Joined-up Government

Joined-up government is a public administration model, originating in the UK in the late 1990s, that emphasizes horizontal coordination and information sharing across departmental silos to tackle complex, 'wicked' problems that no single agency can solve alone. For enterprises, this concept translates into Integrated Risk Management (IRM). While not a formal standard itself, its principles are deeply embedded in frameworks like ISO 22301:2019 (Business Continuity Management), which requires an organization to understand its context and the needs of interested parties (Clause 4), necessitating a holistic, cross-functional view. It also aligns with ISO 31000:2018 (Risk Management), which advocates for risk management to be integrated into all organizational processes, not operated in isolation.

Enterprises apply the joined-up government concept to break down internal silos and build holistic organizational resilience. Key implementation steps include: 1) Establishing a cross-functional risk committee with representatives from operations, IT, legal, finance, and supply chain to collectively assess systemic risks. 2) Implementing an integrated risk information platform (e.g., a GRC system) to consolidate disparate risk registers and business impact analysis (BIA) data, ensuring a single source of truth for decision-making. 3) Conducting integrated crisis exercises that simulate complex scenarios (e.g., a cyber-attack combined with a supply chain failure) to test and refine cross-departmental response protocols. A leading Taiwanese electronics manufacturer successfully reduced its supply chain disruption recovery time by 25% after implementing such an integrated resilience task force.

Taiwanese enterprises often face three primary challenges when implementing a joined-up approach: 1) **Silo Mentality & Conflicting KPIs**: Departments prioritize their own metrics, creating disincentives for cross-functional collaboration. The solution is for top management to introduce shared KPIs, such as overall business service uptime or enterprise-wide risk reduction targets. 2) **Incompatible IT Systems**: Legacy systems hinder the data sharing necessary for an integrated risk view. A phased data governance project, starting with critical business processes, is the recommended solution. 3) **Lack of Sustained Sponsorship**: Executive support may wane if short-term results are not visible. To counter this, establish a permanent, high-level steering committee led by the CEO or a board member to ensure long-term commitment and resource allocation.

Winners Consulting specializes in implementing joined-up governance principles for risk and continuity management within Taiwan enterprises. We have a proven track record, helping over 100 companies establish ISO 22301 and ISO 31000 compliant integrated management systems within 90 days. Request a free consultation: https://winners.com.tw/contact