Techniques for generating and executing a performance-aware enterprise component (PAEC) are provided. The techniques include creating a performance-aware enterprise component definition, wherein an enterprise component is a component with defined behavior and data models that represent an enterprise capability and provide a service to a client through a defined interface, and wherein the definition comprises an extensible markup language file comprising process component lifecycle information, one or more data items to be used in the component lifecycle, and one or more performance metrics, and executing the performance-aware enterprise component, wherein executing the performance-aware enterprise component comprises reading the performance-aware enterprise component definition and one or more relationships with the one or more data items, and operating the component lifecycle, wherein operating the component lifecycle comprises using the one or more performance metrics within the component lifecycle to enable one or more localized changes to be made within the enterprise component.