Business process design as a shared services enabler
- Authors: Khonjelwayo, Bongani
- Date: 2013-05-01
- Subjects: Reengineering (Management) , Decentralization in management , Shared services (Management) , Eskom (Firm)
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:7492 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8350
- Description: M.Comm. (Business Management) , A lot of work has been done to implement a shared services model in various corporations as means to improve productivity, reduce operational costs and improve customer satisfaction. By combining services that are performed by different units within an organisation into a single business unit that allows each business unit to access those services, companies have been able to attain some of the benefits mentioned above. Process design is one of the critical activities that have to be performed to implement a shared services unit. Some companies, however, have not been able to optimally design processes in a way that adds value to the performance of a shared services unit. This study is a case study that explored how business process design could be utilised as an enabler to improve the performance of the Eskom Finance and Procurement Unit at Eskom Megawatt Park, in Johannesburg. Through an explorative study of the shared services process design project, the researcher studied how the processes were designed and implemented for the Eskom Finance and Procurement Shared Services. The study was able to identify important process design structures and principles, tools, and techniques that can be utilised to optimally design processes for a shared services unit. It also evaluated process design activities and processes to identify the gaps in process design as well to understand the impact of process design on Eskom.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Khonjelwayo, Bongani
- Date: 2013-05-01
- Subjects: Reengineering (Management) , Decentralization in management , Shared services (Management) , Eskom (Firm)
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:7492 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8350
- Description: M.Comm. (Business Management) , A lot of work has been done to implement a shared services model in various corporations as means to improve productivity, reduce operational costs and improve customer satisfaction. By combining services that are performed by different units within an organisation into a single business unit that allows each business unit to access those services, companies have been able to attain some of the benefits mentioned above. Process design is one of the critical activities that have to be performed to implement a shared services unit. Some companies, however, have not been able to optimally design processes in a way that adds value to the performance of a shared services unit. This study is a case study that explored how business process design could be utilised as an enabler to improve the performance of the Eskom Finance and Procurement Unit at Eskom Megawatt Park, in Johannesburg. Through an explorative study of the shared services process design project, the researcher studied how the processes were designed and implemented for the Eskom Finance and Procurement Shared Services. The study was able to identify important process design structures and principles, tools, and techniques that can be utilised to optimally design processes for a shared services unit. It also evaluated process design activities and processes to identify the gaps in process design as well to understand the impact of process design on Eskom.
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Practices and problems : fixing loose ends in management shared services
- Maabe, Simon, Mbohwa, Charles, Mbecke, Paulin
- Authors: Maabe, Simon , Mbohwa, Charles , Mbecke, Paulin
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Shared services (Management)
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6156 , ISBN 978-93-82242-26-0 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/13760
- Description: This paper is based on a study of nine business units in the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa focusing on their governance relationship with the Shared Services department(s). The focus of the paper is an extension on the unpublished Master degree research thesis conducted by Simon Maabe with the University of Johannesburg, on determining the extent to which collaboration through governance practices involving partnering with customers influences three separate aspects of Shared Services performance: structure, amplitude and delays. This paper proposes a conceptual model: Shared Services – Customer Integrated System (SSCIS) with hybrid top-down strategy. The SSCIS conceptual model intends to provide managerial insights to Shared Services departments to achieve their objectives as well as to improve customer relationship. Through an appropriate governance design, it is envisaged that the CSIR might be able to control critical factors, performance indices to maintain flexibility and robustness, and improve planning their governance based on the characteristic of the business units. This paper concurs with previous studies that Shared Services departments are most effective when they are serious about governance and incorporate critical elements such as service level agreements, customer service liaisons, and governance committees or boards. The paper concludes that getting governance right is an essential tool for Shared Services survival and growth.
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- Authors: Maabe, Simon , Mbohwa, Charles , Mbecke, Paulin
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Shared services (Management)
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6156 , ISBN 978-93-82242-26-0 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/13760
- Description: This paper is based on a study of nine business units in the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa focusing on their governance relationship with the Shared Services department(s). The focus of the paper is an extension on the unpublished Master degree research thesis conducted by Simon Maabe with the University of Johannesburg, on determining the extent to which collaboration through governance practices involving partnering with customers influences three separate aspects of Shared Services performance: structure, amplitude and delays. This paper proposes a conceptual model: Shared Services – Customer Integrated System (SSCIS) with hybrid top-down strategy. The SSCIS conceptual model intends to provide managerial insights to Shared Services departments to achieve their objectives as well as to improve customer relationship. Through an appropriate governance design, it is envisaged that the CSIR might be able to control critical factors, performance indices to maintain flexibility and robustness, and improve planning their governance based on the characteristic of the business units. This paper concurs with previous studies that Shared Services departments are most effective when they are serious about governance and incorporate critical elements such as service level agreements, customer service liaisons, and governance committees or boards. The paper concludes that getting governance right is an essential tool for Shared Services survival and growth.
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Evaluating implementation of the integrated development plan towards service delivery in a local municipality
- Authors: Mokalane, Boitumelo Justice
- Date: 2014-06-20
- Subjects: Local government - South Africa , Shared services (Management) , Municipal services
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:11559 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/11266
- Description: M.Com. (Business Management) , It has been evidenced through the strategic management theory and literature perused in this study, that transformation of strategies and plans into actual results could only happen through efficient and effective implementation. Any efforts to translate strategy into action that are not guided by the principles of strategy implementation theory have often proven futile or insufficient, thus failure to achieve strategic objectives became the default result for many organisations. Continuous evaluation of this critical implementation phase of the strategic management process enables identification of challenges that cause inefficiency and ineffectiveness and lays a foundation to resolve and improve these identified hiccups. Because of the ever-changing environments within which organisations operate, new challenges are confronted, hence the need for continuous study to identify these challenges and seek solutions to improve the process of implementation of plans and strategies. This study therefore evaluates the implementation process of the Integrated Development Plan as a strategy towards attainment of goals in a local municipality. Recommendations based on strategy implementation theory and literature, are made to deal with identified challenges.
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- Authors: Mokalane, Boitumelo Justice
- Date: 2014-06-20
- Subjects: Local government - South Africa , Shared services (Management) , Municipal services
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:11559 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/11266
- Description: M.Com. (Business Management) , It has been evidenced through the strategic management theory and literature perused in this study, that transformation of strategies and plans into actual results could only happen through efficient and effective implementation. Any efforts to translate strategy into action that are not guided by the principles of strategy implementation theory have often proven futile or insufficient, thus failure to achieve strategic objectives became the default result for many organisations. Continuous evaluation of this critical implementation phase of the strategic management process enables identification of challenges that cause inefficiency and ineffectiveness and lays a foundation to resolve and improve these identified hiccups. Because of the ever-changing environments within which organisations operate, new challenges are confronted, hence the need for continuous study to identify these challenges and seek solutions to improve the process of implementation of plans and strategies. This study therefore evaluates the implementation process of the Integrated Development Plan as a strategy towards attainment of goals in a local municipality. Recommendations based on strategy implementation theory and literature, are made to deal with identified challenges.
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Change management in the implementation of shared services
- Authors: Ntsunguzi, Nomihlali
- Date: 2010-03-10T06:23:44Z
- Subjects: Organizational change management , Shared services (Management) , Employees' attitudes
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:6661 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3067
- Description: M.Comm. , The global environment is changing drastically and companies need to respond to this change in order to survive. The concept of shared services has seen its boom in the market as one of the measures to adapt to the ever changing global environment. With the strengthening of the global economy, corporations implement shared services to enhance their competitive advantage. Shared services are implemented for various reasons inclusive of quality, cost, time and economies of scale. The result is changes in processes, technology and culture / people. Change is not easy. People resist as it impacts on culture i.e. the way they currently operate. The introduction of shared services is no different. The changes it leads to create a sense of discomfort thereby leading to resistance. It is, thus, of critical importance to manage the transition of people from the current to the future culture. It has been evident that the softer side of change (people) is the most neglected area when managing change. The study focuses on change management to transform people’s attitudes and behaviours from a functional culture to a service oriented culture. The researcher identified this transition as not successful when introducing shared services, and this forms the research problem. The study is qualitative and exploratory in design with the aim of identifying change management tools and techniques in the implementation of shared services. Various tools have been identified with communication being the most critical tool in managing change. The conclusion drawn is that focus should not only be on the technical areas of change, but involve people as well. No change can be successful without the involvement of the people that are expected to implement it, no matter how sophisticated the processes or technology is.
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- Authors: Ntsunguzi, Nomihlali
- Date: 2010-03-10T06:23:44Z
- Subjects: Organizational change management , Shared services (Management) , Employees' attitudes
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:6661 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3067
- Description: M.Comm. , The global environment is changing drastically and companies need to respond to this change in order to survive. The concept of shared services has seen its boom in the market as one of the measures to adapt to the ever changing global environment. With the strengthening of the global economy, corporations implement shared services to enhance their competitive advantage. Shared services are implemented for various reasons inclusive of quality, cost, time and economies of scale. The result is changes in processes, technology and culture / people. Change is not easy. People resist as it impacts on culture i.e. the way they currently operate. The introduction of shared services is no different. The changes it leads to create a sense of discomfort thereby leading to resistance. It is, thus, of critical importance to manage the transition of people from the current to the future culture. It has been evident that the softer side of change (people) is the most neglected area when managing change. The study focuses on change management to transform people’s attitudes and behaviours from a functional culture to a service oriented culture. The researcher identified this transition as not successful when introducing shared services, and this forms the research problem. The study is qualitative and exploratory in design with the aim of identifying change management tools and techniques in the implementation of shared services. Various tools have been identified with communication being the most critical tool in managing change. The conclusion drawn is that focus should not only be on the technical areas of change, but involve people as well. No change can be successful without the involvement of the people that are expected to implement it, no matter how sophisticated the processes or technology is.
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Key success factors for the management of shared services
- Van der Linde, Tjaart Nicholaas
- Authors: Van der Linde, Tjaart Nicholaas
- Date: 2012-08-14
- Subjects: Shared services (Management)
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:9215 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5664
- Description: M.Comm. , Moving from a traditional organisation to a shared services business unit through the shared services evolutionary continuum, and eventually to an independent business model requires a significant investment in technology, infrastructure, planning and time. Once committed, the process is as rigorous as planning and implementing a new business venture (Van Denburgh & Cagna, 2000). From the basic shared services model through to the independent business model, and during each other phase, the shared services business unit needs to be managed. The shared services business unit executive finds himself in the position of managing a business unit that: Is service orientated. Operates in an evolutionary process. Operates in a changing environment. Runs on business principles. Is an income generating business unit in its own right. Crosses national and international borders. Considers communication between business units as an ongoing process. Is customer and process-focused. Continuously improves and benchmarks business processes against the best. The leadership challenge is now to practise these business processes in a shared services environment, to make them successful and efficient and to add value to the organisation (Gunn, Carberry, Frigo & Behrens, 1993).
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- Authors: Van der Linde, Tjaart Nicholaas
- Date: 2012-08-14
- Subjects: Shared services (Management)
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:9215 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5664
- Description: M.Comm. , Moving from a traditional organisation to a shared services business unit through the shared services evolutionary continuum, and eventually to an independent business model requires a significant investment in technology, infrastructure, planning and time. Once committed, the process is as rigorous as planning and implementing a new business venture (Van Denburgh & Cagna, 2000). From the basic shared services model through to the independent business model, and during each other phase, the shared services business unit needs to be managed. The shared services business unit executive finds himself in the position of managing a business unit that: Is service orientated. Operates in an evolutionary process. Operates in a changing environment. Runs on business principles. Is an income generating business unit in its own right. Crosses national and international borders. Considers communication between business units as an ongoing process. Is customer and process-focused. Continuously improves and benchmarks business processes against the best. The leadership challenge is now to practise these business processes in a shared services environment, to make them successful and efficient and to add value to the organisation (Gunn, Carberry, Frigo & Behrens, 1993).
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