Mark Borman

Applying multiple perspectives to the BPO decision: a case study of call centres in Australia

Information Technology enabled Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is a growing phenomenon, yet little research has been conducted to understand the factors that determine its appropriateness for organisations and what capabilities they should seek in potential suppliers. A multi-perspective approach to the BPO decision, encompassing the transaction, the organisation and its context, is proposed and a set of supplier capabilities to deliver upon it is outlined. A case study of outsourced call centres in Australia, based upon interviews with three suppliers and three clients, suggests such a multi-perspective approach is useful but that the interaction between the factors shaping the BPO decision is more complex than envisaged. The case also suggests that a common set of capabilities is sought from suppliers – though it is narrower than first proposed.

Reconciling two approaches to critical success factors: The case of shared services in the public sector

Abstract Shared services have been embraced by the private, and increasingly, the public sectors. Yet implementation has often proved to be difficult and the factors which are critical to success are not yet well understood. In this paper existing research in the area of critical success factors (CSFs) is examined and it is suggested that that research actually covers two distinct phenomena. One approach is focused on identifying the factors required for a specific individual to achieve their outcomes. The second on determining the general success factors for implementing a project of a certain type. A reconciliation of the two approaches is proposed within a framework that distinguishes between three different types of CSF – outcome, implementation process and operating environment characteristic. A case study of a project to implement shared services in the Australian public sector is examined using the reconciled framework. The case shows that the reconciled approach by including, and differentiating between, outcome, process and operating environment characteristic factors provides a richer and more complete picture of requirements. Further benefits from the synthesis are also highlighted including that factors are a mix of universal and context specific, different perspectives on factors exist and not all environmental factors perceived to be critical have to necessarily be present.

Influence of group formation choices on academic performance

With its multidisciplinary and applied foci, team‐working skills are seen as especially critical in business courses in general and in business information systems courses in particular, and are specifically incorporated into desired graduate attributes by many universities. Past research has focused on the benefits of group working but little work has been conducted to examine the relative contribution of group formation choices on academic performance. This paper reports on a study that develops and validates a data‐collection instrument and identifies four underlying factors that influence formation of groups: convenience, social cohesion, task management and technical skills/knowledge. The results thus suggest that academic performance is influenced by the skills and knowledge of individual members, potential social cohesion among the group members and the task management ability considered at the group formation stage. The study notes that while how a group is formed influences ultimate academic performance, how the group operates is also an important factor.

Characteristics of a successful shared services centre in the Australian public sector

Purpose – Organisations are increasingly looking to establish shared services centres (SSCs) yet there is limited guidance available. The paper aims to propose a structured framework that will form the basis for identifying a series of characteristics associated with a successful SSC.Design/methodology/approach – Based upon Scott‐Mortons organisational framework a series of dimensions were proposed for the analysis of SSCs. A case study was then presented as a starting point for identifying specific characteristics along each dimension associated with a successful SSC.Findings – Based on the framework, a case study highlights characteristics associated with a successful SSC. Specifically, the SSC is given responsibility for demonstrably reducing costs through economies of scale and process improvement of multiple transaction‐oriented tasks. An enterprise resource planning system is seen as key to realising those savings. Use of the SSC is compulsory and charged for. SSC management feels they require a go...

Managing Dependencies in Inter-Organizational Collaboration: The Case of Shared Services for Application Hosting Collaboration in Australia

This study proposes an approach to improve un-derstanding of dependencies in inter-organizational collaboration and so assist managers make more informed decisions. Data has been collected through a case study on shared services in the Australian fi-nancial services industry and DNDs (dependency network diagrams) employed to analyze the complex web of dependencies associated with the collabora-tion. The paper suggests that it is not sufficient to consider a collaboration in isolation. In particular it is noted that a change affecting one dependency may trigger a compounding and cumulative interaction with other dependencies. DNDs also surface details of the governance control associated with each de-pendency and the availability of alternative part-ners-enabling an organization to assess the risk associated with each dependency. Finally, a weak-ness of DNDs is noted; specifically that they are static and are unable to capture the dynamics of de-veloping dependencies in inter-organizational collaboration.

Developing, and testing, a theoretical framework for inter-organisational systems (IOS) as infrastructure to aid future IOS design

Over time many inter-organisational systems (IOS) have evolved to become open systems with the promise of delivering benefits to their broad base of organisational users. However in practice benefits have often remained concentrated, primarily accruing to the dominant party, resulting in low rates of adoption and usage, and often culminating in the failure of the IOS. A framework for IOS as infrastructure is proposed as the basis for designing IOS that will widen the distribution of benefits and increase the likelihood of the IOS succeeding. Potential characteristics of IOS as infrastructure are proposed and three cases studies presented to illustrate how the framework can differentiate between IOS and how IOS as infrastructure looks to be an option worthy of further investigation.

Critical Success Factors for Shared Services: Results from Two Case Studies

Shared services have been heralded as a means of enhancing services and improving the efficiency of their delivery. As such they have been embraced by the private, and increasingly, the public sectors. Yet implementation has proved to be difficult and the number of success stories has been limited. Which factors are critical to success in the development of shared services arrangements is not yet well understood. The current paper examines existing research in the area of critical success factors (CSFs) and suggests that there are actually three distinct types of CSF: outcome, implementation process and operating environment characteristic. Two case studies of public sector shared services in Australia and the Netherlands are examined through a lens that both incorporates all three types of CSF and distinguishes between them.

Case study: Inter-organisational infrastructure and industry value: a case study of the Australian travel sector

Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) have long been seen as a catalyst for organisational change. By enhancing the flow of information it becomes possible for an organisation to buy-in an increased number of activities rather than perform them internally. Moving beyond a focus on the individual organisation, it is argued here that ICTs also suport the provision of common applications, or services - referred to as inter-organisational infrastructures - to groups of organisations that operate at a similar point in the value chain. A case study of distribution in the Australian travel sector suggests that many such infrastructures exist and may have a potentially significant impact upon the distribution of value in an industry.

Strategic manoeuvers in outsourcing arrangements: The need for adapting capability in delivering long-term results

Purpose Adaptation is often seen as a key competitive advantage for outsourcing vendors. Outsourcing research has often assumed that vendor capabilities are static. However, as a result of uncertainties and/or changes in the client environment, vendors need to be able to adapt their outsourcing capabilities. The aim of our research is to compare two contrasting outsourcing approaches and illustrate how an adaptive approach may deliver better results for clients in the long term. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a combination of literature and case study research. A retrospective case study approach was adopted, using interviews, observations and analysis of reports. Two case studies utilizing contrasting clients approaches were investigated and compared. In one of the case studies, the client reorganized activities first and then outsourced them, while in the other, the client did the reverse – outsourced first and then reorganized. Findings The findings indicate that reorganizing first and outsourcing afterwards contributes to a more controlled implementation, which results in a more defined and stable set of vendor outsourcing capabilities that contributed to short-term success. In contrast, outsourcing first and reorganizing later demonstrates a less controlled redesign of the client’s organizational structure, which requires a malleable set of outsourcing capabilities to accommodate future change. The latter strategic manoeuver results in an extended adaptation period, as some capabilities need to be developed over time. However, it may improve success over time as subsequent changes in the client environment can be catered for in a better way. Research limitations/implications Only two explorative case studies were performed, limiting confidence in the degree of generalization of the results. We plea for more research on the effect of context dependency as various contingencies may impact the adaptation of outsourcing capabilities; for example, the volatility of the client’s market or the stability of the technology concerned. Practical implications When a client applies a proactive manoeuver, reorganizing first and then applying outsourcing, the number of adaptive capabilities required of the outsourcing vendor is reduced, limiting the risk for the client in the short term. In the longer term, however, subsequent change requirements may be less well-accommodated. Originality/value Strategic manoeuvers within an outsourcing context have received limited attention in research. As far as we know, this is the first empirical research that investigates the benefits of vendors having adaptive capability.

Extended dependency network diagrams: adding a strategic dimension

Purpose Organizations increasingly form or join collaborations to gain access to resources paramount for achieving a sustained competitive advantage. This paper aims to propose an extension to the established dependency network diagram (DND) technique to better facilitate analysis, design and, ultimately, strategic management of such collaborations. Design/methodology/approach Based on the resource dependence theory, the constructs of power and secondary dependency are operationalized and integrated into the original DND technique. New rules and an updated algorithm for how to construct extended DNDs are provided. Findings The value of the proposed extension of the DND technique is illustrated by analysis of an application hosting collaboration case study from the Australian financial service industry. Research limitations/implications This study provides preliminary evidence for strategically managing resource collaborations. Future research could further test empirically the usefulness of the proposed extension of the DND technique and how much it contributes to better understanding resource collaborations. Practical implications The proposed extension of the DND technique enables managers to perform a broader analysis of dependencies among participants in a collaboration, helping them to more accurately comprehend the relationships between the entities in their collaborative environment and, thus, being in a better position of strategically managing resource dependencies. Originality/value The proposed extension of the DND technique makes a central contribution to the extant literature by adding a strategic dimension to a visualization technique used to represent collaborative environments.