Achieving Operational Excellence Through Business Process Outsourcing While cost pressures continue to drive business process outsourcing (BPO) decisions, companies increasingly seek improvement in business outcomes and transformative advantages when outsourcing finance...16 Jul 2008 | (Thinking Point)
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- Case Studies (18)
- Interviews (19)
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Making Gainsharing Work
How to Create, Cultivate and Maintain the Business of Innovation in an Outsourcing Arrangement14 Jul 2008 | (Thinking Point)
The Top 10 Problems With Outsourcing Implementations (And How to Overcome Them)
Using Industry-Leading Change Management and Governance Practices to Achieve Outsourcing Success20 May 2008 | (Thinking Point)
Outsource and Survive
The Outsourcing Institute outlines four distinct outsourcing drivers for the next stage of BPO.08 Apr 2008 | (Thinking Point)
Service Improvement – A Shared Responsibility
Rachel Anderson of Alsbridge Europe outlines the dual responsibility of service improvement.08 Apr 2008 | (Thinking Point)
Retained Organisation – The Importance of Getting It Right
Rachel Anderson of Aslbridge Europe makes an argument for effectively designing your retained organisation,...08 Apr 2008 | (Thinking Point)
Service Provider M&A – Change of Control Doesn’t Have to Mean Loss of Control
The outsourcing service provider market has experienced a steady stream of mergers and acquisitions (M&As)...08 Apr 2008 | (Thinking Point)
Defining Business Process Outsourcing
As the business process outsourcing (BPO) market continues to mature and globalize, EquaTerra reminds...08 Apr 2008 | (Thinking Point)
Impact of Web 2.0 on Outsourcing
The Outsourcing Center describes how the adoption of Web 2.0 will impact outsourcing.07 Feb 2008 | (Thinking Point)
Agile Multi-Sourcing: A Critical Business Trend
Agile multi-sourcing, an innovative discipline that reflects the evolution and maturation of the outsourcing...07 Feb 2008 | (Thinking Point)
Four Required Skills for the Client’s Retained Organization
Once you have decided to outsource, what skills are required for the retained staff?28 Jan 2008 | (Thinking Point)
What Outsourcing Suppliers Need From Their Clients
The focus of most research and articles dealing with outsourcing is on how the client can get the best...02 Jan 2008 | (Thinking Point)
What is Strategic Sourcing?
This TPI paper describes strategic sourcing, proposes a standard set of definitions, explains what distinguishes...07 Dec 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Innovation is Not Process Improvement
TPI’s view on innovation and suggested changes in how innovation is discussed and applied through outsourcing...07 Dec 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Optimizing Value from the Start
Optimizing Value from the Start
By Craig D. Nelson,
Director, Alsbridge Americas
Once management...20 Nov 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Outsourced Versus Captive Solutions for Capturing Value from Offshoring
Comparison of Outsourced and Captive Solutions for Capturing Value from Offshoring31 Oct 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Everest: BPO Innovation
Everest reports that innovation is outsourcing's new buzz word. However, it's a lot easier to talk about...05 Oct 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Everybody Wins: The impact of outsourcing on an organization's workforce
When globalizing companies send production abroad, do workers at home always lose out? Not in Germany,...03 Oct 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Outsourcing 2.0: The new outsourcing and what it means to you
Read about the Outsourcing Institute's breakthrough research on the direction of the outsourcing industry...27 Sep 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Nine Factors for Great Governance
EquaTerra identifies the nine critical contributors to outsourcing governance success.27 Sep 2007 | (Thinking Point)
How to Design and Deploy a Global Service
The business and information technology services markets are becoming increasingly globalized. The majority...29 Aug 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Deployment of Sourcing Strategy: What Comes First – Fix or Move?
A common dilemma that organizations confront with pursuing sourcing strategies is whether to fix existing...15 Jun 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Alsbridge advises renegotiating an outsourcing contract may be less expensive option than issuing new RFP
Renegotiation is rapidly moving up the sourcing agenda. As outsourcing markets mature, and supplier competition...30 Apr 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Outsourcing – it’s the doing, not the deal, that really counts
Outsourcing initiatives typically have a disproportionate focus on the glamour and excitement of the...16 Apr 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Restructuring outsourcing agreements: An indication of failure, or a tool to increase value?
This research report from TPI uncovered a number of interesting revelations about the nature of outsourcing...12 Apr 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Secrets of offshoring success
One of the first rigorous, peer reviewed examinations of offshoring best practices.11 Apr 2007 | (Thinking Point)
How to redefine your outsourcing contract through renegotiation
What is outsourcing contract renegotiation, what is driving its growing importance, and how can you take...08 Apr 2007 | (Thinking Point)
[SharedXpertise Essentials] Outsourcing deals: Failing to succeed
There comes an inflection point in most outsourcing deals when failure is a real possibility. What can...29 Mar 2007 | (Thinking Point) |
[SharedXpertise Essentials] When offshoring and outsourcing disappoint
Often executive management initiates the implementation of wholesale global services delivery as a proxy...19 Mar 2007 | (Thinking Point) |
[SharedXpertise Essentials] Everything I learned about outsourcing I learned in Kindergarten
The rules we grow up intuitively understanding eventually fade away into distant memories. The same principle...09 Mar 2007 | (Thinking Point) |
The implications of offshoring for metropolitan economies
An examination of service offshoring forecasts higher than average job losses in twenty-eight U.S. metropolitan...01 Mar 2007 | (Thinking Point)
New report a wake-up call to outsourcing providers
A recent report from specialist outsourcing advisors Morgan Chambers suggests that the world of outsourcing...21 Feb 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Drive value with outsourcing management tools
Much is discussed in the marketplace about outsourcing management and governance (OM/G). OM/G is a critical...13 Feb 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Why and how outsourcing management and governance is critical to outsourcing success
Outsourcing management and governance, OM/G, is a critical and fundamental - but often misunderstood...08 Feb 2007 | (Thinking Point)
The last ten years in IT outsourcing contract structuring
What’s new in the last ten years in contract structuring for state and local government outsourcing...11 Jan 2007 | (Thinking Point)
Lessons for service providers: Fair Labor Standards Act in outsourcing
The recent IBM settlement of a class action lawsuit involving alleged wage law violations under the Fair...04 Jan 2007 | (Thinking Point)
'No-one ever sues on an outsourcing contract'
Unfortunately outsourcing relationships occasionally fail which sometimes results in irreconcilable differences....12 Dec 2006 | (Thinking Point)
[SharedXpertise Essentials] “Why don’t they understand me?” – Resolving outsourcing deal pitfalls
How is it that sophisticated organizations and people misunderstand each other? Even simple things can...01 Dec 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Are you Capable?
The greatest barrier to achieving sustainable benefit from global services may be in your own back yard....28 Nov 2006 | (Thinking Point) |
Preparing for outsourcing
The outsourcing marketplace is clearly trending toward “transformational outsourcing.” And with service...28 Nov 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Organizational impacts of outsourcing: Instituting outsourcing management competency
Instituting outsourcing management competency is not easy. Most, if not all, companies have trouble getting...28 Nov 2006 | (Thinking Point)
World-class buyers (pt. II): Getting more robust value propositions
Smart buyers are demanding more business value from outsourcing suppliers to improve performance, profitability,...17 Nov 2006 | (Thinking Point) |
[SharedXpertise Essentials] The rise of the 'Smart Client'
While much has been written about the failure of business process outsourcing (BPO) initiatives, most...17 Nov 2006 | (Thinking Point) |
Outsourcing vs. establishing captive facilities offshore
The choice between outsourcing or operating a captive facility for call center services, non-voice customer...09 Oct 2006 | (Thinking Point)
World-class buyers: Getting more value-added proposals
Today’s buyers of outsourcing services have to provide bidders with more complete and detailed RFP...09 Oct 2006 | (Thinking Point) |
[SharedXpertise Essentials] Buy wholesale sell retail - even in outsourcing
Buying business processes wholesale from an outsourcer and selling retail — to the client — is more...15 Sep 2006 | (Thinking Point) |
Call centers are passé: Outsourcing shops are moving fast into higher-paying businesses
As India's top companies get more sophisticated at taking over outsourced work from U.S. and European...01 Sep 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Take the sting out of the tail-end of a deal
Even good IT deals can go awry, typically through services no longer meeting a customer’s needs, services...29 Jun 2006 | (Thinking Point)
New rules put outsourced staff rights in the spotlight
When looking at an IT outsourcing deal, it may not be immediately apparent how employees are going to...25 Jun 2006 | (Thinking Point)
All good things come to an end – How to avoid the exit sting
Recent news that UK grocers Sainsburys have taken a £63 million hit to last year’s accounts due to...22 Jun 2006 | (Thinking Point)
SME's overlook outsourcing benefits
All too often, however, the positive effects of outsourcing information technology (IT) and human resources...15 Jun 2006 | (Thinking Point)
An outsider's view on whether to use a sourcing advisor
In our capacity as counsel to Global 1000 companies in sourcing transactions, we are frequently asked...08 Jun 2006 | (Thinking Point)
The 'O' word: Why are retailers scared of offshoring?
‘Made in China’. These 3 short words demonstrate that when it comes to sourcing low cost goods, retailers...28 May 2006 | (Thinking Point)
It's what the CIO doesn't know that hurts
Most CIO’s I talk with have not used good techniques for creating the outsourcing deal. It is the deal...19 May 2006 | (Thinking Point)
[SharedXpertise Essentials] Beyond the curve
“Outsourcing or offshoring one or more business processes = guaranteed business
transformation.”...16 May 2006 | (Thinking Point) |
[SharedXpertise Essentials] Optimum outsourcing: The engine for business model innovation and maximum business performance
Outsourcing as a business strategy has reached a new plateau. Combining and concentrating the simultaneous...12 May 2006 | (Thinking Point) |
Blame it on the regulators
There is no shortage these days of news video of well-dressed people being marched into a courthouse...02 May 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Multi-process outsourcing: New opportunities & new challenges
Anyone who has been involved in an information technology (IT) outsourcing transaction knows that such...16 Apr 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Outsourcing checkmate - Business transformational outsourcing
Outsourcing has long been regarded as a successful way for organizations to cut costs and focus on their...14 Apr 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Delivering effective presentations
The presentation team has to build interest and excitement about the firm’s outsourcing solutions....02 Apr 2006 | (Thinking Point) |
Writing effective proposals
The written proposal has to be a powerful sales document that communicates key sales messages and really...02 Apr 2006 | (Thinking Point) |
Capturing the full cost benefits of offshoring
Capturing the full cost benefits of offshoring requires a thorough and comprehensive process that must...01 Apr 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Managing risk in IT outsourcing - Part V
Now that you have executed a contract and established the overall legal framework within which your company...18 Mar 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Why outsourcing deals fail - It starts with how you buy
Why don't outsourcing deals, particularly complex, high-value business process outsourcing (BPO) deals,...16 Mar 2006 | (Thinking Point)
BPO - What can go wrong?
Business process outsourcing deals are complex to construct and require focused management attention...12 Mar 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Managing risk in IT outsourcing - Part IV
After choosing your outsourcing partner it becomes time to establish the contractual framework that the...01 Mar 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Managing risk in IT outsourcing - Part III
After developing an overall IT Outsourcing strategy and distributing an RFP to seek potential partners,...19 Feb 2006 | (Thinking Point)
What is wrong with the BPO contracting process?
In dreamy moments, the mind of an outsourcing lawyer wanders to the mythical perfect negotiation process,...18 Feb 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Sourcing strategies: The first step
Sourcing issues are the greatest challenges in today’s business world. What the company truly spends...08 Feb 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Managing risk in IT outsourcing - Part II
Managing project risk is a process of identifying potential failure points in a plan, determining the...31 Jan 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Managing risk in IT outsourcing - Part I
When evaluating a proposed solution for outsourcing all or part of an organization’s IT functions,...19 Jan 2006 | (Thinking Point)
A better approach to vendor selection
Historically, buyers of outsourcing services (and their sourcing advisors) have followed a fairly standard...08 Jan 2006 | (Thinking Point)
Outsourcing alone won't save GM
GM has responded to its severe financial crisis by seeking increased efficiency through outsourcing....28 Dec 2005 | (Thinking Point) |
Offshoring by industry leaders
Each of the companies profiled below has taken a different approach to offshoring, but one universal...01 Dec 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Onshore, Nearshore, Offshore - Rightshore
Cost pressures on all organizations have become overwhelming. For the past
two years, organizations...25 Oct 2005 | (Thinking Point)
The reality for business process outsourcing in finance & accounting value creation in the back office
Cost pressures on all organizations have become overwhelming. For the past two
years, organizations...20 Oct 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Offshoring: all your questions answered
Interview with Paul Morrison and Macia Meritxell, both from Alsbridge, about what is offshoring.16 Oct 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Negotiation tips for successful outsourcing contracts and relationships
Baker & McKenzie, a global law firm who has negotiated their fare share of outsourcing contracts, recently...22 Sep 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Transformational Business Process Outsourcing
Outsourcing is a well-marked path to efficiency and major cost-savings. But
many of today’s CEOs are...28 Jul 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Bundled outsourcing: proceed with caution
by Samuel Greengard - Business Finance
Combining IT outsourcing and business process outsourcing initiatives...10 Jul 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Consequential and direct losses in the BPO environment
In any BPO project one of the issues that is guaranteed to excite both provider and customer is the scope...27 Jun 2005 | (Thinking Point)
How to stop BPO attrition
The business process outsourcing industry in India is growing at a phenomenal pace. Exports were worth...25 Jun 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Taking charge: what is the CIO's role in BPO?
At the start of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island's outsourcing contract with Perot Systems, the...14 Jun 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Why offshore outsourcing projects fail
We have all heard of outsourcing projects, particularly those that involve offshore, that have failed....23 May 2005 | (Thinking Point)
BPO: The new alchemy or fool’s gold?
Listening to the sales pitches of the leading Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) suppliers, one would...12 May 2005 | (Thinking Point)
How dangerous is outsourcing?
Uh-oh. From hundreds of miles away in all directions, I can hear the collective inhale from the critics...13 Apr 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Top 20 trends shaping the global BPO marketplace - part 1, BPO trends 1 – 10
By Joe Vales and Danielle Vales
The BPO market for the past several years has evolved from a high...24 Feb 2005 | (Thinking Point) |
A market In transformation – Top 20 trends shaping the global BPO marketplace – Part 2
We see 20 trends shaping the global BPO marketplace over the next three years. This Part II ‘Thinking...24 Feb 2005 | (Thinking Point) |
Hewlett-Packard diversification, post Fiorina
With HP obviously considering all paths before it in the wake of Carly Fiorina's exit as CEO, the company...15 Feb 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Cyber crime and BPO
When William Sutton, the infamous bandit, was asked why he robbed banks, his answer was simple. “Because...18 Jan 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Don't make price the bottom line
Does driving the absolute best deal possible always make your firm the winner? When it comes to sourcing,...18 Jan 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Employees can benefit from outsourcing
Although a company's move to outsourcing can sometimes strike fear in employees who see their jobs as...13 Jan 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Executives share insights
While many companies attempt to cut costs by simply moving work to an offshore outsourcer, the formula...13 Jan 2005 | (Thinking Point)
Can outsourcing facilitate development?
While US presidential candidates seemed eager to condemn the loss of American jobs to off-shoring none...15 Dec 2004 | (Thinking Point)
Why outsourcing isn’t really the issue
In the Age of Globalization, outsourcing becomes just another way for U.S. companies to remain competitive...04 Nov 2004 | (Thinking Point)
Outsourcing has a place in business
The 50 Best Jobs In America." That was the headline on a men's magazine I saw the other day. Sadly, business-technology...02 Nov 2004 | (Thinking Point)
Insourcing vs Outsourcing
Outsourcing holds the promise of flexibility and profitability. But there may be disadvantages that are...02 Nov 2004 | (Thinking Point)
Is outsourcing on the outs?
Not really, but companies are taking a closer look at whether it's worth it.25 Sep 2004 | (Thinking Point)
Successful proposal strategies VI: winning the business
By Joe Vales and Gil Parker
This article is the sixth in a series of articles on Successful Proposal...19 Sep 2004 | (Thinking Point) |
CNN's Lou Dobbs slams outsourcing
Exporting America: Why Corporate Greed Is Shipping American Jobs Overseas, by Lou Dobb
Look out, Silicon...16 Aug 2004 | (Thinking Point)
Riding the outsourcing tideContract manufacturing is as much about IT as it is about business model
By Ephraim Schwartz
Contract manufacturing -- that is, owning the brand but outsourcing the manufacturing...16 Aug 2004 | (Thinking Point)
When the customer is always wrong
Vendors always get the brunt of the criticism when technology projects go wrong, and why not? After all,...10 Aug 2004 | (Thinking Point)
The coming wave of real estate outsourcing
By Joe Vales and John Maher
CRE Outsourcing Growth Ahead. Corporate real estate (CRE) outsourcing...10 Aug 2004 | (Thinking Point) |
The Business Council of Australia supports overseas outsourcing
The Business Council of Australia has tried to ease fears about the effect on local jobs and pay of the...15 Jul 2004 | (Thinking Point)
Successful proposal strategies VII: re-proposals
By Joe Vales and Gil Parker
This article is the seventh in a series of articles on Successful Proposal...12 Jul 2004 | (Thinking Point) |
The non-threat that is outsourcing
Jobs lost by outsourcing are offset by jobs created by insourcing and by purchases of industrial countries'...09 Jun 2004 | (Thinking Point)
6 steps for building market share
Marketers throughout the globe are pursuing new business opportunities as the IT services market begins...03 Feb 2004 | (Thinking Point) |
Successful proposal strategies V: oral presentations
By Joe Vales and Gil Parker
This article is the fifth in a series of five articles on Proposal Strategies...06 Jan 2004 | (Thinking Point) |
Successful proposal strategies IV: written proposals
By Joe Vales and Gill Paker
This article is the fourth in a series of five articles on Proposal Strategies...15 Dec 2003 | (Thinking Point) |
The truth about BPO
BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) can be defined simply as: Contracting with an external organisation...05 Dec 2003 | (Thinking Point)
Relationship management best practices
In my last column, we talked about some of the most common areas of outsourcing relationship management...01 Dec 2003 | (Thinking Point) |
11 steps to successful outsourcing: a contrarian's view
During the past few years, we've been bombarded with news of outsourced call centers, help desks, testing,...09 Oct 2003 | (Thinking Point)
Outsourcing the internal audit function: a South African perspective
The recent Enron case has highlighted a number of concerns in the press about the independence of the...02 Sep 2003 | (Thinking Point)
Maximising outsourcing ROI
Return on investment is the first thing that’s expected in outsourcing. But it’s not just about cost-cutting...02 Sep 2003 | (Thinking Point)
Where are the value propositions?
Is the marketing discipline dead in most firms in the IT/BPO services/sourcing communities? The answer...02 Sep 2003 | (Thinking Point) |
Successful proposal strategies I: targeting/planning
By Joe Vales and Gil Parker
This article is the first in a series of five articles on Successful Proposal...02 Sep 2003 | (Thinking Point) |
Successful proposal strategies II: strategy development
By Joe Vales and Gil Parker
This article is the second in a series of five articles on Proposal Strategies...02 Sep 2003 | (Thinking Point) |
Successful proposal strategies III: sales cycle activities
By Joe Vales and Gil Parker
This article is the third in a series of five articles on Successful...02 Sep 2003 | (Thinking Point) |
Relationship management: alignment pitfalls
by Mike Beals, Relationship Management Practice Leader, EquaTerra
According to many studies, the number...02 Sep 2003 | (Thinking Point) |
