Title: Shared Service Centre business model- analysis of factors that influence standardisation

Please join us on June 21 for a special presentation by visiting doctoral candidate Gustavo Porporato Daher from Universidad Polytechnica de Madrid in Spain. 

Abstract

Purpose: Shared Service Centres (SSC) are organised in various types of business model. This research aims to understand the factors that shape SSC and the way they influence the level of standardisation, not considering the individual relevance of factors.

Methodological approach: Inductive case study approach is used to replicate and adapt Janssen and Joha (2014) by investigating six SSC set-ups of leading private multinational companies.

Findings: Factors identified by Janssen and Joha (2014) were challenged based on the case studies, finding alternatives to the resource, specialization, governance and orientation factors. A guide to the influence of each factor to the level of standardisation is included.

Research limitations: Factors that shape SSC have not been categorised, hence not suggesting which one is more influential. Similarly, it has not been evaluated the correlation among the factors.

Practical implications: Practitioners could evaluate current and future SSC set-up through actions that lead to achieve higher or lower levels of standardisation. The 12 factors will help to identify the critical aspects that need to be considered when SSC are analysed.

Originality/value: Prior attempts defining factors that shape SSC model are improved through a wider and specific base of case studies, validating and generalising findings on standardisation.