Improving your bottom line with shared services.
2/17/2003
The prolific Bryan Bergeron scores again with a detailed look at the concept of shared services, defined as "a collaborative strategy in which a subset of existing business functions are concentrated into a new, semiautonomous business unit…" designed to promote efficiency and improve service. The shared services model, properly done, includes the benefits of reduced costs, fewer distractions from core activities, and potential for a profit center. But there are risk factors that must be considered as well, such as applying incorrect business models. The book looks at the process, technology, evaluation, and economics for setting up a shared services unit, and includes real-world examples. The author teaches at Harvard Medical School and MIT.