Economy Drives Shared Services

By Mark Brousseau

It has been a truly remarkable 2008 - for the world in general and for the shared services and outsourcing space in particular.

Sarah Clayton, head of strategy for Shared Services Online Network (SSON), comments: “With many organizations focused almost exclusively on the bottom line, a wave of discretionary projects are now well and truly on the back burner for 2009 as SSOs are compelled to do more – and better – with less. Meanwhile, areas such as working capital and supply chain management move into the spotlight as parent organizations struggle to cope with the most uncertain economic times for many decades.”

Jamie Liddell, SSON’s Online Editor, believes: “Next year more than ever, agility, efficiency and flexibility will be crucial to the survival of even the very biggest organizations. Great emphasis will be placed on solidifying core activities and cutting back on what might now be seen as unnecessary luxuries – which of course throws up plenty of opportunities for acquisitive-minded firms with healthy war chests. We’ve already seen the beginning of what may prove to be a deluge of hitherto captive centers being sold to major providers – who will also be looking to snap up a few of their less well-capitalized competitors.”

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