Insights From Deloitte’s 2009 Global Shared Services SurveyShared services shines in challenging times |
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Deloitte’s 2009 Global Shared Services Survey paints a picture of a robust shared services community for which the recession represents a growth opportunity rather than a setback. Representing 702 individual shared services centers, 265 leaders from around the globe responded to the survey in December 2008 and January 2009. Several key themes emerged in the respondents’ descriptions of their continuing pursuit of enhanced strategic value. Shared services organizations (SSOs) are extending their contributions to the business in a wide variety of ways:
- Delivery of advisory services traditionally deemed too close to the business to share
- Support of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)-based reporting
- Deliberate use of shared services to support broader business goals in areas ranging from enterprise growth to talent management
Also explored is the ongoing evolution of shared services issues related to tax, location and governance — ubiquitous areas of concern that require close attention to align with the larger organization’s overarching objectives. Based on our data and experience in the field, we believe the shared services model has matured to the point where most organizations have a solid grasp of the basic principles of achieving cost and service quality effectiveness in their SSOs.
We anticipate that as more executives come to appreciate shared services’ potential contribution to strategic goals, outlined in the attached paper, a wider range of variations on the basic shared services theme will emerge. Organizations will be able to pursue shared services approaches that follow sound shared services principles, yet are highly tailored to their unique business needs.
As we see it, the task for shared services leaders now is to consolidate past gains and plan future initiatives in a way that not only helps organizations weather the downturn, but sets the stage for creating long-term strategic value. Learn more in the white paper attached below.
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Insights From Deloitte’s 2009 Global Shared Services Survey
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