Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer
This was one of the first North American offshoring relationships. Nortel outsourced to India in 1991 because it couldn’t find enough employees with the specialized knowledge it needed. At same time, Wipro wanted to expand beyond India. The timing was right for both partners to attempt something new. What’s remarkable: both partners are still happy after 16 years!
Outsourcing Center, Kathleen Goolsby, Senior Writer
Managing the North American marketing-related print collateral needs of Unilever’s 400 brands in more than 100 countries is an enormous task. Outsourcing printing needs is not the same as outsourcing procurement, especially where it may impact creativity in marketing. Unilever turned to a managed-services provider with a collaborative approach. The results have been stellar.
John Harney, Business Writer
Travel management companies (TMC) were the first generation of outsourced travel services to book flights, hotels, and rental cars. But what about restaurants or limos? Rearden Commerce, an online marketplace with interfaces to 135,000 merchants, outsources its network to TMCs and corporations.
Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer
InBev, which brews 204 brands of beer including four global brands–Stella Artois, Beck’s, Leffe, and Brahma–had specific criteria for its network supplier. It needed someone willing to work together to open new markets like China and Russia. It also wanted someone who could work with its ASP and infrastructure provider. BT fit the bill.
Phil Fersht, VP Research
Paul Nowacki analyzes the BPO trend line. His findings: GDP growth inversely impacts BPO growth. That means buyers should consider entering the market when the economy is strong to avoid the crowd. Suppliers should focus their business development efforts in the markets with the worst economies.
Outsourcing Center, Kathleen Goolsby, Senior Writer
The lower middle market manufacturers ($30 – $200 million in sales) tend not to use strategic sourcing solutions. But there’s an outsourcing provider achieving value for them with e-sourcing technology available in a Software-as-a-Service model. Read how it works for a mattress manufacturer impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer
Berndt-Uwe Pagel, Senior Vice President of BPO for SAP, discusses the software company’s role in BPO. He explains why IT agendas have to change, standardization is important, and suppliers have to become profitable. And he shares the most important lesson he learned from his dad.
Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer
Supplier consolidation. The arrival of a buyer’s market. Multi-vendor strategies gain the upper hand. Read about 17 things that will shape the FAO market next year.
Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer
Every two years Aberdeen Group studies corporate plans for procurement outsourcing for the next two years. This year cost still remained the No. 1 reason to outsource. But reason No. 2 changed: today companies want their personnel to focus on more strategic activities.
John Harney, Business Writer
With competition intensifying, outsourced travel management providers are analyzing spend and integrating their tools with their buyers’ back end systems to stand out from the pack, which now includes traditional procurement service providers.
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