Whitepapers                                                    

	Taking It To The Next Level Shared services centers move up the maturity curve
	The microscope is on the performance of the estimated 2,500+ finance and accounting shared services operations worldwide now reaching a level of steady-state performance maturity. What is next for these centers as today's economic realities, in concert with increased competition and globalization, demand more? This whitepaper sets forth a point of view relative to the opportunities for Shared Services Centers (SSCs) to move up the maturity curve, providing incremental value to reposition the operation as a strategic differentiator.

	Armed With Knowledge Gaining competitive advantage through knowledge process outsourcing
	Understanding every aspect of customer behavior. Getting the most out of marketing spend. Driving sales force productivity to the next level. Optimizing logistics to gain supply chain efficiency. Reducing risk. Entering new markets with a targeted strategy. If accomplished, these goals quickly differentiate a company from its competitors. But how does a company achieve those goals? By competing with knowledge, driving decisions with actionable insight.

	Procure To Pay Outsourcing One size does not fit all
	Most companies testing the procurement outsourcing waters start with procure to pay processes (P2P) rather than encompass the more strategic source to pay continuum. The premise of this insight is that a one size P2P outsourcing solution does not fit all.

	Mortgage Process Outsourcing (MPO) A tool to ensure profitability and efficiencies in troubled times
	Never before has the U.S. mortgage industry experienced such a dramatic need for new operating models such as outsourcing. Mortgage lending firms have been forced to navigate rough waters churned by the housing bubble, the subprime crunch, and a tighter lending environment. Now lenders must explore every avenue to boost operational performance and drive efficiencies. Increasing sophistication by mortgage process outsourcing (MPO) providers allow opportunities for lending firms to combat these problems, but lenders are only now beginning to explore the breadth and depth of provider services. Many lenders have yet to grasp how to drive maximum value from MPO.

	Indian Organized Retail Industry A perspective on staffing
	The Indian retail sector was estimated to be worth USD 350 billion during 2007 and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8% to approximate USD 427 billion by 2010. To underscore, in 2007, almost 97% of the Indian retail market was dominated by traditional ‘kirana’ or ‘dad and son shops’. The country’s vast geographic, cultural, and economic diversity has inadvertently facilitated traditional retail over centuries because of a strong need and preference for customized and personalized shopping requirements. Unlike some of the more developed nations, the socio-economic profile of consumers in India changes every 50–100 km leading to highly differentiated buying patterns, demand for products, price sensitivity, and responsiveness to promotion tools. As a result, changing the merchandise mix to meet local demand, standardizing and organizing retail operations across the country has its own set of challenges.