Today, market and production globalisation and the network- and knowledge-based economy are triggering continuous changes in the way companies are organised and the way they do business. After four decades of focusing on optimisation of internal operations, companies have realised that they have to invest in integrating their internal operations with those of suppliers and customers. The XXI century is clearly going to be about the collaborative enterprise, i.e. a set of organisations that work together exchanging information, sharing activities and resources and complementing one another’s capacity for mutual benefit and a common purpose…..

Outsourcing Business
Everything you always wanted to know about Shared Services
but never dared to ask
The Times, Special Supplement on Outsourcing Business.