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Trestle Group's publications provide insight to challenging management themes related to sourcing. Each theme is thoroughly researched and written by a team of experienced practioners.

 

Captive Centers: Strategic Assets or Competitive Disadvantages

Captive Centers, defined as company owned service centers in a low cost location providing a range of services to the organization, can offer companies more control, flexibility and potentially develop into a valuable asset. Likewise, mismanaged captive centers can consume resources, divert attention and create complex delivery problems.

This document explores what makes a captive center a strategic asset and the factors that can turn this asset into a competitive disadvantage. Learn how to keep a captive fit and when the worse case scenario develops, how to exit from the captive strategy.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here .

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Executive Briefing: Leadership and Strategic Change in Outsourcing Core Competencies

Several large pharmaceutical companies (Big Pharmas) outsource not just routine commodity-like operations but parts of their internal value chain, which are considered core competence to the organization. According to the Business Week article, “CEOs are rethinking their R&D operations, wondering where mission critical research ends and commodity work begins[1]”. According to senior managers within the pharmaceutical industry however, these instances are not seen as outsourcing of commodities but instead viewed as strategic partnering with third party providers who can complete these tasks faster, cheaper, and at a higher quality than internally.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here .

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Executive Briefing: ITIL and Outsourcing Engagements

Although many IT Professionals have educational backgrounds in Computer Science or Engineering, the truth in many companies is that Information Technology uses very little “science” or “scientific method” in its approach towards delivering and supporting IT systems. Application Development projects may be prioritized in a reactionary, emotional manner regardless of the business case and/or the business disruption. When a company adds “Outsourcing” to this lack of discipline and structure, the results can be both disastrous and costly to the business enterprise. This is where frameworks such as ITIL can be useful in helping an organization get its own house in order before multiplying the problem by adding yet another variable, the outsource provider.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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Executive Briefing: Measure Your Business-IT Alignment

The first step in aligning IT and business priorities is to understand where relationships break down and expectations differ. A tool based on the Capability Maturity Model developed by Carnegie Mellon’s Software Engineering Institute can help you assess how well-integrated IT is with the company’s goals. Spotting divergent viewpoints presents an opportunity for improvement. See how your company stacks up.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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Innovation Series: Print Management Outsourcing

For the Innovation Series, Trestle Group Research cooperates with leaders in the sourcing industry to highlight innovative services being offered in the global sourcing marketplace. Each report discusses a unique sourcing service and illustrates the service’s associated benefits to companies. When used in proper context, the reports can enable companies to expand their view of what is possible and maximize the benefits in their sourcing initiatives.

In this issue, Trestle Group Research has teamed with HH, a prominent European print management outsourcing company to highlight the benefits of outsourcing marketing print management activities.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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Collaboration Series: De-Mystifying Sourcing

“In-sourcing”, “out-sourcing”, “captives”, “third-party”, “onshore”, “near-shore”, “offshore shore”, shared services”, “ITO”, “BPO” and many other such words and acronyms have crowded the media over the last decade. As the merging of global economies accelerates, such jargon continues to evolve rapidly with confusion all over, about what all these really mean. This White Paper explains the sourcing jargon, compares the pros and cons of some of the sourcing models, and dispels some myths around the benefits and challenges of sourcing.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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Executive Briefing:IT Governance: The new area of focus inside the boardroom

The question is no longer “whether” the board should be involved in Information Technology; the question is “how”? This recent assertion by the Harvard Business Review indicates that board-level governance of IT has become a hot topic as technology complexity, investment and risk continue to increase. In the past, the absence of board oversight has allowed IT functions to operate under the radar screen of free cash flow. The results of these ungoverned activities have not been pretty, with reports of the destruction of vast amounts of shareholder value. In today’s post-Enron era of heightened liability for directors and officers, a continued lack of IT governance puts the firm and its leaders at imprudent levels of risk. This scenario begs the following questions:

  • What is governance?
  • What is the purpose of IT?
  • What is the role of the board in fulfilling this purpose?
  • What is the role of management in fulfilling this purpose?
  • How can these roles be managed to be complementary?

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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Executive Briefing: Is the Swiss Banking sector about to experience its next surge in industrialization?

One of the central topics currently discussed within the banking sector involves the new state of logistics following the break-up of vertical integration within the banking value chain; specifically highlighted by outsourcing, BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) and related IT Strategy.

In agreement with the general principles of industrialization, one can justifiably ask why similar new industrialization trends are not appearing more quickly in the Swiss Banking sector?

The key question above drives the following study. Rather than develop another conceptual approach toward industrialization, it is focused upon analyzing previous developments within the banking sector and predicting future trends over the next 2-3 years.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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Small to Medium Enterprise Outsourcing Guide

Large corporations have benefited from offshore outsourcing initiatives for the past 15+ years. These benefits include cost savings and access to skilled and flexible work forces. Advances in technology and enhanced business processes are allowing small to medium sized organizations(SME) to realize the same benefits. The traditional SME employs less than 250 individuals, an annualturnover of no more than 50 million and a balance sheet total of 43 million.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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Survival of the Focused - A survey of outsourcing service providers

The aim of this study is to provide the readers a better understanding of the vendors that provide IT and/or business process outsourcing (BPO) services. The key discovery derived from this study is that companies must gain a focus, whether a specialization or growth strategy, to remain competitive. The common phrase one associates with organic evolution is Darwin's "the fittest will survive", but in the case of the outsourcing industry this appears to translate to "the focused will survive".

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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Executive Briefing: Managing Change in an Outsourcing Initiative

The following Executive Briefing focuses on managing change during an outsourcing initiative.

Organizations considering outsourcing initiatives benefit from investments in change management through increased productivity, satisfied customers and motivated employees.

This document will address the following topics:

  • Change management — it's still relevant
  • Understanding outsourcing
  • Effects of outsourcing on an organization
  • Managing change

To prepare this document, Trestle Group Research has teamed with Antoine Gerschel, a recognized expert on this topic.

To download the document in pdf format, please click here.

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Executive Briefing “Shareholder Value and Outsourcing”

This Executive Briefing focuses on illustrating the link between shareholder value and outsourcing. Many companies are outsourcing today to achieve various goals — examples include reduction of costs, increased efficiencies and increased flexibility. As companies outsource, executives should continuously evaluate the link between shareholder value and the outsourcing initiative using measurable indicators — will today's outsourcing initiative increase or erode shareholder value?

This document addresses the following topics:

  • Defining shareholder value
  • Understanding outsourcing
  • Connecting shareholder value and outsourcing
  • The science of management

To prepare this document, Trestle Group Research has teamed with Mark Sickles, a renowned expert on this topic.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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Summer 2004 Outsourcing Survey Results

The 2004 Summer Outsourcing Survey was conducted among upper-level management around the globe. Responses were collected primarily from the financial services, telecommunications and manufacturing sectors based in 16 countries — 70% from EU member countries. The Survey was conducted with the objective to provide insight into current and future outsourcing initiatives and the associated benefits and challenges that organizations face.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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A Look into the Top 10 Outsourcing Oversights

There are many benefits to outsourcing. Companies are able to focus on their core competencies, benefit from cost savings and manage workloads more efficiently. With these benefits, there are also challenges. These challenges can relate to project management, cultural differences and management of expectations.

To help companies benefit from outsourcing, Trestle Group is providing a look into the top 10 oversights companies frequently incur. Through these lessons learned, we hope that you are able to benefit from experiences gained by your peers.

To view the document in pdf format, please click here.

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