Incentives for Shared Services: Multiserver Queueing Systems with Priorities

Problem definition: We study shared service whereby multiple independent service providers collaborate by pooling their resources into a shared service center (SSC). The SSC deploys an optimal priority scheduling policy for their customers collectively by accounting for their individual waiting costs and service-level requirements. We model the SSC as a multiclass [Formula: see text] queueing system subject to service-level constraints. Academic/practical relevance: Shared services are increasingly popular among firms for saving operational costs and improving service quality. One key issue in fostering collaboration is the allocation of costs among different firms. Methodology: To incentivize collaboration, we investigate cost allocation rules for the SSC by applying concepts from cooperative game theory. Results: To empower our analysis, we show that a cooperative game with polymatroid optimization can be analyzed via simple auxiliary games. By exploiting the polymatroidal structures of the multiclass queueing systems, we show when the games possess a core allocation. We explore the extent to which our results remain valid for some general cases. Managerial implications: We provide operational insights and guidelines on how to allocate costs for the SSC under the multiserver queueing context with priorities.

User Perception towards Ride hail Service: A case of Nagpur city, India

In recent times, there is an increase in the utilization of the ride-hail service (viz., mobile application-based shared service) by the younger generation due to tremendous changes in technology, extensive usage of smartphones, and perceived convenience during travelling. For evaluating ride-hail service further, it is necessary to understand the user perception towards the ride-hail service and public transportation system (viz., bus in this case) to efficiently plan the public transportation services. Hence, the present study analyzes user perception while making trips, using ride-hail service and public transport buses. A long stretch of 3.8 km has been selected in the Nagpur city for the study and the stretch attracts a good number of trips by ride-hailing and public transportation. To perform the analysis, a survey has been conducted in the stretch which includes an online survey (viz., based on the Google form) and an offline survey (viz., at selected bus stops on the route between university campus and shopping complex). A binary logit model has been developed to understand the user perception towards ride-hail service and to identify the significant contributing factors towards the preference of the ride-hail service over the public transport bus. From the model results, it has been noted that age, accessibility, waiting time, travel time, income, and travel cost of the trip are the most significant contributing factors that affect user decision for availing the ride-hail service. It has been concluded from the study that the inferences obtained would be useful in the direction of developing warrants for transport planners and policymakers to improve the service quality of public transport buses (viz., frequency and routes) in cities especially in the Indian context.

Relationship between Organizational Change and Employee Motivation, Employee Satisfaction and Employee Commitment: A Study with Special Reference to ABC Shared Service Center in Sri Lanka

Organizations are ever-changing and dynamic entities at today’s turbulent world of work. Organization change, which may or may not adhere to organizational development (OD) values and, in many cases, is not conducted through participatory methods. For the most part, downsizing via lowering costs and retrenching people has become synonymous with organizational change, causing fear among those who may be affected. Organizations are under increasing pressure to improve their abilities to increase employee support for change initiatives. Employees are critical to an organization’s efficiency and performance. Thus, it is crucial to look at change through the eyes of employees. If employees believe that the organizational change is not well conveyed to them, their motivation, satisfaction, and commitment is likely to be impaired, which could be counterproductive to the change process of the organization. As a result, it is important to figure out how the relationship between organizational change and employee motivation, satisfaction, and commitment, which is the purpose of this study. Since there is limited research on this phenomenon in the Sri Lankan context, this study aims to bridge the knowledge gap in the existing literature. To achieve the study’s objectives, a quantitative investigation was undertaken using positivist philosophy and the deductive approach. As a data collection approach, the survey questionnaire method was used. This study has a total sample size of thirty (whole employees of the selected organization). Survey data was analyzed using correlation analysis and descriptive analysis. Results clearly show that there is a significant positive relationship between organizational change and employee motivation, employee satisfaction and commitment in the ABC Shared Service Center in Sri Lanka. Further, the study reveals that employee satisfaction is the highest corelated dimension with the organizational change. Thus, the study conclude that organizationa

Shared Service Centers and Financial Performance of Panafrican Equipment Group in Kenya

Modern firms have realised the need to take advantage of the opportunities in the emerging markets the concept of centralisation and co sharing of service providers gave rise to Shared Services (SS) and Shared Services Centres (SSC). However, little has been done in sub-Saharan Africa. This study sought to address this gap. For this reason, this study seeks to by determine the effects of shared service centres and financial performance of pan African equipment group in Kenya. The study specifically determined the effects of procurement shared services, finance shared services, inventory management shared services and ICT shared services on financial performance of Pan African equipment group in Kenya. The study was anchored on three theories namely: Transaction Cost Economics Theory, Resource Based View Theory as well as Agency Theory. The study adopted descriptive research design on 137 top-level management staff from the four sectors (mining & mineral processing, civil and infrastructure, power and energy and agriculture & forestry) of operating Pan African equipment group in Kenya. For selecting a sample of 86 participants, stratified random sampling method was used. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data. The tool of studies was tested. The study used both face and content validity to assess the validity of the research tool while testing the accuracy of the research tool using the alpha (α) coefficient of Cronbach. The research considered a coefficient of 0.6 or more to be sufficient. Research information, including mean results, normal deviation and frequencies, was analysed using descriptive statistics. Analysis of conceptual material was also used for primary data analysis. Regression analysis was also used to analyse the effects finance shared services, inventory management shared services and ICT shared services on financial performance of Pan African equipment group in Kenya. Finally, the research considered ethical considerations where the permission to carry the study was obtained from the company and respective government bodies. The study concluded that Pan African Group significantly embraced procurement, finance, inventory management and ICT shared services. The study concluded that the firm by sharing procurement services it centralized and enhanced efficiency of purchases, pricing, supplier evaluation and quality control which contributed to peak performance. It was further concluded that to a significant extent finance shared services influenced financial performance of the firm. It was concluded that sharing of inventory management services at the firm enhanced effective and efficient inventory planning, costing, quantity and quality management and material optimization hence improving financial performance. It was concluded that database management, automation of processes, information security and network and facilities management services affected financial performance of the firm. It was recommended that enhancing more shared service centres will improve efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery and customer service.