Situation: Penn was not able to realize savings on non-contract purchases of nearly $1 billion; purchasing decisions were being made by thousands of individual staff, faculty, and student workers without clear process guidelines; exceptions in accounts payable were mounting; customer-supplier relationships suffered.
Solution: Articus was engaged for a multi-year, multi-audience change initiative to:
- Conduct focus groups with representative stakeholders to gauge their current knowledge, need for future information and instruction, and optimal information delivery.
- Create an integrated, multi-year communications framework under which to introduce improved processes, communications, and training.
- “Slice” each process into steps, by role, and by function; house the information in an open-access knowledge base that pivots the information as needed (www.upenn.edu/p2p); support by in-depth “how-to” and training; measure improvements continually.
- Distribute supporting information through targeted e-cards, printed “step-by-step” brochures, and monthly presentations to business leaders at the different schools and centers.