Home

Research Reports

There are few good research organizations that publish reports for the BPO/ITeS segment. We strongly feel that you need to take your own decisions after reading these reports. We say this because the same research organization keeps changing its view on the BPO potentional in India every other day. See our news section and you will understand what we mean!

Please do contribute to this list.

Note: Usually all such reports are paid reports. Yup, they can be expensive.

 

  1. AMR Research

     

  2. Amit Nayak

     

  3. A.T. Kearney

     

  4. Banknet India

     

  5. Bartosz Sobotka

     

  6. Bitpipe

     

  7. CIO
    • New 10 Outsourcing Predictions for 2008 (and One to Grow On)
      It's been a dynamic year in the information technology outsourcing industry. The Indian rupee rose to record levels while the U.S. dollar declined against most major currencies, impacting global IT service providers and customers alike. Merger and acquisition activity went into high gear (with the exception of poor Affiliated Computer Services, which tried—and failed— for the second time to go private). The consolidation activity was most notable for the inroads Indian providers made into the U.S. market by buying local providers. And Mumbai-based Tata Consultancy Services announced a $1.2 billion IT service deal with The Nielsen Company, technically the biggest offshore contract to date, hinting at the increasing maturation of the outsourcing market. Buyers of IT services also began to look beyond India to balance their offshore outsourcing portfolio, from Shanghai to São Paulo and more than a few spots in between.
    • India's Greenest Outsourcer?
      Indian IT services provider ITC Infotech is touting its carbon-neutral status as a selling point. And that corporate focus on sustainability has the potential to woo new IT outsourcing customers away from less green competitors.
    • Outsourcing Vendor Genpact Makes Mexico a Passage to India
      India-based outsourcer Genpact has greatly expanded its Mexican operations in the last year, focusing on lower-end business process outsourcing instead of IT services work. The former GE unit calls Mexico a gateway to India offshoring and a "nearshore" alternative for BPO and call center work.
    • Five Steps to Take If Your Outsourcing Service Provider Is Sold
      Merger activity is on the uptick among IT service providers and experts say the industry is ripe for more consolidation. Here's how to protect your company if your outsourcing provider is sold.
    • New How to Make Offshore Outsourcing Deals Withstand Crisis Situations
      Globalization is suffering from economic, financial and political challenges. IT organizations can improve results and mitigate risks by revamping offshore strategies. Implementing globalization no longer creates automatic competitive cost advantage. While nearly all companies have globalization programs, most were created randomly and reactively without strategic consideration. To gain competitive advantage, companies must strategically engineer the integration and synergy from service providers.
    • Want Innovation from Outsourcing? You Have to Pay for It
      To get new ideas from your outsourcer, you have to be willing to rethink your approach, including how you pay for the services.
    • The Next Wave of Globalization: Offshoring R&D to India and China
      The globalization of research and development is already under way. Two Harvard researchers explain what's going on, and why the research and development done in China and India is not all bad news for U.S.-based companies.
    • Offshore Outsourcing: Can This Captive Center Be Saved?
      Executives with captive centers in India are starting to wonder whether it's time to offload their offshore assets as GE did and Citigroup is reportedly doing. But Cliff Justice, an expert at EquaTerra, says that most captive data centers can be fixed.
    • Outsourcing Vendor Genpact Makes Mexico a Passage to India
      India-based outsourcer Genpact has greatly expanded its Mexican operations in the last year, focusing on lower-end business process outsourcing instead of IT services work. The former GE unit calls Mexico a gateway to India offshoring and a "nearshore" alternative for BPO and call center work.
    • Outsourcing Continues to Rise, "State of the CIO" Data Show
      Nine of out 10 corporate heads of IT outsource some functions, up from 85 percent a year ago, yet very few outsource the majority of their IT operations.
    • Communication: The Holy Grail of Outsourcing
      It is striking how most everyone will insist that communication is a key activity to successful outsourcing. So why the heck can it be so darn hard to make people within an organization understand what is going on? And why is it so hard to have clear-cut communication between the outsourcer and the outsourced?
    • Security Secrets of Outsourcing
      Today, mitigating outsourcing security risks is more important than ever. Burton Group Analyst Diana Kelley offers tips on determining risk levels, monitoring your vendor and negotiating service level agreements.
    • What The World Is Flat Means to IT Outsourcing
      Nandan Nilekani, CEO of the outsourcing firm Infosys and the man who inspired the phrase “the world is flat,” is pushing a new mantra that could become just as universal. Relaxing on the couch in his Bangalore office, Nilekani points out that his own company has offices in 39 countries around the world. And it’s not alone. Wipro, another large India-based IT services company, has eight offices in Europe alone, and TCS, the IT services arm of the Indian conglomerate Tata, has 10 development centers and 10,000 consultants in the United States and Canada.
    • How to Create a Good Relationship with Your Indian Vendor
      Despite the threat of commercial ascendancy from China, Russia and others, India still leads the pack as an offshore outsourcing destination, and its global presence is only growing. You need your Indian vendors’ expertise, you entrust them with many of your company’s secrets, and you depend on them for profitability. A good relationship benefits you both. But relationships are tough to build in the best of circumstances, and when you bring cultural differences and distance into the mix, misunderstanding and frustration can arise on both sides. Here’s how to bridge the U.S.-India cultural divide.

     

  8. FS Outsourcing
    • BFSI - A Booming Sector for Australian Outsourcing Market
      Though significant in size, the world of outsourcing today is not confined to only the three major BPO hubs of the world - India, China or Philippines. The Outsourcing market is witnessing tremendous growth in different regions and from different aspects in terms of volume as well as in terms of value that outsourcing clients expect.
    • Chief Outsourcing Officer - Do You Need One?
      With the proliferation of so many new titles and roles within corporations, should firms consider creating yet another distinct title and role of chief outsourcing officer? What is the role of the chief outsourcing officer? Who does this COO report to? What are the chief outsourcing officer's key responsibilities? Will the creation of this new post lower the morale of our employees or cause bad press coverage?

      If you are debating these issues within your company today, you are not alone. At FSO, we have received requests from executives of several leading financial institutions asking for advice about the role and responsibilities a chief outsourcing officer should have, and how the post can be integrated into a firm's corporate strategy.

    • Communications Infrastructure Outsourcing Has A Strong Trend, Says IDC Outsourcing Survey
      The IDC outsourcing research reveals that 64 percent of CIOs and 77 percent of CFOs are positive about selective IT outsourcing, but over three-quarters of board-level IT and finance directors would not want to outsource their IT in its entirety. Managing risk is the key concern.

      The most popular part of an IT function to outsource is the network/communications infrastructure (50%), followed by security services (32%) and server management (32%).

    • Converging Investment Worlds: Good or Bad for Outsourcing?
      Depending on your point of view, the next 12 to 18 months can potentially be a very exciting or frustrating time for investment managers. Driven by the search for alpha, both hedge funds and mainstream investment firms are devoting significant attention and resources to product innovation, thereby broadening the spectrum of investment products in the marketplace.

      Currently, there are numerous complex investment structures such as master/feeder, multi-manager, multi-class, exchange traded funds, fund of funds, hedge funds, private equity funds, CDOs, and a variety of non-U.S. fund structures. Add to that a new series of products that may, for example, be a blending of structured and actively managed products.

    • Destination Primer: Revisiting India - Desmond MacRae
      Back in 1989, when the term BPO was formally christened, India became the favorite offshore destination for IT outsourcing as well as business process outsourcing for English-speaking developed countries. Language, government encouragement, education, labor costs, and an established legal framework rooted in Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence all contributed to that preferred status.
    • FSO/FAO Survey Results: Mid-Market Needs in the Financial Services Industry - Lisa Ross
      FS Outsourcing and FSOkx embarked upon a joint, groundbreaking research study over the past several months with market research firm FAO Research, Inc. to better understand the outsourcing market from the perspective of companies who currently use or at least have considered outsourcing, specifically finance & accounting outsourcing (FAO) services. The goal of this just-completed study was to help prospective buyers of outsourcing services understand and learn from the sourcing experiences of their peers as to what has and hasnt worked in their outsourcing processes. In addition, we sought to help outsourcing service providers better understand current and future buyer concerns and needs in the Financial Services arena so that they can better serve their current and prospective customers.
    • Financial Services Outsourcing - Big Deals and a Big Boom An Industry Perspective on Top Financial Services Outsourcing Deals in 2007
      The report is based on the top financial services outsourcing deals that were signed between January and June 2007. FS Outsourcing (FSO) research team continuously monitors and reports all the deals taking place in the financial services outsourcing industry. In reference to this research report, Top deals were identified and selected based on deal size; prominence and coverage; and significance of the parties involved. Analysis in terms of deal size, duration, deal destination, reasons, and activity outsourced was conducted based on in-depth research of these deals.
    • India Holds on to Top Ranking, for Now at Least
      While India is still the top spot for outsourcing, its high attrition rates, infrastructure issues, rising wages, and currency appreciation are working to the advantage of its top contender China, said a study last week from Frost & Sullivan.

      China has been eager to upset Indias leadership standing--it has invested significantly in its English-speaking capabilities, IP security, and infrastructure. Its wide talent pool makes it an attractive alternative to India, and it has demonstrated its ability to cover lower-end functions such as back-office processing to some high-value services, according to the study.

    • Is It Worth Outsourcing for CMM Level 5? Software engineers have long been intuitively aware of the appalling success rates of software projects. Studies show that statistics back up this intuition.

      "About 70 percent of all software projects are unsuccessful if measured by reliability, usability, and timeliness," says Anne Marie Smith, an information management consultant with EWSolutions, a Chicago-based systems integrator for decision support technologies, including data warehouses.

    • In Offshoring One Size Does Not Fit All
    • Key Outsourcing Factors in Property and Casualty Claims Process Outsourcing
      The Insurance sector was considered to be the slowest off the blocks when it came to outsourcing or offshoring. However, trends are changing fast with an increasing number of players considering outsourcing. In fact, a KPMG report estimates the revenues from insurance offshoring to touch $2 billion by 2010 in India alone. The value of Insurance outsourcing contracts in the US in 2006 reached an impressive US$ 3.4 billion. Fuelling this growth is the Property and Casualty Claims Processing sector. Looking at the US market alone, there are over 1500 P&C Insurance companies a fair indication of how big the market could be.
    • Legal Process Outsourcing Comes to the Fore
      Infosys' entry into legal process outsourcing has shone the spotlight on the up-and-coming industry. Infosys expects to attract some 1,000 U.S. and Indian lawyers in the next five years to support clients in North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Already it has picked the top executives to head its U.S. and Indian offices.
    • More Insurers to Fully Outsource Management of Investment Assets
      Finding it increasingly challenging to handle newer alternative investments and products such as hedge funds, insurance companies are turning more and more to outsourcing, says a report released by State Street.

      The outsourcing of the management of general account investment assets is expected to increase by $1.9 trillion by 2011. Last year, that total reached $805 billion, with some 69 percent of insurance companies outsourcing a portion of their general account investments.

    • Mortgage Providers Gear Up for Increased BPO
      It is not the environment it once was for mortgage providers. As sales for homes continue to drop, so do mortgage volumesand profit margins. And competitive pressure leaves mortgage providers little time to adjust: they must consolidate, simplify, cut costs across the board, and acquire that nimbleness that will allow them to quickly adapt to changing market conditions.
    • Negotiating Indirect Procurement Outsourcing Agreements
      Indirect procurement outsourcing deals may seem like other standard business process outsourcing deals, but dont be fooled by the similarities. Indirect procurement is different, and it requires certain contract terms that are unique from those used in other outsourcing deals. This article explains some of the key differences and important considerations in structuring an indirect procurement services contract. But first, a little background.
    • Outsourcing Can Cut Costs, But You Can't Outsource Responsibility
      Outsourcing has been one of the dominant business trends of the last 20 years. Where business organizations once tried to integrate their many business functions, today they are interested only in performing those functions they absolutely must and leaving the rest to third parties.

      While outsourcing is largely beneficial, recent history suggests that poorly thought-out outsourcing decisions can sometimes give the outsourcing organization a giant black eye.

    • Philippines the dark horse of the call center outsourcing industry
      India and China have for long been considered the Outsourcing powerhouses of the world. With a boom in the outsourcing industry the world over, Philippines is looked at as an emerging contender to both India and China. This is particularly in case of call center outsourcing, where it has risen as an alternative to India previously known as the back-office of the world'
    • Service providers sense opportunity in a booming Indian WM sector
      A falling dollar and rising attrition made 2007 a long weary year for the Indian outsourcing industry. However, 2008 promises to be different. More so for service providers catering to the wealth management industry. According to a new Celent report the domestic wealth management sector is all set to soar. The answer to the problems of most Indian service providers may well be lying in their own backyard.
    • Trends in Pension Services Outsourcing
      Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) is the fastest growing vertical in the global outsourcing industry. A Recent report by Frost and Sullivan estimated BFSI to be the top vertical by Shared Services Outsourcing (SSO) spending in 2006 at US$273 billion.
    • Understanding Investment Research Outsourcing for Asset Managers
      Normal rules often break down in extreme circumstances. In science, many of the ordinary laws of physics go awry when scientists look at extremely small particles. Similarly, investment management firms, as well as consultants who are guiding the process, may need to modify their approach when evaluating outsourcing strategies for niche, high-end functions close to-or even within-the front office.
    • Vendor Nearshoring An Emerging Offshoring Trend
      Much has been written about the alarm raised by an appreciating Rupee and high attrition. The one question everyone is scared to ask is, "will it really be the end for India's outsourcing boom?"
    • Working It Out: Stock-market Players Detect And Reward Smart Outsourcing
      Last year, some 28 percent of corporate managers surveyed told Evans Data, a market research firm, that their primary driver for outsourcing was cost cutting. You'd think saving money would catch the eye of Wall Street but, in fact, it doesn't.

      Researchers from the W. P. Carey School of Business examined the effect outsourcing announcements had on firm value as measured by abnormal stock returns. Managers do send work to other firms in an effort to shave costs, gain skill sets, build competitiveness and, ultimately, boost earnings. However, not all outsourcing announcements raise stock prices. Only truly innovative contracts made investors take notice and applaud the decision with market buy-in that elevates stock value.

     

  9. Gartner

     

  10. Giga Information Group

  11. Harvard Business School
    • How Many U.S. Jobs Are 'Offshorable'?
      Tomorrow's business leaders see tremendous potential in sending more U.S. jobs offshore -- and in keeping economic tasks on the march around the globe as national conditions change, according to research on the Harvard MBA class of 2009. "Increasingly, jobs are being viewed as groups of tasks that can be bundled, unbundled, and sent to different places," says Harvard professor Jan Rivkin, one of the faculty members directing the exercise.

  12. IDC

     

  13. Indiareports

     

  14. IT Papers - A Product of CNET Networks

     

  15. Karvy

  16. Moitf Inc

     

  17. neoIT
    • Global ITO and BPO trends for 2006
    • A Process to Measure the Returns of Global Outsourcing Initiatives

       

    • Best Practices in Communicating Global Outsourcing Initiatives
      The success of the communication plan depends on the development of customized communication streams that have the end objective of addressing key challenges, managing resistance to change and achieving stakeholder buy-in. Effective communication strategies comprise of both internal and external elements and are treated as a separate function with its own set of objectives, guidelines and tactics. This issue goes on to discuss the factors that an organization should consider when developing an effective communication strategy.

       

    • Captive Offshore Development Centers (CODCs): Are they delivering the desired value?
      The increased acceptance of offshore outsourcing with IT departments and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) has encouraged the development of global delivery models through geographically dispersed company owned captive offshore development centers (CODCs). Capabilities of CODCs differ based on the strategies of the parent organization and should be expected to evolve over time to better align with the overall strategy of the parent organization. The CODC framework discussed in this paper identifies the key factors that need to be in place within the CODC for it to move beyond its cost reduction role to a more value-added role of supporting the parent organizations business strategies

       

    • Ensuring Success Through Proper Governance
      Best practice firms establish a governance body across organizational, functional and operational levels and ensure continual commitment to various factors throughout the lifecycle of an initiative. The key factors for successful governance include consistent internal commitment, extended / appropriate role definition and adequate team staffing to name a few ...

       

    • Is Outsourcing Part of the Solution to the Higher Education Cost Dilemma: A Preliminary Examination
      The report provides a review of the relatively small amount of existing information about the extent to which colleges and universities turn to outside vendors to do tasks traditionally done by employees. It finds (based in part on surveys done by the National Association for College and University Business Officers and other groups) that most colleges have turned to private entities to perform at least one function, in areas such as bookstores, food services and technology, and that the use of outsourcing is on the rise

       

    • Outsourcing to the Philippines: Metro Manila and Beyond
      Metro Manila, which has long dominated the country’s other cities as an outsourcing destination. It brings to light eight other cities that have emerged to not only complement but also contend with Metro Manila as viable outsourcing destinations. More importantly, as demonstrated in this whitepaper, is the ability of these cities to continue to improve their services competency which will greatly impact the Philippines’ overall performance vis-à -vis India and improve it’s viability as a key outsourcing destination in the global BPO market.

       

    • Mapping Offshore Markets Update 2005
      Overall, India and Canada retain their dominant position in the ITO and BPO industries. However India's weaknesses in certain segments have resulted in opportunities being exploited by newer offshoring destinations. Poland, for example has shown remarkable growth as an outsourcing destination in both ITO and BPO.

       

    • The China Reality Check - Impressions from a Recent Market Visit
      At the end of April 2005, neoIT conducted a China Knowledge tour and visited 16 leading offshore IT services suppliers spanning the markets of Shanghai, Beijing and Dalian. The trip was extremely informative as it allowed better appreciation of the facilities and capabilities of the Chinese IT services companies. The visit also facilitated an evaluation of the state of infrastructure in various parts of China and an assesment of the demand and market trends for IT offshore services from the western world.

     

  18. NASSCOM

     

  19. Sanjeev Sharma

     

  20. Wharton

     

  21. ValueNotes

     

  22. Other