A shared service centre for municipalities in the Overberg

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Government needs to provide a robust framework to adapt to the ever-changingenvironment of those that they serve. Whether or not there are reform proceduresinvolved, the intended benefits depend as much on how they are implemented as on theexact nature of the changes.The municipalities in the Overberg face various challenges, as a result of the continuallychanging environment within which local government operates. It is therefore important forgovernment to constantly implement new ways to improve service delivery.Many of the municipalities in the Overberg, particularly those suffering under budget andstaff capacity pressures, are motivated to adopt new and improved ways to enhanceservice delivery and to reduce costs. Municipalities in the Overberg have developed theirown ideas on how to reduce costs, save time and improve service delivery. A practicalway to address these challenges is to consider the option of shared services. Thisrequires different ways of operating: new skills have to be acquired and many changes inmanagement issues need to be addressed.The most common reason for some of the municipalities in the Overberg to be involved ina shared service initiative is to obtain relief from short-term budget pressures. Althoughthis factor is an excellent motivator, one of the major related challenges is the timerequired to complete this initiative, which almost always takes more than one budget cycle.The ability to implement any form of shared services requires organisational change,which, in many organisations, is the most difficult challenge to confront.For Overberg Municipalities to implement a successful shared service venture it will beimportant to have a good plan that clearly describes the processes to be followed and thedifferent steps of how to successfully implement and set up such a shared service centre.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University