Patent Publication Number: US-2011054974-A1

Title: Allocation of resources across an enterprise

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the allocation of resources in an enterprise. More specifically, the present invention relates to computer assisted methods and computerized systems for collecting and analyzing data which assists in the allocation of resources across the enterprise. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Large enterprises typically include a number of different business units which may be organized or defined by function, location or both. One problem with large enterprises is the ability to allocate resources appropriately across numerous business units. This basic problem can occur regardless of the type of enterprise or the function of the different business units. 
     For example, consider the allocation of human resources across a global enterprise engaged in the life sciences industry. Numerous challenges may present themselves to human resources personnel. They challenges may include: availability of multiple skill levels and associated labor and diversity within the labor force; turnover and or the retention of staff; location attractiveness; seasonal considerations; presence and bargaining power of unions or work councils; stability of different governments and their legal frameworks; issues related to the number of separate countries and their respective languages, ethical and cultural complexity; number of products or product types and associated technology and marketing. Addressing these and other challenges requires sufficient resources, yet determining the amount of resources and types of resources required is elusive. Thus, efficient and effective allocation of resources is a difficult problem to address 
     Of course these and other similar problems may be encountered in other types of enterprises and for allocation of resources other than those associated with human resources. What is needed is a way to quantify resource needs to assist in the allocation of resources across an enterprise. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     A computer-assisted method for allocating resources across an enterprise to match needs for different business units across the enterprise. The method comprises defining business unit categories in a software system, wherein each of the business unit categories includes a plurality of business factors. Collecting data associated with the business factors. Defining the service levels in the software system. Forming an impact matrix to relate the service levels to the business factors. Analyzing the impact matrix using the software system to provide an analysis to assist in allocating resources, wherein the software system is executed on a computer. 
     An article of software stored on a computer readable medium and adapted for being executed on a computer to assist in allocating resources across an enterprise, the article of software adapted for: (1) defining business unit categories in a software system, each of the business unit categories including one or more business factors, (2) collecting data associated with the business factors, (3) defining service levels for the business factors, (4) forming an impact matrix to relate the service levels to the business factors, and (5) analyzing the impact matrix to provide an analysis to assist in allocating resources. 
     A computer-assisted method for allocating resources associated with Human Resources across an enterprise. The method comprises defining business unit categories associated with providing Human Resources to the enterprise and each of the business unit categories includes one or more business factors. Wherein the business unit categories comprise at least one of market complexity, market size, and market life cycle. Collecting data associated with the business factors, wherein the data comprises financial data and employment data. Defining service levels in the software system for the business factors by applying a scoring system to the service levels for the business factors. Forming an impact matrix to relate the service levels to the business factors; and analyzing the impact matrix using a software system to provide a gap analysis to assist in allocating the resources, wherein the software system being executed on a computer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flow chart providing an overview of one example of a method and system. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of the computer-assisted method. 
         FIG. 3  is a screen display associated with a business unit size category. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram associated with business complexity. 
         FIG. 5  is a chart showing the human resource core areas as they relate to core functions and processes. 
         FIG. 6  relates size of a business unit and core functions to service levels. 
         FIG. 7  relates life cycle of a business unit and core functions to service levels. 
         FIG. 8  is an impact matrix comparing business unit complexity to human resource core functions. 
         FIG. 9  is an impact matrix impact comparing a country to human resource core functions. 
         FIG. 10  is a chart showing a GAP analysis page as can be created by the computer software application based on GAP analysis concepts. 
         FIG. 11  is an overview page of the service level design. 
         FIG. 12  is an impact matrix overview comparing human resource core services to business factors. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Overview 
       FIG. 1  provides an overview of a computer-assisted method and system  10  for allocating human resources across an enterprise to match needs for different business units across the enterprise. A computer software application  12  executing on a computing device accepts data  20  related to specific business factors  18  for a plurality of business units  16 . The data  20  may include such data as the number of employees, the number of seasonal employees, revenue, sales data, and other information. 
     The plurality of business units  16  are filtered through a plurality of business unit categories  14 . Each business unit  16  also has predetermined service levels  28  which are entered into the computer software application  12 . The computer software application  12  merges the data  20  and service levels  28  into an impact matrix  22 . Reports  24  generated from the impact matrix  22  may be analyzed  26  by using GAP analysis or other types of analysis. Based on the reports  24  and analysis  26 , resource allocation  30  can be performed more accurately and efficiently across a plurality of regions  32 , a plurality of countries  34  and across business units  16 A,  16 B, and  16 C. 
       FIG. 2  provides a flow chart of the computer-assisted method. The first step for the computer-assisted method  40  is to define business categories  42 . Any number of business categories may be defined. Next in step  44 , data is collected. In step  46 , service levels are defined. In step  48 , an impact matrix is formed. In step  50 , the impact matrix is analyzed. Although the steps shown in  FIG. 2  are in a particular order, what is shown is merely one example of an ordering of steps. It is to be appreciated, for example, that the service levels may be defined before the data is collected, or these steps may be performed at the same time. 
     Different business units may require different human resources service levels. To assist in characterizing the requirements for different business units, business unit categories are established. Any number of business categories can be used. One example of a business unit category is business unit size.  FIG. 3  provides a screen display associated with a business unit size category. Business unit size may be described in various ways. As shown in  FIG. 3 , business unit size is characterized by both revenue and headcount. A “very big size” business unit  56 A has revenue larger than x and headcounts greater than a. A “big size” business unit  56 B has revenue less than x and headcounts less than a. A “medium size” business unit  56 C has revenue greater than y and less than x, and headcounts greater than b and less than a. A “small size” business unit  56 D has revenue greater than z and less than y and headcounts greater than c and less than b. A “very small size” business unit  56 E has revenue less than z and headcounts less than c. The values for variables x, y, z, a, b, and c can be whatever fits a specific organization&#39;s requirements. In addition, other measures may be used in calculating business unit size. 
     Another example of a category is business unit complexity. Business unit complexity may include a number of business factors related to complexity.  FIG. 4  provides a screen display associated with the collection of data regarding business unit complexity. Business unit complexity  52  may be described through use of a number of different business factors. Examples of such factors may include talent availability  18 A, business model/number of functions  18 B, political situation  18 C, product mix  18 D, and geography and language  18 E and their inter-relationships. Talent availability factor  18 A may relate to the skills and/or labor needed, diversity of staff, turnover and/or retention of staff, and location attractiveness. Note that each of these factors may have a corresponding score  28  such as a score from 1 to 3 as shown in  FIG. 4 . The scores  28  are associated with a particular service level. Service levels are a measure of resources provided to or allocated to a business unit due to the business factors associated with the business unit. The use of service levels is described in greater detail later herein. 
     To understand how service levels can be used to describe resources, consider how the operations of the business unit can be described through identifying core areas as well as related core functions and processes.  FIG. 5  is a chart showing the human resource core areas as they relate to core functions and processes. Service levels may be designed around human resources core areas  94 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The human resource core areas  94  may include talent management  118 , total rewards  120 , and service delivery  122 . Each core function may have a related process. Each process may also have a related sub-process. Service level design criteria are assigned to the core functions through the development of the related processes. For example, each process and related sub-process may be assigned a level of 1 to 3. Whereby service level 1 is basic or foundational, service level 2 is intermediate, and service level 3 is advanced. A detailed service level catalog or database may be used to store values for analysis. Note that although levels 1 to 3 are used throughout, this is merely one example of a range of service levels which may be defined. Instead, different scales for assigning service levels may be assigned, including but not limited to scales of 1 to 4, 1 to 5, 1 to 10, or 1 to 100. In addition, the numbers assigned need not be integer values but may be real numbers instead. 
     The specific core areas, core functions, and processes may depend upon the type of enterprise, the type of resources being allocated, and other considerations. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the human resource core area talent management  118  is a first core area and may include the human resource core functions of talent acquisition  64 , talent development  66 , performance management  68 , employee relations  70 , and organizational effectiveness  72 . The human resource core area total reward  120  may include human resource core functions such as benefits  74 , compensation  76 , preventative health  78 , and reward and recognition  80 . Benefits  74  is a core function which may multiple processes. Examples of such processes may include: design and administration; severance; relocation; and pension. Processes severance, relocation, and, pension may have only one service level. 
     Each of the core functions may include any number of associated processes. For example, talent acquisition  64  is a core function with processes which may include: assessment and selection; diversity and affirmative action; workforce planning; new employee orientation and on-boarding; employment branding; interviewing, applicant tracking, pre-employment testing, background checks, personality assessment; and recruitment. Applicant tracking and interviewing may be sub-processes under the assessment and selection process. 
     Talent development  66  is a core function with various processes. The processes may include: team development; employee development individual contributor development; people/process leader development; business/functional leader development; supervisory development; leadership development; succession management; career development; competency model, process, tools for core and business use; mentoring; coaching; career patching; top talent management; track and report training (learning solution); and functional skills development (sales and marketing). 
     Service levels may be assigned to different core processes and functions. The service levels being indicative of levels or amounts of resources for performing core processes or functions. For example, consider services levels for talent development  66 . A service level 1 may include basic team building through activities and foundational team essentials training. This service level of talent development may be focused on team producing at an acceptable level. It may include team events which are more social in nature and involve limited team effectiveness training and assessment. A service level 2 may include intermediate team building which includes service level 1 and also limited team effectiveness and working style assessment. It may be focused on teams producing at a raised bar level or in a team change environment. A service level 3 may describe service associated with advanced team building and may include service level 2 and also intense team effectiveness and working style assessments. It may be focused on teams producing in a raised bar and uncharted developmental area in a team change environment. 
     Performance management  68  is a core function which may include any number of associated processes. Examples of such processes may include: performance planning; performance review; performance assessment; performance coaching/correction; and, calibration (performance rating and merit compensation). Processes performance planning, performance review, and performance coaching/correction may have only one service level. 
     Employee relations  70  is a core function which may include processes such as employee relations and ethics, exit interviews; compliance, progressive discipline, and human resource policy development. Processes employee relations and ethics, exit interviews, compliance, and progressive discipline need only have one service level. 
     Organizational effectiveness  72  is a core function which may include processes such as: workforce classification; change management; human resource data and reporting; job management; position management; voice of employee surveys; and organizational design. 
     Benefits  74  is a core function which may include any number of processes. Compensation  76  is a core function which may include processes such as global job grading; administration, system, design and build; salary planning; annual compensation base pay optimization (return on investment of salary productivity metric); out-of-salary; and job evaluations. 
     Preventative health  78  is a core function which may include processes such as employee assistance programs (EAP), disability management, return to work, and; education. These processes may have only one service level. 
     Reward and recognition  80  is a core function. One example of a process associated with reward and recognition  80  may be service award administration and other non-cash programs. 
     Different service levels may be assigned to different core functions and processes associated with human resources.  FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate how service levels may be defined for different business categories or business functions.  FIG. 6  illustrates a table  62  which may be constructed within a software application which defines services level for different human resource core functions based on size. In  FIG. 6 , the sizes “very big”  56 A, “big”  56 B, “medium”  56 C, “small”  56 D, and “very small”  56 E are related to talent acquisition  64 , talent development  66 , performance management  68 , employee relations  70 , organizational effectiveness  72 , benefits  74 , compensation  76 , preventative health  78 , and reward and recognition  80 . Note that a service level between 1 and 3 is assigned for HR core functions based on size. In  FIG. 7 , table  82  defines service levels for different human resource functions for product life cycles. 
       FIG. 8  provides one example showing an impact matrix  84  which summarizes business unit complexity categories talent availability  18 A, business model/number of functions  18 B, political  18 C, product mix  18 D, and geography and language  18 E to human resource core functions talent acquisition  64 , talent development  66 , performance management  68 , employee relations  70 , organization effectiveness  72 , benefits  74 , compensation  76 , preventative health  78 , and reward and recognition  80 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an impact matrix  86  which summarizes relationships between different business unit categories country A-F ( 92 A- 92 F) to human resource core functions talent acquisition  64 , talent development  66 , performance, management  68 , employee relations  70 , organization effectiveness  72 , benefits  74 , compensation  76 , preventative health  78 , and reward and recognition  80 . Note that in the impact matrix shown in  FIG. 9 , both a required level as determined by the assignment of service levels as well as the current level are shown.  FIG. 9  also indicates where gaps exist between the current level of service and the appropriate level of service for a particular business unit. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a sample GAP analysis screen display  100  generated by the computer software application  12 . The GAP analysis screen display  100  shown is for a gap analysis for a country for human resource core areas. Note that core areas  102  are shown in the left column. Examples of the core areas include talent management  118 , total rewards  120 , and human resource service delivery  122 . To the right of the core areas  102  are the core functions  96 , then current capability  104 , required capability  106 , gap  108 , gap specific needs  110 , gap location  112 , action required  114 , and timeline  116 . 
     The gap specific needs  110  may be, for example and without limitation, capabilities (skills), resources (number of people), available tools, budget, and process. The gap location may be a location, country, or region. 
     The screen display  100  in  FIG. 10  not only shows the gaps between currently capability and required capability, but also provides a numeric measure of the gap, so the size of the gap is quantified. In addition, the software application allows a user to indicate what the gap specific needs are, such as be selecting from a combo box or list. The software application also allows a user to select the gap location, specify action required, and provide a time line. Thus, the gap analysis may be used to manage resource allocation across an enterprise by first identifying what the gaps are and then how to address them. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a screen display from the software application which allows a user to select that they wish to enter ratings for their country, review service levels, or review a gap analysis. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a screen display showing the impact of various business factors, including business size, business growth, and complexity on human resources core functions. 
     In operation, representatives from each business unit may provide data regarding their business unit directly into a computer software application or else such data may be obtained otherwise. The service levels may be defined by the group responsible for management of resources. The software application allows the impact matrix to be formed to relate the service levels to the business factors. The software application may also assist in analyzing the impact matrix, such as through gap analysis as well as suggesting or recording changes in resource allocation based on that analysis. 
     Although specific examples have been provided in the context of a plant science enterprise, numerous variations, alternatives, and options are contemplated. These include for example, the type of enterprise, variations in the number of business units, variations in the services matched to individual business needs, variations in the service level design, and other variations. It is to be further appreciated that although the methods and systems described herein are useful in the context of human resources, other business units within an enterprise may be similarly evaluated and managed.