Mapping the process of digital transformation in shared services centers: a scoping literature review

Since the 1990s, large corporations and governments have been adopting the shared services model to reduce costs, improve the quality of services, and better manage organizational knowledge. The application of emerging digital technologies in shared services centers (SSCs) like blockchain, Cloud Computing, and Data Analytics will have a profound impact. For this scoping review, following the PRISMA protocol, 106 studies were examined to map the terrain of studies on digital transformation in SSCs. Findings point toward an undue geographical bias where most literature comes from China, and a remarkable lack of studies is observed from Southern Europe, Latin America, and Africa. Studies were categorized into seven major technological domains: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (14 articles), Blockchain (9), Cloud Computing (24), Big Data and Data Analytics (25), ERP Systems (6), Robotic Process Automation (10) and Challenges in Digital Transformation and Construction of SSCs (24). This scoping review pinpoints significant research gaps in cybersecurity threats, data privacy, ethical AI regulation, and the role of Shared Services Centers (SSCs) in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Future studies should address these yet-to-be-explored niches and extend their theoretical and geographical boundaries. This article serves as a starting point to advise academics and practitioners on generating safe, ethical, and sustainable digital solutions for shared services. It emphasizes that subsequent research needs to draw on broader theoretical foundations and empirical observations from underrepresented regions to facilitate equitable and secure innovations in SSCs.