA, as it is the process of defining manufacturing strategy and decision making to achieve Operational Excellence. Specifically, this report takes a closer look at: The criticality of extending EA to the plant floor The roots of the EA process The importance of solicitating worker feedback in building out EA How to create a future vision of the "to be" state Actionable recommendations for success This Research Spotlight will help define Enterprise Architecture, and how it is used in achieving Operational Excellence from top floor to shop floor.