Course 2: Postgraduate Certificate in GBS

Who is it for?

This course is aimed at centre managers with team lead responsibilities or those preparing for such a role. It is grounded in expert knowledge and will provide in-depth training on the key activities and skills required to run single or multi-functional teams within a GBS environment.

What are the Entry Requirements?

Candidates who have already completed studies up to honours degree level (Level 8) are eligible to enter for the course. For those who do not meet this entry criterion a non-standard entry pathway is available and details are available on request.

What do you get?

Graduates of this programme will be eligible for the award Postgraduate Certificate in Global Business Services. The course is a Level 9 postgraduate certificate course on the NFQ with 30 ECTS.

How is it delivered?

The majority of module content will be delivered online with an additional 4 days face-to-face module delivery at DIT Aungier Campus.

What Will You Learn?

The course is structured into four main areas:

Your will learn about

1. Strategy and Information

- GBS operations in the context of business strategy, GBS models and best practices

- Information: GBS objectives, developing SLAs & KPIs and explaining requirements for GBS reporting

2. Placement and process

- Service Placement: Placement of services (corporate, shared services, business units, etc.)

- Process Sourcing: Strategy for captive vs. outsourced sourcing, location selection and site build-out

- Process Design and Enabling Technologies: Process designs, SOPs, process and technology migration and improvements

3. Organisation and governance

- Skills and Talent: GBS staffing, developing teams and people capabilities

- Organisation: Developing organization models and detailed organization charts

- Governance: Governance models and accountability

4. Service and transformation management

- Service Management: Service management, pricing, managing supply and demand, talent management, business continuity management and continuous improvement

- Transformation Management: Transformation management strategy, stakeholder management and transformation projects

Course Modules

Indicative content for each of the modules is set out below. Each module comprises 5 ECTS.

Module 1: GBS Strategy Alignment

GBS is a global enterprise-wide operating model to organise, deliver and continuously improve internal business services such as finance, HR, IT, procurement and supply chain operations. The goal is to operate internal support services as a business unit focused on providing operational excellence, creating value and enabling the enterprise to be strategically agile. This module focuses on global business services and business strategy, and will support the learner to understand what global business services is and how it can align with your enterprise business strategies.

The module will also explore setting goals and objectives for GBS organisations, developing SLAs and KPIs, the development of GBS reporting and the use of relevant metrics to drive continuous improvement.

Indicative Content

Strategy

GLOBAL BUSINESS SERVICES AND BUSINESS STRATEGY

• The Value of GBS
• How GBS Evolves
• Globalisation

GBS DRIVERS

• GBS Drivers: Innovation
• GBS Drivers: Business Cycles
• GBS Drivers: Agility

TRANSFORMATION INTO WORLD-CLASS GBS

• Three Pillars of World-Class Performance
• Strategic Implications

G&A FUNCTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES

• Best Practice in Finance
• Best Practice in HR
• Best Practice in IT
• World-Class Procurement

GBS VISION, MISSION AND OBJECTIVES

• GBS Vision and Mission

Information

SETTING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

• The Basics of Measurement
• Choosing and Using Measures
• Benchmarking
• Master Data Management (MDM)

DEVELOPMENT OF SLAS AND KPIS

• SLAs and Performance Goals
• Contents of the agreement
• SLA Requirements and Components
• KPIs and Scorecards

PERFORMANCE REPORTING AND METRICS

• Reporting
• Metrics

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Functional Performance Indicators
• Finance Metrics
• HR Metrics
• IT Metrics
• Procurement Metrics
• Continuous Improvement

Module 2: Placement & Process

The module addresses business processes and service management methods commonly used by shared services organisations. In this respect it will examine different methods used to manage and control shared services, explain end to end process mapping, and demonstrate the importance of standardising a business process. The module will also address the issues to be considered in effective management of shared services stakeholders and outline methods for effective service delivery.

Process sourcing will introduce the learner to strategies for captive vs outsourced sourcing, location selection and site build-out. The module will consider the development of a process sourcing strategy for GBS and the considerations behind the decision to use captive vs outsourced sourcing. Methodologies for location selection will be explored and best practices for facilities design will be considered.

In consideration of process design and enabling technology, the module will support the learner to understand high level process designs in the context of best practice for functional areas, the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs), the conduct of process migration and technology testing & migration and the development of priorities to improve process and technology.

Indicative Content

Service Placement

SERVICE PLACEMENT AND SCOPE

• Service Delivery Model: Service Placement and Scope
• GBS Centres
• GBS Maturity
• Developing a Service Placement Strategy
• Determining Placement Scope

OPTIONS FOR SERVICE PLACEMENT

• Design Variables
• Technology
• Technology: Corporate and Corporate Centres
• Planning Service Placement

HIGH LEVEL FRAMEWORK

• Service Placement Strategy
• Transactional vs Skills-based Processes
• Strategic Importance vs Nature of the Process
• Strategic Options Map
• The Service Placement Framework
• Decision Trees
• Process Splits

DETAILED PROCESS SPLITS

• High Level Service Placements
• Placement of Detailed Tasks
• GBS Interaction Model

MIGRATION APPROACHES

• Determine a Suitable Approach
• Standardise or Consolidate First
• Migration Approach Diagram
• Select Approach Using Risk and Process
• Evaluating a Transition Strategy
• Implementation Approaches
• Transformation Strategy and World-Class GBS

ASSESS READINESS

• Technological Readiness
• Organisational Readiness
• High Level Strategy for Organisation Change
• Business Transformation Story
• Legal and Statutory Constraints
• Location Specific Considerations

EVALUATING AND IMPROVING PERFORMANCE

• GBS Assessment
• Service Placement: Continuous Improvement
• Expansion of Process Placement
• The Future: Ongoing Trends
• Development Gaps

Process Sourcing

CAPTIVES AND BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING

• Process Sourcing and Location Decisions
• Captive and Outsourced Service Provision
• Choosing Between Captive and Outsourced
• Cost Savings and Payback Times
• Performance Differences
• Hybrid Solutions

SELECTING A LOCATION

• Methodology for selecting a location
• Location Selection
• Selection Methodology – Countries, criteria, weightings, deal breakers, country and city analysis
• Data and Analysis
• Practical Factors Affecting Location Decisions
• Analysis Criteria
• Summarising the Findings and Making a Final Decision

CURRENT TRENDS IN LOCATION SELECTION

• Central and Latin America, Emerging Regions, Central and Latin America, Asia Pacific, India, and Central and Eastern Europe

CHOOSING AND DESIGNING A SITE

• Site Selection Activities - Site Visits and Site Selection Worksteps
• Designing the Site - Ensuring a Professional Workplace, Workplace Environment, Technology Enablement, Management and Technological Framework, and Best Practice Space Design

Process Design and Enabling Technology

PROCESS DESIGN AND ENABLING TECHNOLOGY

• Principles of Good Process Design and Technology Usage
• Technology Best Practices
• Increasing Use of Enabling Technologies

BEST PRACTICE PROCESS DESIGN

• Process and Levels
• Process and Process Levels
• Process Maps
• Process Levels
• Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Benefits of Creating and Using SOPs
• Designing Processes and Process Design Principles

PROCESS MIGRATION AND TECHNOLOGY TESTING

• Process Migration and Process Migration Phases
• Acceptance Criteria and Recording Results

PROCESS AND TECHNOLOGY MATURITY

• Stabilisation and Control
• Stabilising Process and Technology
• Remediation Controls
• Change Controls
• Assessing Process and Technology Maturity
• Continuous Improvement

DMAIC

• Assessing Process and Technology Maturity
• Capability Maturity
• Continuous Improvement - By Function
• End-to-end Process Model
• 3 Dimensions of Process Ownership
• Project Prioritisation

Module 3: GBS Organisation & Governance

The first part of the module focuses on developing a GBS organisation model at a functional level. This includes designing a detailed GBS organisation model for functional areas and developing RACI charts for functional areas of GBS.

The second part of the module addresses governance in GBS organisations. Governance, in the context of GBS, is defined as: The processes and structures by which the GBS organisation, in order to deliver repeatable world class GBS services. It is central to setting strategic objectives and cohesive policies and procedures, providing consistent management guidance, and assigning roles and responsibilities and decision rights.

Indicative Content

Organisation

ORGANISATIONAL MODEL

• Integrating organisational models
• Influencing factors on organisational design

ORGANISATION CHARTS

• Detailed organisation structures
• GBS Centre Design
• Span of control

RACI ANALYSIS

• RACI - the Basics
• Designing RACI Charts

Governance

GOVERNANCE OPERATING MODELS

• GBS Organisation Models
• Functional GBS Models

GOVERNANCE OPTIONS

• Governance Components
• Customer Councils
• Process Councils

PROCESS OWNERSHIP

• 5-Step Approach
• RACI Responsibility Model for Process Ownership
• Process Owner Reporting Relationships

Module 4: Service & Transformation Management 1

This module addresses the key elements of service management and service pricing for GBS. The learner will examine how to manage supply and demand for services. Service operations will be considered in the context of talent management and service continuity management. The module will also cover the application of continuous improvement in the context of GBS.

The module also explores how to develop a transformation management strategy for process/functional areas. In this context the learner will be advised on how to prepare stakeholder management and communications plans to overcome challenges to change, and how to manage the project to implement a transformation.

Indicative Content

Service Management

SERVICE MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE PRICING

• The Service Management Framework
• Five Phases in the Service Management Framework
• Processes within the Service Management Framework
• GBS Service Management Capability Maturity Levels
• Service Strategy: Demand Management
• Service Strategy: Service Portfolio Management
• Service Strategy: Pricing Model

MANAGING SUPPLY AND DEMAND

• Service Catalogues
• Supply Management
• Management of SLAs

SERVICE OPERATION

• Basics of Service Operation
• Talent Management Details
• Service and Business Continuity
• Back-up Locations

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Align CI goals and Business Needs
• Managing the Customer Experience
• Knowledge Management
• Service management
• Job roles

Transformation Management

TRANSFORMATION

• What do we Mean by GBS Transformation?
• Phases in the Transformation Process
• Introduction to Implementation and Transition
• Establish Prerequisites and Main Deliverables
• Development of Work-streams
• Roadmap
• Sequencing Migration
• Managing Risk

MANAGING THE TRANSITION TO GBS

• Knowledge Transfer
• Cut-over
• Other Transition Management Considerations

STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT

• Managing Change
• Developing a Communications Plan
• Executing the Communications Plan

OPTIMISATION AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Optimising the GBS Transformation
• Optimisation: Service Monitoring Plan

Module 5: Strategic Operations Management

Strategic Operations management is a crucial component of any service organisation’s success or survival in the global market. Approaching this subject from a truly managerial perspective, this module develops to provide a clear and concise coverage, whilst the updated case study gives an opportunity to highlight practice and further explore the concepts and techniques.

Operations Management is changing and getting more challenging but it still requires a much more prominent profile in business management context. There are a few reasons for this. Managers have seen it as a tool to keep cost down, enhance potential to improve revenue, promote an appropriate allocation of capital resources and most importantly, develop capabilities that provide for future competitive advantage. The strategic impact of applying operations management techniques is vital now in shaping an organisation’s strategic direction. Moreover, the scope of operations management has been extended with internalisation. Global supply chain management has proven that no isolated operation can survive and the need for effective integration is the only way to say competitive. All of the aforementioned factors have implications on how to utilise operations management approaches in practice. This module has been designed with three separate emphases (principles, diagnosis, and practice) which are connected and serve one objective, which is to manage/improve both service and manufacturing industries. It also explores the strategic role of operations management in knowledge intensive ventures by tackling some of the critical ‘do’s’ and don’ts’ in operations, staring from concrete, real-life examples and argues for a solid connection between operations management and the strategy of the venture.

The aim of the module is to demonstrate that operation strategies can deliver competitive advantage. The module helps to build on the participant’s experience and understanding of operations in order to achieve more lean and flexible enterprises. It also enables them to gain a critical awareness of current strategic operations management problems and new insights of how to assess the risk associated with those issues in order to propose an effective business solution.

In addition, the module looks at some recent ideas that go beyond transactions based on operations management and that focus instead on optimisation.

Indicative Content

Operations Strategy

Operations and Processes; Operations Strategy; Performance Objectives; Integration of Functional Areas; Cross-functional Collaboration; Service Perspectives; Business Continutity Planning.

Operations Improvement

Lean Thinking; Agile Organisations; Theory of Constraints; Variability (sources, basics, and influence); Total Quality Management, Business Excellence; 6-Sigma

Design of Operations

Process Design; Supplier selection; Location Strategies; Outsourcing Strategies

Quality Management

Quality Management Standards; Quality Measures and Metrics

Module 6: Change Management and Team Planning

Change is notoriously difficult for individuals and teams. Becoming aware of the need for change and communicating the case for change is key to any successful change intervention. As it is very difficult to convince people that change is needed, it is incumbent on the leaders of any organization to identify the need for change, to make the case for change and to rally the logical, emotional, and political support of their stakeholders, including and in particular their staff, for the change initiative. The module is also concerned to help managers and to diagnose their own change management skills through utilization of a range of self - reflection exercises and tests. Those tests can in turn be used outside of class sessions by the programme participants within their own businesses as a means to auditing the change managements skills and deficits of their work colleagues.

The module will engage students with commonly faced issues when working in groups and teams in an attempt to equip them to become an effective team leader. Topics including the beginning of group and team formation, for example, team design, team composition and interpersonal dynamics will be considered. Students will learn the key processes that often occur when group and team members work together, including communication, problem solving and decision making, and conflicts. Towards the end of the module, students will recognise the outcomes that can be achieved as a result of group/team functioning, such as creativity and cohesion.

Central to success in GBS operations are the skills and talent available. In this context the module looks at talent management planning and recruitment.

Indicative Content

• Introduction to Change, Transformation and Organisation Development
• The Influence of Psychology on Attitudes toward Change and as Impact on Change Interventions
• Overcoming Resistance to Change
• Advanced Diagnostic Models and Organisational Analysis including designing data collection approaches and interpreting that data as influence on change intervention in organisations.
• Psychometric Assessments as Means of Personal (Self) and Organisational Measurement
• Seeing Change Through Kotter’s 8 Step Change Model
• Types of Groups and Teams
• Analysing Group Dynamics - Understanding how Teams Work
• Team Development – Tuckman Model
• Communicating within Teams
• Problem Solving within Teams
• Improving Decision Making within Teams
• Balancing Skills within a Team - Belbin’s Team Role Inventory
• Managing Groups and Teams for High Performance
• Talent Planning
• Talent Management Practices
• Tailored GBS Talent Management

To register for this course, please click on the following link: GBS - Post Graduate Certificate Registration Form.

Please note that a CV will be required to determine eligibility to this course and may be submitted by clicking on the following link: GBS - CV - Post Graduate Certificate