Key success factors for the management of a shared services business unit (Article 3 of 3)

Abstract

Purpose: The first and second articles in the trilogy introduced shared services as a business model and the various models through which a shared services business can and must evolve to create value. The purpose of this third and final article in the trilogy of articles is to identify the key success factors required to successfully manage a shared services business unit. Methodology: A comprehensive literature study was conducted in order to identify the key success factors required to successfully manage a shared services business unit. This was followed up with an empirical study to determine if organisations that have implemented shared services as a business model are using any of these identified factors to successfully manage their respective shared services business units. Findings: In the article, a framework is generated to help organisations understand the key success factors required to successfully manage a shared services business unit. This work has further potential in that the key factors required can also be used not only in the normal brick and mortar organisations, but also in virtual organisations. Implications: This article presents a comprehensive approach to understand the key success factors required to manage a shared services business unit. These findings are important as they can be applied to a conventional organisation as well as a virtual organisation. Value: This article provides an understanding of the key success factors required to manage a shared services business model. When these key success factors are used as a basis for the management of a shared services business unit, it will continuously create value for the organisation.