Global

Robots versus humans: creating an economy in a new world

Posted: 12/02/2016 - 20:59

When the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee released its 'Robots and Artificial Intelligence' report last month, it was a much-needed shot of adrenaline, encouraging the government to take seriously the impact of robotics and artificial intelligence on the future UK workforce. However, what was not clear was the focus companies should take in order to be on the upside of the jobs outlook in an increasingly automated world.

To summarise the report:

Emerging market drivers are creating a renaissance in nearshoring tech development

Posted: 12/02/2016 - 20:57

Nearshoring as a way to outsource critical business processes and product development is nothing new to key markets such as software engineering, yet emerging technology, market trends and government mandates are sparking a renewed interest in it as a means to cut costs, enable greater collaboration and provide a competitive edge.

Reliance upon ERP systems alone could be damaging your growth ambitions

Posted: 11/04/2016 - 19:59

The world is growing increasingly complex. As such, agile capabilities and the ability to quickly adapt to changes in global environments are becoming more and more important. Events like the rise of extremist terror organisations and the dissemination of technology across the world have significantly changed the way in which enterprises interact. Businesses are quickly waking up to the rising demands placed upon them by this new international marketplace. However, too often changes caused by worldwide events catch organisations off guard.

Pay the price of a low price, or why nearshoring is replacing typical offshoring

Posted: 11/01/2016 - 09:30

Many people ask themselves if price should be the most important factor in the process of selecting an IT service provider. Is the cheapest option always the best one? It might be true, but there are some conditions. In this article, you will learn why many companies have ditched outsourcing for nearshoring.

From deep roots to modern outsourcing

Procurement excellence redefined

Posted: 10/04/2016 - 07:04

Procurement today is a different game. Once viewed as a back-office task, it has emerged as a key differentiator and driver of business value. And to execute it well requires totally new ways of thinking and acting.

Best-in-class organisations understand this. And they are tapping technology, big data and digital networks to fuel a simple, more collaborative source-to-pay process that is changing the game.

Moving Beyond Savings

Advisor Roundtable: A Dizzying Pace of Change (Part 1)

Posted: 09/08/2016 - 01:27

Earlier this year, Outsource editor Jamie Liddell had the privilege of chairing a roundtable dinner hosted by Capgemini, and attended by some of the most prominent advisors in the UK outsourcing community. The evening saw a huge variety of topics covered - but took place under Chatham House Rules, meaning that the conversation did not take place "on the record".

TOP TEN: Outsourcing Acronyms

Posted: 09/06/2016 - 05:47

Many, many moons ago we put out a call for outsourcing acronyms, humorous or otherwise, for a future Top Ten feature – and then, as submissions completely failed to flood in, we pretty much forgot about it and moved on. Until now… An odd flurry last week means we have a full complement – and very pleased we are too, as some of these are genuinely eye-opening (not to mention extremely droll). Do you know your vodka from your ZIPPO? Your Mimi from your Batgirl?

The future of work: your robot coworkers

Posted: 08/11/2016 - 20:06

From the invention of the wheel and steam engine to fax machines and desktop computers, technology has always shaped the way we work - but in the last few decades, the pace of innovation has sped up exponentially, forcing employees and those who lead them to constantly blaze new ground and determine new paradigms for the way things are done. The biggest recent change in work and workplace culture is the introduction of robots.

Q&A: Nipun Sehgal, Enlighta

Posted: 08/05/2016 - 19:56

Outsource: Nipun, welcome to Outsource. As is customary with our Q&As, let’s begin with some scene-setting: could you please tell our audience a bit about Enlighta and your own role within the organisation?

Nipun Sehgal: Enlighta is a leading provider of supplier performance, risk and compliance, and relationship management solutions enabling enterprises to derive more business value from global and local supplier relationships.

Walk a mile in your BPO provider's shoes

Posted: 08/05/2016 - 19:54

Organisations that enter business process outsourcing (BPO) transactions inevitably experience challenges with BPO providers – often resulting from unmet expectations, difficult transitions and erratic steady state delivery. While it is reasonable to expect the value promised by a provider to be delivered quickly and consistently, walking a mile in a BPO provider’s shoes can help buyers understand the typical challenges BPO providers face when taking over execution of business processes from their clients.

Are you ready to outsource your CIO?

Posted: 07/27/2016 - 02:34

Outsourcing has always been a key component of the technology sector; however recently it has been not just basic IT services, but key CIO roles taken on by outsiders. The term ‘virtual CIO’ (vCIO) is gaining increasing momentum, and refers to an individual or service that is charged at an hourly or flat rate fee for the provision of services that incorporate technology and business strategy. vCIOs are particularly popular with small and mid-sized businesses, because they make the strategic guidance of an expert affordable.

Partners or pawns? (Part 2)

Posted: 07/25/2016 - 23:38

(To read the first part of this article, click here.)

Almost a week had passed since my meeting with Jeanette and her team, and I was still reeling from the conversation. It was just so hard to comprehend how a large company can afford to alienate its supplier community. Just as I was about to hit replay on the entire situation, the phone rang.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Hey there, Dean. It’s Tino. How have you been?”

EMEA As-a-Service boom contrasts sluggish traditional outsourcing activity

Posted: 07/23/2016 - 02:52

We’ve just published the latest ISG Index, which includes – for the first time – a view on the growing As-a-Service market. Whilst combined second-quarter ACV in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) market fell by 18% year-on-year to €2.2 billion, the new data reveals record growth of the As-A-Service segment, contrasting the sluggish activity in traditional sourcing.

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