Shared services are often viewed as a single type of business model but in reality, shared services can be organized in different ways. The goal of this research is to understand…
Abstract
Purpose
Shared services are often viewed as a single type of business model but in reality, shared services can be organized in different ways. The goal of this research is to understand the factors influencing the shaping of shared services business models.
Design/methodology/approach
Inductive case oriented research is conducted by investigating three different types of shared services arrangements using Al-Debei and Avison's unified framework for business models.
Findings
A total of 12 different factors were identified that influence the shape of shared services business models including the path dependency, legal/regulatory driver, customer orientation, target segment, strategic importance, ICT/business orientation, IT governance structure, change strategy, degree of outsourcing, integration potential, economic rationale and the business value.
Research limitations/implications
The level of customization and standardization can influence the potential benefits that can be gained from bundling services and it is important to understand the factors that influence this dimension.
Practical implications
The appropriate configuration of these factors can be helpful to design shared services arrangements with a balanced degree of standardization and customization. The choices regarding the configuration of these factors could result in a more or less effective functioning business model and could influence the governance processes and mechanisms that need to be put in place.
Originality/value
There is no prior research that addresses the shared services business model from a holistic perspective and this research provides a first conceptual model for shared services business models.
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Organizations are looking for different ways of sourcing their activities to acquire various benefits. The purpose of this paper is to compare the strategic intents and motives…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizations are looking for different ways of sourcing their activities to acquire various benefits. The purpose of this paper is to compare the strategic intents and motives for shared service centres (SSCs), outsourcing and public‐private partnerships (PPPs) using three case studies.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is a combination of literature research and case study research. The case studies are analyzed using a framework for classifying the strategic intents.
Findings
A large number of interrelated factors are found as drivers for selecting the various sourcing arrangements. It is found that the strategic intents underlying the decision to implement a PPP, SSC or outsourcing arrangements differ from each other. Outsourcing is mainly used to reduce costs for non‐core activities or to gain access to expertise otherwise out‐of‐reach and, while a shared services arrangement is selected when an organization wants to improve service levels and reduce costs at the same time. Finally, PPPs are focused on developing new and innovative services and seem to accomplish most intents at the expense of higher risks. The intents have relatively subtle differences, compared to how significantly the arrangements differ.
Research limitations/implications
This research is explorative in nature and revealed a large number of intents. Generalization of findings is not straightforward, as there is no uniform view on what constitutes SSCs and PPPs. This research helps to have insight in the basic differences, but needs to be further generalized by investigating a larger number of case studies.
Practical implications
Public organizations are struggling to find the right sourcing arrangements. This research can help decision makers in making a choice between PPPs, SSCs and outsourcing arrangements.
Originality/value
The primary value of this study is to understand the differences between the strategic intents underlying the use of these three sourcing arrangements.
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Marijn Janssen, Anton Joha and Vishanth Weerakkody
Scant research attention has been given to investigating shared service organizations and in particular their relationships. The aim of this research is to investigate the…
Abstract
Purpose
Scant research attention has been given to investigating shared service organizations and in particular their relationships. The aim of this research is to investigate the critical decisions and design choices regarding the design of a shared service center (SSC) and the relationship with its users.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a framework developed by Kern and Willcocks published in 2000, this paper investigates the case of a shared services arrangement and its relationships in the Municipality of Amsterdam using qualitative research.
Findings
There are many mutually interrelated factors that need to be taken into account during the decision and design process of shared service arrangements. Antecedent conditions provide the basis for setting the objectives that the SSC needs to meet and determine the way the SSC is operationalized and designed in terms of its service and financial model, organizational structure, and communication mechanisms. In addition, this research also found that in practice the level of trust, cooperation and satisfaction increased between collaborating parties in a shared service arrangement when strategic choices are made in a systematic, collaborative and structured way during the decision‐making process leading to the initiation of an SSC.
Research limitations/implications
A single case study was investigated, which limits statistical generalization. Further research should generalize the findings and facilitate a better understanding of the benefits, decisions, relationships and operational aspects of shared service arrangements.
Practical implications
An essential part of any analysis and design of shared service arrangements is the relationship between the many users and the semi‐autonomous organization providing the services.
Originality/value
Shared services arrangements provide a solution for resource sharing among multiple users and are gaining importance in public administration as a means to innovate, reduce costs and increase service levels. There is hardly any research in the field of shared services arrangements and no research investigating the relationships among users and service providers in local government.
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Service‐orientation enables new organizational forms and organization initiate shared service centers (SSCs) to become shared service organizations (SSOs) or service‐oriented…
Abstract
Purpose
Service‐orientation enables new organizational forms and organization initiate shared service centers (SSCs) to become shared service organizations (SSOs) or service‐oriented enterprises (SOEs). Services can be performed in‐house, shared or outsourced. However, this form of organization faces significant challenges and to date not much research has focused on capturing experiences in this domain. The aim of this paper is to identify critical management issues in the development of service‐oriented arrangements.
Design/methodology/approach
The research used a combination of literature and case study research, whereby literature provided the theoretical foundations and the case study is used to identify the critical research challenges.
Findings
Technological developments enable a service‐oriented approach, leading to new organizational forms and a shift towards a more market‐oriented type of control. The SOE is an enterprise that is modularized in business domains and organized around SSCs. New products can be created by orchestrating the services provided by the service centers, and this orchestration is expected to become a core capability. Service centers display varying levels of modularity, which influences the sourcing options. In our case study, the SSO and SOE emerged and evolved out of SSCs, and as a result an incremental, staged approach should be adopted with regard to its implementation. The main critical management issues are a carefully executed strategy, the redesign and reorganization of activities and roles, the standardization of processes, applications and the underlying IT architecture, and management of the transformation by involving all stakeholders.
Research limitations/implications
The SOE is explored using a single case study, which although it provides in‐depth insight, limits statistical generalization. Further research should focus on the benefits, drawbacks and risks of these concepts. In addition, the bundling and orchestration of services need to be investigated.
Practical implications
This type of change is often technology driven. Companies should address the critical management issues when they adopt a more service‐oriented approach at a business level.
Originality/value
To date, there are very few empirical studies that look at SSO and the SOE. This paper offers a contribution by investigating a real‐life case study, analyzing the kind of organization involved, and identifying the challenges and issues.
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Eduardo Sánchez-García, Javier Martínez-Falcó, Bartolomé Marco-Lajara and Iza Gigauri
The main objective of this research is to analyze the dynamics of academic research on digital entrepreneurship and innovation, unveiling the main research trends developed in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The main objective of this research is to analyze the dynamics of academic research on digital entrepreneurship and innovation, unveiling the main research trends developed in the last decade.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis has been carried out using a dual methodological approach comprising bibliometric methods and an innovative three-level systematic review, involving the analysis of the most used keywords, the co-occurrence network of keywords and a traditional review of the abstracts of the 1713 peer-reviewed articles that make up the database under study, with the aim of revealing and discussing the most important research trends developed in the period analyzed.
Findings
The results reveal seven major research trends that underscore the fundamental role of digital platforms in democratizing innovation, enabling a more inclusive and collaborative environment wherein startups, established firms, academia and government entities converge to drive technological advancements and societal progress. Additionally, the pressing need for a holistic understanding of digital technologies' potential to spur economic growth, societal progress and sustainable development is highlighted, as well as the challenges posed by privacy, security and the digital divide.
Originality/value
This research has been developed using an innovative methodology, and contributes to the academic discourse by providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and prospects of digital entrepreneurship and innovation for policymakers, entrepreneurs and researchers, urging a collaborative effort to harness the benefits of digital transformation in an equitable and responsible manner, fostering an environment of innovation that is conducive to the sustainable growth of the digital economy.