Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> Abstract Business process redesign (BPR) has become one of the most seductive management ideas of the 1990s. It has been associated with information technology and accordingly information systems (IS) academics are expected to have a view on it, and IS practitioners are expected to be knowledgeable about it. This article seeks to decompose BPR into its principal elements, suggesting what is novel and what is not so new. Questions for research are suggested, frameworks for analysis proposed and implications for IS raised. Evidence is drawn from recent research studies and the experiences of some large US and UK companies. <s> BIB001 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> The Year 2000 problem can be broadly divided into internal and external activities. For many businesses, internal activities have received the majority of time and attention. Given the complex and interdependent nature of Aetna's business relationships, management of its external relationships (ER's) has proven to be a key success factor in taming its Y2K problem. As a service-based business for more than 150 years, Aetna is a quintessential example of what many today would describe as a “value web”—an organization that thrives on its ability to rapidly deliver services within a highly interdependent set of relationships. In this paper, Aetna's Y2K ER management strategy and its evolution from A.T. Kearney's Y2K risk mitigation model are discussed. Reviewed in detail are Aetna's business landscape and an aggregate ER risk-rating approach. Aetna's medical provider network is used to exemplify its ER management strategy. As a result of Aetna's ER strategy, a new dynamic for the health care industry centered on contingency payment plans is highlighted. Looking forward, the concept of “digital desirability” and the applicability of Aetna's ER strategy in the digital era is explored. <s> BIB002 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> This paper provides a holistic view of the Business Process Re‐engineering (BPR) implementation process. It reviews the literature relating to the hard and soft factors that cause success and failure for BPR implementation, classifies these factors into subgroups, and identifies key factors of success and failure. Finally, it explains how these factors influence the process of BPR implementation. <s> BIB003 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> . ::: This paper focuses on the benefits that organizations may achieve from their investment in enterprise systems (ES). It proposes an ES benefit framework for summarizing benefits in the years after ES implementation. Based on an analysis of the features of enterprise systems, on the literature on information technology (IT) value, on data from 233 enterprise systems vendor-reported stories published on the Web and on interviews with managers of 34 organizations using ES, the framework provides a detailed list of benefits that have reportedly been acquired through ES implementation. This list of benefits is consolidated into five benefits dimensions: operational, managerial, strategic, IT infrastructure and organizational, and illustrated using perceived net benefit flow (PNBF) graphs. In a detailed example, the paper shows how the framework has been applied to the identification of benefits in a longitudinal case study of four organizations. <s> BIB004 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> Abstract Transnational companies combine global integration with local responsiveness, catering to national and even regional tastes while obtaining efficiencies through global operations. What is the role of IT in enabling an organisation to become transnational? What actions ensure that IT helps, rather than hinders, the transition? One major European company recognised as having a transnational disposition is Electrolux. Home Products Europe (HPE), the largest sector in Electrolux, has previously been investigated both by international business and IT researchers. This paper updates the longitudinal perspective of HPE, including an examination of the transnational change drivers. Using a tentative framework that combines previous research into multinational and transnational IT policy, it shows that all of HPE's IT strategies align with the framework. We identify a number of key obstacles in the HPE case that hindered the transition, most notably problems of data quality and integration, largely occurring due to acquisitions. We also note the slow changes in the working practices of distributed IT groups and suggest that future research and frameworks need to better address staff issues. <s> BIB005 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> IT architecture is often assumed to follow business strategy, to align IT with the business's strategic objectives. Increasingly, though, many business strategies depend on specific underlying IT capabilities. To develop a synergy between business strategy and IT architecture, firms must develop organizational competencies in IT architecture. My research has identified four IT architectural stages, each with its own requisite competencies. The "application silo architecture stage" consists of IT architectures of individual applications. The "standardized technology architecture stage" has an enterprise-wide IT architecture that provides efficiencies through technology standardization. The "rationalized data architecture stage" extends the enterprise-wide IT standards to data and processes. And the "modular architecture stage" builds onto enterprise-wide global standards with loosely coupled IT components to preserve the global standards while enabling local differences. Each stage demands different organizational competencies to implement the architecture and prepare the firm to move to the next stage <s> BIB006 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> In this paper we address the concept of business architecture. We explain the concept and, based on a case study, discuss its relevance, operation, relationship with strategy and business models, and value for an organization. We also shortly discuss the approach that was taken to create the business architecture; how it was based on and derived from the business strategy. Business architectures contribute to clarify the complexity within an organization and form a useful starting point from which to develop subsequent functional, information, process and application architectures. We clarify these relationships through an architecture linkage model. Having an explicit business architecture also helps to structure the responsibilities within an organization, and to shape outsourcing activities, within the primary process as well as with regard to ICT-support. Business architectures contribute to an adequate ICT-governance in order to orchestrate the resources for critical business activities and how to manage the development and support for e-business efficiently. <s> BIB007 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> Purpose – To reveal similarities between the business process reengineering (BPR) and shared service approaches, in order to improve outcomes of shared service implementation processes through lessons learnt from previous BPR projects.Design/methodology/approach – As the focus of this paper is primarily theoretical, the paper starts out with a literature review of developments in the BPR and shared service movements. Similarities between the two change alternatives are discussed and drawn up.Findings – The paper concludes by identifying which previously learnt lessons the emerging shared service movement should take into account from the BPR era when implementing shared services.Research limitations/implications – The paper is primarily based on previous findings from a literature review. To increase insights into the contemporary shared service phenomenon, complementary research in the form of in‐depth case studies are recommended.Practical implications – Based on the similarities between BPR and shared ... <s> BIB008 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> Shared service centers (SSCs) have gained the interest of politicians and public administrations to improve efficiency. By unbundling and centralizing activities, the basic premise for SSCs seems to be that services provided by one local department can be provided to others with relatively few efforts. The introduction of a SSC is a major decision having a long-term impact on all the participants and is often competing with outsourcing arrangements. As such it is of essential importance to get a better understanding of the motives for introducing SSCs. The motives for introducing a SSC in public administration are presented and discussed in this paper. First, by means of investigating an existing SSC in time, the initial motives for introducing a SSC have been compared with the accomplished benefits after realizing the SSC. The introduction of a SSC was driven by a series of complex, interrelated motives. Second, because SSCs can be regarded as a specific kind of sourcing arrangement, the motives for establishing a SSC have been compared with the motives associated with outsourcing as found in literature. This should help decision-makers in making a tradeoff between SSCs and other sourcing arrangements. <s> BIB009 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> Purpose – This paper sets out to review the different types of outsourcing, its drivers and process, and to identify world‐class capabilities that host organisations can leverage.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is primarily based on a review of literature.Findings – Outsourcing helps the organisation to achieve higher levels of value creation for the final customer. Drivers of outsourcing emanate from organisational initiatives, improvement focus, financial and cost objectives, or growth objectives. A wide range of core and non‐core critical business processes are increasingly being outsourced covering a large spectrum of sectors and operations, enabling host organisations to gain access to world‐class capabilities.Originality/value – This paper identifies critical drivers of outsourcing and the process by reviewing available literature in this area. In doing this an attempt is made to find answers to some fundamental questions. What are the main types and drivers of outsourcing? What are the dif... <s> BIB010 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> The adoption of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems follows various paths in organisations and achieves diverse results. The traditional models of diffusion of innovation applied in information systems are not sufficient to explain such variations in adoption. This study examines the process of drift in an ERP project to answer the questions of how and why drift tends to occur in such projects. It applies Actor Network Theory to interpret the data. This analytical lens reveals that a software implementation project's fate depends on each move it takes and each party involved in handling that move. Every handling of the project by different parties could present either a positive modality (that strengthens it and pushes it forward on its track) or a negative modality (that weakens its initial form and drags it onto a different direction). The study provides an alternative view of diffusion, and an explanation of drift in the ERP case that could be extended to other technological projects. It invites practitioners to monitor the various movements of their projects and to allow strategic drift in order to achieve a successful implementation. <s> BIB011 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> We developed a model of the adoption of business process outsourcing (BPO) based on risk-benefit analysis. The model was tested in the German banking industry in four areas of transaction processing. Our results showed that, in general, perceived BPO benefits have a substantially stronger impact on intention to increase the level of BPO than perceived risks. However, the experience that banks have with the BPO process, [whether already decided on BPO (Pro), still in the pre-decision phase (Neutral), or opted against BPO (Contra)], moderated the impact of factors affecting the perceived risks and benefits of BPO. Banks that opted for BPO were mostly driven by a desire to focus on their core business while considering financial risks. Banks in the neutral position had the most balanced view of risks and benefits, mainly financial and performance ones, and also focusing on the core business and increased business process performance. Those banks that decided against BPO mostly focused on benefits while the perceived risks were mostly formed by strategic and performance risks rather than financial ones. The results point out the path dependencies of the BPO decision. <s> BIB012 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual framework along with underlying propositions for the design and deployment of telemedicine projects which provide healthcare organizations with strategic benefits.Design/methodology/approach – Field research conducted at four healthcare organizations along with academic literature in the areas of telemedicine and process management form the basis for the conceptual framework and propositions provided in this paper.Findings – Telemedicine can be used as a process enabler for enhanced healthcare‐delivery systems. However, there are several challenges which must be considered prior to its implementation. The framework and propositions provided in the paper can be used to facilitate successful telemedicine project deployments.Research limitations/implications – The framework and propositions are derived from a small sample and must be validated through more rigorous empirical research studies.Practical implications – The concepts presented in the ... <s> BIB013 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> III. THE STATUS OF SHARED SERVICES LITERATURE IN THE IS DISCIPLINE <s> AbstractExtant research demonstrates that e-Government initiatives often fall short of achieving innovative forms of government and governance due to a techno-centric focus that limits such initiatives to minor improvements in service delivery. While it is evident that innovation is central to modernising and transforming governmental organisations, and that the co-creation of services by public authorities and community groups is an essential component of realising the benefits of investment in information and communication technology, there is little research focusing on the nature of innovation in transforming governmental organisations and services. Addressing this gap in the literature, this paper explores how open innovation strategies can transform public administration by examining how a network of municipalities in Sweden transforms value creation and service delivery by collaborating with each other and with external parties to accelerate the creation and exploitation of innovation. Using a case... <s> BIB014
This section provides a descriptive overview of shared services literature found within the IS discipline. As in any other study, a descriptive overview is a useful precursor to presenting the detailed research findings, as it clearly positions the data-context from which the analysis is drawn. Recall that 193 papers were extracted from the pool of IS outlets in our sample: 29 primary papers (8 journal and 21 conference papers) specifically focusing on shared services, and 164 secondary papers that mention shared services as part of a different topic (63 journal and 101 conference papers). Figure 2 plots these papers across the 18 years (from 1994 till 2011 September) covered by the study. It is notable that none of these papers appeared in high-ranked IS journals e.g., the 'Senior Scholars Basket of eight' or the ERA 2010 A* or A journals. The first mention of shared services in the IS literature analyzed was in 1994, when BIB001 talked of shared services as "another route to administrative efficiency" in his paper on Business Process Design. He presented Baxter Healthcare, as an example of how to "combine and centralize many accounting and related services" BIB001 and spoke of 'economies of scale' that shared services can yield, in particular for administrative processes. The first papers to 'focus' on shared services (from the primary set) appeared in 2006. BIB007 discuss how business architectures help to clarify the complexity within an organization and help to develop subsequent functional, information, process and application architectures that form a useful starting point from which to create shared service centers. BIB008 presents a literature-based study that depicts the similarities between the business process reengineering (BPR) and shared service approaches and discusses how emerging shared services initiatives can learn from the implementation lessons of the BPR era. Motives for introducing shared services centers in public administration are discussed by  . They compare the initial motives for introducing a shared services centre with post-implementation benefits. BIB009 provide an analytical overview (with case study data) of the governance of shared services in public administration. While only 29 papers focus on shared services (our primary set of papers), 164 papers mention shared services (our secondary set of papers), indicating a growing interest in and prevalence of shared services in IS, especially in relation to the topics -Sourcing [e.g., BIB010 Vaidyanathan, 2008, Mani et al., 2010] ; IT Governance [e.g.,  ; E-Government [e.g., BIB014 ; Public and Private Sector [e.g. BIB012 BIB005 BIB006  ; Healthcare [e.g., BIB002 Eustis, 1999, Lockamy III and BIB013 ; Business Process Management [e.g., BIB003 and Enterprise Systems [e.g.,  BIB011 BIB004 . Nonetheless, though Figure 2 depicts growth, the sample constitutes an extremely small portion of the total research output from the pool of IS outlets in our sample. This is surprising, considering the shared services notion has been around in IS literature since 1994, and its relevance is endorsed by extensive discussion of potential related benefits in the commercial press [A.T.     . The next sections present an analytical review and synthesis of IS literature on shared services, also identifying the current gaps and suggesting potential research directions. We will first address the understanding of shared services in the IS literature in terms of definitions, objectives, stakeholders, and notions of sharing. Thereafter, we will discuss the research perspective in terms of the theories applied and methods used. 