Building a Best-in-Class Shared Services Organization is Not Enough: Linking the Institution and the SSO

By Kathleen Bienkowski - EvoLLLution. Several years ago, a popular television game show called “The Weakest Link” gave rise to the popularity of that phrase. The origin of the entire phrase “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link” can be traced back to the early 19th century. While true in a literal sense, it also applies figuratively to supply chains in the business world and provides a lesson higher education leaders can learn. Ultimately, an organization looking to develop an effective shared services organization (SSO) must include both sides of the supply chain — the institution and the SSO — in the design and implementation of the model. More...