Business Partnering: A Practical Handbook

by Steven Swientozielskyj

Overview

A Business Partner is a professional who supports and advises strategic and operational decision-making through insights that drive better business performance. Often as a result of external changes, business partners must respond quickly to map out the future strategic development, keep the firm competitive and ensure all objectives and legal requirements are met.

In this book, business partnering expert Steven Swientozielskyj introduces a framework that provides a set of practical tools and techniques via a simple six stage model that, when replicated, will take the practitioner from start to finish through strategic change; from the formation and agreement of the strategy to its delivery and sustainability.

Business Partnering is a one-stop shop for understanding this important phenomenon and as such will be vital reading for practitioners and academics in the business arena.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138907997
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/01/2016
Pages:	252
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Steven Swientozielskyj BA (hons ), FCMA, MBA, CGMA, is an international speaker and expert on world class improvements relating to complex service and change issues.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Context and Scope 1.2.1 Preparation stage 1.2.2 Engagement stage 1.2.3 Acceptance stage 1.2.4 Delivery stage 1.2.5 Change stage 1.2.6 Outcome stage 1.3 Historical and Current Context 1.3.1 The emergence of added value for partnering 1.3.2 The emergence of specialization 1.3.3 The emergence of the ‘business partner’ in current times 1.4 Definitions of Stakeholders and Business Partners 1.4.1 Stakeholder definition 1.4.2 Business partner definition 1.5 Functional Perspectives 1.5.1 The Human Resources perspective 1.5.2 The Finance perspective 1.5.3 The Procurement perspective 1.5.4 The Information technology perspective 1.5.5 Summary 1.6 Why is Business Partnering Important 1.6.1 Why is it important at an individual level 1.6.2 Why is it important at a functional level 1.6.3 Why is it important at an enterprise level 1.7 The Three Key Approaches: Control, service or advisory 1.7.1 The advisory style for business partnering 1.7.2 The service style for business partnering 1.7.3 The control style for business partnering 1.8 The Paradigms and Paradoxes of the General Model 1.8.1 The paradigms for the model 1.8.2 The paradoxes for the model 1.9 Summary 2. The Preparation Stage 2.1 Self-learning and Responsibility 2.1.1 Knowledge 2.1.2 Skills 2.1.3 Competence 2.2 The Initial Induction Process 2.2.1 Line manager roles and activities 2.2.2 Human Resources 2.3 Power of the Stakeholder 2.3.1 Expert power 2.3.2 Referent power 2.3.3 Information power 2.3.4 Legitimate power 2.3.5 Reward power 2.3.6 Coercive power 2.4 Personal and Stakeholder Team Assessments 2.4.1 Personal values and beliefs 2.4.2 Stakeholder team assessments 2.5 The Different Styles of Business Partnering 2.5.1 The regulator 2.5.2 The service provider 2.5.3 The change agent 2.5.4 The business advisor 2.5.5 Advantages for different styles of business partnering within an organization 2.5.6 Disadvantages for different styles of business partnering within an organization 2.5.7 The merging of styles 2.6 Appraising the Culture of the Organization 2.7 The Initial Organizational Situational Appraisal 2.7.1 PESTEL Model 2.7.2 The 5C model 2.8 Impact and Priority Matrix 2.9 Summary 3. The Engagement Stage 3.1 Setting Expectations for Models that can be Applied 3.2 Engagement Models 3.2.1 The contractual model 3.2.2 Service level agreements 3.2.3 The objective setting model 3.2.4 Laissez faire model 3.3 Setting Expectations 3.3.1. The contractual model 3.3.2 The service model 3.3.3 The objective setting model 3.3.4 Laissez faire model 3.4 The Softer Skills and Expectations of Stakeholders 3.4.1 Expectations 3.4.2 The ethical impact upon softer skills 3.5 Partnering from Within and Outside the Function 3.5.1 Internal and external stakeholders 3.5.2 The four primary placement models for a business partner 3.5.3 The changing business environment 3.6 Profiles and Features that Impact Business Partnering 3.6.1 Profiles of stakeholders that business partners may support 3.6.2 Features that impact the placement of business partners 3.7 Power in Relation to Engagement 3.8 The Alignment of Team and Corporate Goals 3.8.1 The RACI model 3.8.2 The PACSI model 3.8.3 Efficient and effective practice and their benefits 3.9 The Business Partnering Relationships within Matrix Frameworks 3.9.1 What is Matrix management 3.9.2 Advantages and disadvantages 3.9.3 Improving service delivery within a matrix framework 3.10 Summary 4. The Acceptance Stage 4.1 The Causes and Types of Conflict 4.1.1 Definitions of conflict 4.1.2 Sources and causes of conflict 4.2 Personality Conflicts and Resolving them 4.2.1 A context of conflict 4.2.2 Types of personal conflict 4.2.3 The assertive process 4.3 Management Models and Approaches to Conflict 4.3.1 The initial approach to conflict 4.3.2 Approaches and methods to deal with conflict 4.3.3 The transitions and resolutions of conflict 4.4 The Nine-position Model of Acceptance 4.5 The Acceptance of Different Thinking Styles 4.5.1 Negative thinking 4.5.2 Positive thinking 4.5.3 Different thinking styles 4.6 Acceptance of the Business Partner 4.6.1 Constraining negative traits in relation to acceptance 4.6.2 Enabling positive traits for acceptance 4.7 The Integration of the Business Partner to a Team 4.7.1 What are the team norms? 4.7.2 Establishment of Team/group norms 4.7.3 The grid for the Group/Team development stages 4.8 The Integration and Development of High Performing Team Members 4.8.1 The features of building a high performing team 4.8.2 The internal characteristic of high performing teams 4.9 The Integration of the Stakeholder’s Team with the Organization 4.10 Summary 5. The Delivery Stage 5.1 Business, Delivery and Operating Models 5.1.1 Overview of business, operating and delivery models 5.1.2 Diagnostics for defining the model type 5.1.3 Case study 5.2 Type and Definitions of Delivery 5.3 Constraints and Enablers for Delivery 5.3.1 Types of constraints 5.3.2 Constraints and enablers of delivery 5.3.3 Summary 5.4 Overview of Support Methods 5.5 SWOT 5.5.1 An overview of the model 5.5.2 Delivery considerations for the business partner 5.6 Risk Management 5.6.1 The drivers for risk management 5.6.2 Risk considerations for the business partner 5.7 4C Model 5.7.1 The balance across the 4C model towards targets 5.7.2 Cash 5.7.3 Compliance 5.7.4 Customer service 5.7.5. Cycle time 5.7.6. The summary of the 4C delivery model 5.7.7 Delivery considerations for the business partner 5.8 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 5.8.1 Outcomes 5.8.2 Delivery considerations for the business partner 5.9 Budgets 5.9.1 The basic of budgets 5.9.2 More complex budgeting processes 5.9.3 Delivery considerations for the business partner 5.10 Functional Methods of Delivering Outputs 5.10.1 Human Resources functional delivery examples 5.10.2 Procurement functional delivery examples 5.10.3 IT functional delivery examples 5.10.4 Finance functional delivery examples 5.11 The Distinction Between Delivery, Improve and Change 6. The Change Stage (Part 1 of 2) 6.1 Internal Versus External Pace of Change 6.2 What Causes Change and Why Does it Occur? 6.2.1 Strategic drivers of change 6.2.2 Tactical drivers of change 6.2.3 Operational drivers of change 6.3 Defining the Scale of Change 6.4 Change Summary 6.5 Benchmarking 6.5.1 Introduction 6.5.2 Why benchmark 6.5.3 The steps in benchmarking 6.5.4 External benchmarking 6.5.5 Internal company benchmarking 6.6 Balanced Scorecards 6.6.1 The functional perspective 6.6.2 The internal process perspective 6.6.3 The customer perspective 6.6.4 The learning and growth perspective 6.7 Technology Implementations 6.7.1 Business analysis 6.7.2 Business intelligence 6.7.3 Big data 6.7.4 Analytics 6.7.5 Case study 6.8 Project Management Planning 6.8.1 The basics of project planning 6.8.2 The project charter 6.8.3 Contents of a project plan 6.8.4 Gantt charts 6.8.5 Monitoring the plan 6.8.6 Closing out the project 6. The Change Stage (Part 2.2) 6.9 Types of Resistance to Change 6.9.1 Strategies in dealing with change at an individual level 6.10 The Enablers to Change 6.10.1 Managing expectations for change 6.10.2 How quickly will change be adopted 6.10.3 What are the key attributes and elements for change 6.11 Business Process Engineering 6.11.1 Inputs 6.11.2 Process 6.11.3 Outputs 6.11.4 Feedback Loops 6.11.5 Methods of improvement 6.12 Six Sigma and Lean Tools 6.12.1 What is Six Sigma 6.12.2 Key defined roles for six sigma 6.12.3 Summary for six sigma 6.12.4 Summary of the chapter 7. The Outcome Stage 7.1 Organizational Outcomes 7.2 Stakeholder Outcomes 7.3 Team Outcomes 7.4 Rewards 7.4.1Job satisfaction 7.4.2 Job enrichment 7.4.3 Job Enlargement 7.4.4 Increased motivation 7.5 Personal Development 7.6 Trust 7.6.1 The development of trust 7.6.2 Value 7.6.3 Predictability 7.6.4 Reciprocity 7.6.5 Vulnerability 7.7 Ethics 7.7.1 Fundamental principles 7.7.2 Threats, risks, and case study 7.8 Set up of a Business Partnering Programme 7.8.1 Models for establishing business-partnering programs 7.8.2 Proactive planned business-partnering programs 7.8.3 Concluding perspectives 7.9 Governance 7.9.1 Functional business partnering 7.9.2 Intra organizational business partnering 7.9.3 Inter- organizational 7.9.4 Additional features 7.10 Lessons Learned 7.11 Summary 8. The Final Recap 8.1 The Final Recap 8.2 Summary Points and Propositions by Chapter 8.2.1 Introduction 8.2.2 Prepare 8.2.3 Engage 8.2.4 Acceptance 8.2.5 Delivery 8.2.6 Change 8.2.7 Outcome 8.3 How to Become an Efficient and Effective Business Partner 8.4 Final Quote

Editorial Reviews

'Business Partnering captures the very best of Steve's own transformational and world-class experience and blends it with the latest research and success stories. Steve has made it available in a readily digestible way for all existing and aspiring practitioners. This wonderful resource is a 'must-have' for all business partners and indeed for anyone where multi-disciplinary teamwork is essential for success.' - David Murphy, Retired Head of HR Services, Network Rail, UK

'Business Partnering is a must read for professionals seeking to differentiate their practiced approach to increase the value of their outputs. This practical handbook has an abundance of concise evidential reference points from numerous theoretical models and frameworks that can be directly applied in the professional practices. The author has a leading edge view on business partnering and this handbook will be my go-to-guide for many years to come.' - Milgintas Milo Mazeika, Assistant Management Accountant, Mentee, United Kingdom

'Steve has uniquely brought together the various facets of business partnering and structured the content around a six stage general model. The combination of relevant research and techniques, together with Steve’s own real life case studies, provide an excellent guide for practitioners wishing to enhance their knowledge within organisations. This excellent book provides business partners with the insight necessary to make positive changes within their sphere of influence.' - Stephen J. Smith, Head of Finance Shared Services, Network Rail, UK

'The handbook of business partnering is an authorative guide for any professional who interacts with stakeholders. The general model provides a framework that all professionals can apply to a multitude of circumstances. I particularly enjoyed the sections on how to develop trust and how to deal with conflict. This sets a new standard and therefore a must read for those who interact with stakeholders.' - David Stanford, Vice President, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK

'Business Partnering is an excellent book which captures how to create a culture of excellence in todays highly competitive environment. By combining key areas into a 6 stage model, Steve has provided a real-life useable guide on how to improve organisational performance, teamwork and engagement. Applying Steve's framworks in my current workplace has already led to a number of success stories. This book will most definitely be by my side throughout my career.' - Samantha Risby, District Manager, Signet, UK

From the Publisher