The Challenge

To establish a governance structure to manage processes and systems across four regions and to re-engage the business as active process owners.

SkillSet Approach

Our client had successfully completed a merger programme and created some global functions covering their four regions (NAFTA, LATAM. EAME and APAC ). They were also introducing SAP progressively to all regions. The need was to establish a global framework for managing their processes and systems and reconciling the conflicting demands of standardisation versus differentiation.

The client had some clear ideas about the structure of the global governance framework but recognised the enormous change management challenges inherent is such a project. SkillSet was engaged to provide project management and change management consultancy – including training.

We worked as part of the core team managing progress and facilitating the development of:

• New bodies - such as the business process owners committee
• Roles – such as Business Process Owners and Analysts
• Processes – such as the change process (for system/process changes)

Our activities included stakeholder analysis, communications, workshop facilitation, and documentation, and project management, creation of SharePoint repository and development/delivery of training.

Outcome

The new framework was successfully implemented for Global functions and Europe and is now managing process and systems. Phase 2 builds on the foundations and expand the framework into APAC, NAFTA and LATAM.

Global Process and System Governance

A key goal of multinational companies is to achieve cost savings through standardisation of processes and systems across regions.

Regional and country managers maintain that they need flexibility and responsiveness to react to changing market conditions.

Effective global governance of systems and processes enables these conflicting demands to be reconciled in a controlled way.

Companies that do not manage these issues will have a higher cost base than their competitors and be less responsive in the market.