What is the Value of Categorizing Business Processes?

The Benefits of Categorization
Jaap de Jonge, Editor
To answer your good question: actually there are major benefits to categorizing things in general:
1. Reduce the complexity of the environment.
2. Identify objects, perceptions, ideas and events.
3. Reduce the necessity of constant learning.
4. Plan how to treat classified entities (provide a basis for instrumental activity).
5. Order and relate categories as category systems.
6. Predict outcomes based on category properties.
7. Extend categories by adding fictive or predicted objects.
Source: Bruner JS, Goodnow JJ and Austin GA, A Study of Thinking, New York: John Wiley, 1962, pages 12-21.

Why Categorize Processes?
Michael Wood, Member
@Jaap de Jonge (Editor): So no value proposition benefits; just intellectual ones?

Why Categorize Business Processes?
Jaap de Jonge, Editor
Any organization exists to achieve certain organizational goals for the share- or stakeholders. An organization requires business processes. Business processes require some form of business process modeling. Such modeling can be supported by distinguishing categories.
I wouldn't call these intellectual, but indirect benefits.

Why Categorize Business Processes?
Prashanth, Member
A (theoritical) value proposition could be
1. Extending benefits reaped in a process to other processes within a category.
2. Identify process specific goals/issues for other processes within an organization.
3. Achieve rapid processes maturity. (applies to organizations which are in initial stages of process management).

Why Categorize the Business Process?
Rakesh Gudur, SIG Leader
By categorizing the process, the resources can be appropriately deployed. Take for instance a bank or a health care organization. People with appropriate domain expertise can be brought in to model.
The exercise also enables cost-benefit analysis. It also leads to risk analysis and mitigation plan. Look at a model and see if you want to introduce/change the current model.
All these add value to stakeholders.