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   A Global Research Center for Strategic Supply Management

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Does Your Organization Operate a Shared Services Center?

(TEMPE, Arizona) December 17, 2008 –Seventy four percent of the 179 organizations in the CAPS Research Enterprise-Wide Shared Services Centers benchmarking focused report said they operate a shared services center. These centers generally provide standardized and consolidated processes and support services that might include operational tasks related to professional services, communications support, information technology, facilities management, human resources, supply management, etc. A key objective of employing a shared services center is the efficiencies and economies that might be realized by 'bundling' the processes and services into one internal group that supports many.

Prior to releasing the survey about the prevalence of enterprise-wide shared services, CAPS Research identified ten different services categories that are most likely to be integrated into a shared services center. These functions range from accounting and finance (including accounts payable, financial administration, etc.) to travel services (which include individual travel and lodging arrangements). Of the ten functional services listed, the top five that the participants reported as being included in their respective shared services centers are:

    Accounting and Finance   76%
    Supply Management   65%
    Information Technology   61%
    Travel Services   55%
    Human Resources   54%

Less than half of the participants reported these five functions are also included in shared services centers: facilities management, customer services, professional services, security, and communications support.

Overall management of enterprise-wide shared services centers rests with senior vice presidents in 19 percent of the sample population; vice presidents in 22 percent of the companies; and directors in 23 percent of the companies. In 18 percent of the survey population, the shared services center is managed by the center's president or other C-level executive. In about 33 percent of the observations, the services centers are managed by Senior Managers or Managers.

For a cross-industry snapshot of the popularity of enterprise-wide shared services centers, the functions being performed within the shared services center, and the level of executive who has overall management responsibility for each center's operations, you will want to view this 2008 focused benchmarking report.

Click on the following link to access the benchmarking report, "Enterprise-Wide Shared Services Centers": http://www.capsresearch.org/publications/pdfs-protected/EntSharedServices2008Metric.pdf

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CAPS Research is a nonprofit research organization founded in 1986 to provide leading research to our strategic-minded corporate sponsors and to the public. Our mission is to work in partnership with a global network of executives and academics for the discovery and dissemination of strategic supply management knowledge and best practices. CAPS Research is jointly sponsored by the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, and the Institute for Supply Management™.

Media Contact:
Clare Donnalley
Marketing Manager
CAPS Research
Voice: 800/888-6276 extension 3007
cdonnalley@capsresearch.org

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