Research & Insight

Research & Insight

pricing strategy

Comparing Upwork versus TopTal and Fiverr

J Ben Trowbridge

In today’s digital age, freelancing platforms have become an essential part of the professional world. Upwork, TopTal, and Fiverr are three popular platforms that connect employers with freelancers from around the globe. Upwork is a large and diverse platform that offers a wide range of freelancers and services. TopTal, on the other hand, focuses on …

The Pros and Cons of Fiverr and Traditional Outsourcers

J Ben Trowbridge

I. Introduction Outsourcing has become an integral part of business strategies, with companies constantly seeking cost-effective and efficient solutions. When it comes to outsourcing options, we will cover two popular choices are Fiverr, a platform where you can connect with various freelancers, and traditional outsourcing providers, delving into the pros and cons of each. The …

The Evolving Product Sourcing Value Chain in China – Part 2

Thomas Keenan and Geofrey L. Master, Mayer Brown LLP

The entire sourcing value chain for consumer products sourced or manufactured in Asia has become increasingly interconnected and mutually reliant—ownership of physical manufacturing assets and intellectual property rights has become more ambiguous and contentious. With ambiguity over ownership and rights to manufacturing assets, customers lose the key leverage of mobility. While brand companies were able …

The Evolving Product Sourcing Value Chain in China — Part 1

Thomas Keenan and Geofrey L. Master, Mayer Brown LLP

The product supply chain from China is not what it used to be. Over the past 20 years, Chinese consumer-product manufacturers have become increasingly sophisticated and capable of taking on more “value-adding” tasks or segments of the product creation supply chain and have moved from mere manufacturers to multi-functional suppliers. In doing so, they have …

Valuing Terms in Outsourcing Contracts

Brad L. Peterson, Partner, Mayer Brown LLP

If you are an outsourcing customer, outsourcing contracts are like a three-legged stool. Their value depends on what you agree to buy, what you agree to pay and the terms. Although the agreement and the other contract terms are often extensive, outsourcing customers often underestimate, or even overlook, the value in contract terms. Why Focus …

How Outsourcing Buyers Benefit from Benchmarking

Outsourcing Center, Kathleen Goolsby, Senior Writer

Cost and price. It’s crucial that buyers understand both when it comes to outsourcing. What is the cost of providing business services internally? What elements comprise that cost? What is the price for comparable services from an outsourcing service provider? What cost elements affect the provider’s price? For the service levels it commits to perform, …

What Companies Need to Understand about Outcome-Based Approaches in Outsourcing

Outsourcing Center, Kathleen Goolsby, Senior Writer

Among the various changes that will impact outsourcing over the next five years, Don Schulman, General Manager of Finance and Administration at IBM, says the first will be a focus on outcomes-based pricing models. “Focusing on clients’ end-to-end processes, the discussion moves to outcomes pretty fast when considering the advantage of an outsourcer doing a …

How and Why Cloud Computing Will Change Outsourcing Services

Outsourcing Center, Kathleen Goolsby, Senior Writer

Technology enables business change, but it doesn’t drive it. Jim Stikeleather, Chief Technology Officer at Dell Perot Systems, says change doesn’t happen unless there is an economic value. And that’s why cloud computing will make such a huge impact on outsourced services. It changes companies’ ability to consume IT. “This will create a very different …

Predictions: Marketplace Turmoil and Change in How Outsourcing Relationships Work Over the Next Five Years

Outsourcing Center, Kathleen Goolsby, Senior Writer

Getting from A to Z (from the current state of outsourcing relationships to the future state of how relationships will need to work in order to bring about the outcomes that buyers demand) is not an easy path, and some providers will fall away during that journey. In addition, cloud computing changes the entire picture. …

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