The patent covers Supply Wisdom’s proprietary technology and methodology for quantifying risk associated with third parties and geographic locations

Meyer is a former U.S. Navy SEAL with almost two decades of risk management experience.

The certification validates Supply Wisdom’s commitment to Information and Cyber Security.

We must think beyond the immediate crisis of Covid-19 and look to enhance our ongoing risk management operations.

Why an effective risk management process must include continuous assessment.

Victor Meyer on why the supply-chain risk assessment model is insufficient.

May 13, 2020 After 16 years as a risk leader at Deutsche Bank, Victor Meyer recently joined Supply Wisdom as the COO.  He also served as Vice-Chairman of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Councils for both Pandemic and Catastrophic Risk.  In this blog post, Victor reflects on the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and calls on his vast experience […]

CURRENT STATE: COVID-19 risk event has gone on for a prolonged period of time – risks have not gone away and there are a lot of unknowns Current situation unlike our past experience – risk events diminished quickly and disappeared – the lag between the start and end was brief, remediation was also quick. With […]

Risk events eventually diminish, and the focus naturally turns to recovery. But COVID represents a unique challenge due it’s prolonged effects and the resulting cascading risks and possible disruptions. How can risk leaders focus on recovery while continuing to monitor for cascading risks? How should risk programs be managed post-COVID to prepare for recovery, remediation […]

MODERATOR Atul Vashistha, Chairman, Supply Wisdom PANELISTS Michael Aisenberg, Principal Cyber Policy Counsel, The MITRE Corp Valerie Plame, Former Covert CIA Operative Officer, National Security Commentator, Consultant & Author Kevin Zerrusen, Managing Director EY Davia Temin, President and CEO, Temin & Company, Inc, DISCUSSION SUMMARY Key Points: Pandemic – public health effects and economic devastation – has been added […]

CURRENT STATE Most organizations today: • Have divested in their consequence management programs that were created after 9/11 • Tend to focus on the controls environment as a result of the financial crisis • Spend very little effort on monitoring changes in the external environment for potential disruptive risks CHALLENGE “We are going to be […]

Supply Wisdom recently hosted a webinar discussion among risk leaders with experience working at Deutsche Bank, Citi, and others on the COVID-19 crisis. Topics included what problems leaders are experiencing and observing and also possible solutions as the crisis continues to evolve. Following the webinar recap are links to the recorded webinar and the webinar […]

Join risk leaders from organizations like BNY Mellon, Deutsche Bank, Citi, & others as they discuss the cascading risk from COVID.

The most effective Third-Party Risk-Management programs begin with a solid foundation.

Join risk leaders with experience leading third-party risk at organizations like Deutsche Bank, Citi, and others as they discuss the COVID crisis.

NEW YORK, NY, April 7, 2020 Supply Wisdom, the industry leading real-time and continuous risk intelligence and monitoring solution, announces the certification of its complete third-party and location-based risk data onto the RSA Archer® Suite.  RSA, a global cybersecurity leader delivering Business-Driven Security™ solutions, is a leading provider of third-party risk management solutions through its […]

THESE REAL-TIME AND CONTINUOUS ALERTS USUALLY AVAILABLE ONLY TO SUBSCRIBERS NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL March 19, 2020,  The coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak has rapid evolved into a global pandemic. Supply Wisdom subscribers were first alerted to the disease on January 2, 2020 when it was reported as 30 cases of viral pneumonia in Wuhan, China. As […]

An update for Supply Wisdom subscribers and the community on our Business Continuity and resilience plans for the COVID-19 virus response.

Register for the webinar to learn from industry leaders about how resilient organizations persevere in the face of supply chain, manufacturing, workforce and operational disruptions during a pandemic.

Headlines like “Coronavirus Outbreak,” “Killer Cyclone”, “Catastrophic Bushfires”, and “Deadly Earthquake” are happening with alarming and increasing frequency. How can you effectively mitigate the risks associated with such events?

The coronavirus pandemic presents a risk to maintaining business continuity. Here are some best practices.

Explore the Geo-Political risk scores and ranking for the top sourcing destinations monitored by Supply Wisdom.

Noncompliance. Cyberattack. Data breach. Mere words, but words that strike fear in the hearts and minds of proactive risk managers and finance executives. Operational risk is intrinsic to nearly every activity or event in the financial and customer-data sectors. And it doesn’t help that standard financial risk-management assessment and practices are outdated with inherently limited […]

Most enterprises are now leveraging third parties to play key operational roles. Third parties can drive greater efficiency, functionality and productivity often with much less effort and at a lower cost than a proprietary solution.  Unfortunately, there’s a downside to third-party relationships, and that’s the inherent and potentially significant increase in risks that they bring […]

What are the leading practices that enable a successful and effective TPRM program? We’ve identified seven essential disciplines for managing all third-party risk.

Financial and cyber threats are rightfully a top concern for businesses today, but third-party and global business disruption risks go far beyond cyber and financial concerns. When you compound financial and cyber risks with the ever-changing business environment, geopolitical events and increasingly frequent severe weather events, a TPRM program that only periodically assesses financial and […]

Contemporary corporations are expansive by nature. Often, continued success or even survival requires rapidly opening new markets, dramatically increasing production capacity and/or incorporating specialized expertise and capabilities. In many cases, the most time-efficient and cost-effective way to achieve these goals is through entering into relationships with third parties. Third parties can enable great results, but […]

Contemporary corporations are large-scale enterprises with complex subdivided structures that are increasingly dependent on third parties who are geographically dispersed across the globe.

Whether you’ve had to protect your clients’ financial data from the threat of third-party attacks, plan for natural disasters that could affect your partners or develop strategies to deal with a political disruption, RSA Archer has provided you with the tools to manage third-party risk assessments and the actions resulting to mitigate any issues identified. […]

Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) is an Indian infrastructure development and finance company. Founded in 1987 as an ‘Reserve Bank of India (RBI) registered Core Investment Company’ by three financial institutions, namely the Central Bank of India, Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) and Unit Trust of India (UTI), it provides finance and loans […]

With the evolution of digital technology, a cohesive approach to managing cybersecurity risk has become indispensable for every company that acquires, stores, or processes user data. Despite the central role of digital in every industry, from shopping to banking, healthcare to vacation and business to a country’s development, cybersecurity remains an area of concern for […]

Supply Wisdom Ranked in the Top 10 Risk Management Service Providers - 2019 By Enterprise Security Magazine.

R3P Consulting, specialists in Outsourcing, Vendor Management & Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM), are pleased to announce the signing of a VAR agreement with Supply Wisdom, providers of real-time and continuous Third-Party and Location Risk Intelligence. The partnership provides Canadian clients with local client support to the most comprehensive and trusted intelligence and monitoring of third-party […]

Boeing's risk profile has changed because of the 737 Max grounding. What is the financial, legal, reputation risk outlook for Boeing?

Q3 2019 Supply Wisdom Index: Location Risk Monitor covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important location risk criteria.

Meet Supply Wisdom at RSA Charge 2019 to discuss how we can help you develop a robust TPRM program - from defining KPIs to establishing real-time risk monitoring.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) has generated an incredible amount of value over the years for companies. A lot of firms, small to large, outsourced their people-intensive functions such as payroll, accounting, telemarketing, data transcription, customer support, and others to specialized services providers. Typically, BPO vendors were located in countries like India, Philippines, or Ireland, which […]

Register for the webinar to find out why the best thing you can do with your governance and risk dollars right now is to establish a real-time risk monitoring program for your critical and high risk third parties.

The Supply Wisdom Country Risk Index covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on their Composite Location Risk score, a comprehensive measure of 170+ location risk parameters.

Are traditional point-in-time assessments sufficient when risk is pervasive?

We examine the bribery scandal of the well-known tech giant, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, and the potential third-party risks from the events.

Governance and TPRM can no longer fully manage third-party risks; especially in a world fraught with cybersecurity risk. It is time for CIOs and CISOs to step up!

India does not have any specific legislation for data protection yet. The Personal Data Protection Bill 2018 could change that.

We are delighted to welcome Robert Barclay to the team, as we continue enhancing Supply Wisdom Robert brings 30+ years of experience in business, marketing, customer experience, alliances and partnerships. Robert’s wide-ranging experience encompasses small, large, private and public enterprises building brands, leading sales, and creating customer experiences that have an impact. Robert will focus […]

Eliminates the Need for Multiple Risk Assessment Subscriptions

Mindtree, a technology and outsourcing company, was incorporated in the year 1999. Venture capital firms Walden International and Sivan Securities funded the company, later joined by the Capital Group and Franklin Templeton. The company deals in e-commerce, mobile applications, cloud computing, digital transformation, data analytics, enterprise application integration, and enterprise resource planning. In February 2019, […]

The digital world puts third parties at the center of innovation. Third parties are seamlessly embedded and integrated into enterprise supply chains. Fortune 2000 enterprises alone work with thousands of third parties, large and small, cutting across multiple businesses and functions. Each of those third party relationships contributes to overall risk. The 12th Annual Shared […]

Q4 2018 Supply Wisdom Index: Location Risk Monitor covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

The credit reporting system in the US recently came under surveillance on various fronts, from a lack of clarity into credit scoring systems for customers and flawed credit reporting to cyber security risk incidents. IT infrastructure is evolving rapidly, transforming the way the cloud, traditional data centers, and data endpoints interact. Blockchain is the newest […]

Atul Vashistha, CEO, NeoGroup, in conversation with Mark Hillary on the CX Files podcast, discussing the importance of establishing better governance and continuous risk monitoring to mitigate third party risk.

The digital convergence journey is leading organizations to enhanced data processing, storage, retrieval, and value.  At the same time, the regulatory sector is catching up and will likely begin using the same technology breakthroughs that we are implementing to test our compliance capabilities and diligence, and enhance our businesses. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), […]

Historically, many anti-slavery movements took place in Western Europe and the Americas to end the African and Indian slave trade. Unfortunately, by the 19th century when slavery was believed to be eradicated from the face of the earth, it was merely changing its form to continue hurting people in every part of the world. In […]

Globalization has enabled, and in many cases demanded enterprises, both large and small, to generate value through a globally distributed third party network. Manufacturing in China, IT from India, outsourcing to the Philippines, and near-shoring with Mexico are results of a willingness to source globally and extract value and realize the benefits and unique advantages […]

In an earlier blog, we spoke about how global sourcing magnifies risk. Essential to building a comprehensive Third Party Oversight program is a clear understanding of the importance of third party risk. Auditors are challenging businesses on how they identify and manage the risks of third parties that have significant impact on reputation, compliance, and […]

The Indian rupee declined to a then all-time low against the US dollar in June 2018 and snapped Rs 69 per US Dollar (USD). In September 2018, the exchange rate between the US Dollar and Indian Rupee had weakened further to Rs 72.51 for 1 USD. The depreciating value of the INR in relation to […]

Q3 2018 Supply Wisdom Index: Country Risk Rankings covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

While companies across the business spectrum are embracing a host of digital technologies for all aspects of operation transformation, senior executives are rallying around the need to pick up the pace of transformation. These challenges are not new and neither are some of the solutions as the industry has encountered and resolved similar problems in […]

In 2013, Dell Technologies decided to go private in a US$24 billion leveraged buyout led by private equity firm Silver Lake Partners and Dell Technology founder Michael Dell. During the last five years, post privatizing, the company’s stock price dropped 31%, resulting from falling personal computer sales, the upswing in mobile computing technology, and the […]

Digital transformation is inevitable. Enterprises across the industry spectrum are thinking digital. The successful enterprise will not rush headlong into digital, rather, it will adopt an organized and systematic approach to transformation. A digital enterprise will enable the extended value chain – from suppliers to employees to customers – to seamlessly collaborate, react, and interact. […]

[fusion_text]During the first half and the beginning of second half of 2018, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) were on the rise among suppliers with the end objective of acquiring new business models, increasing market share and plant size, geographic expansion, diversifying product and services, gaining market power, increasing talent pool and customer base, getting the know-how […]

Introduction to the NBN Owned by the Australian Government, NBN (National Broadband Network) Co Limited was founded in 2009 to manage Australia’s National Broadband Network as a monopoly wholesale broadband provider. Very recently, in order to substitute the prevailing broadband infrastructure with a digital, speedier, and more consistent broadband service, the NBN decided to roll-out […]

Over the years, several Indians have gone to the US on H-1B visas, but now Indian IT firms have reduced the number of their H-1B visa filings, a trend that started in 2017. Immigration experts believe that it could further decline in 2018, following the tough and unpredictable environment created by the US administration. This […]

In the 21st century, the responsibilities of incorporating economic development and sustainability are global affairs. The markets have opened up to an extent and exchange of goods, services, talent, and technologies on a worldwide scale have led to the integration of national economies. As a result, free trade policies and agreements are becoming common. In […]

Q1 2018 Supply Wisdom Monitor: Country Risk Index covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

What is GDPR? After nearly three years of discussion, in April 2016, the EU agreed to adopt the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) framework. This regulation is to replace an existing Data Protection Directive (with effect from 1995) and will bring in provisions to protect the personal data and privacy of EU citizens, who transact […]

Towards the end of March 2018, the Income Tax Department (ITD) of India froze the bank accounts of the Indian arm of global IT firm Cognizant in Chennai and Mumbai for alleged evasion of Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT). What is DDT? What Are the Allegations on Cognizant? When any company in India declares dividends to […]

Introduction Globally, we are witnessing that companies, researchers, governments, and even individuals are exploring the Bitcoin (cryptocurrency) and Blockchain technology to ascertain how it can be leveraged across various industries. The Big Four accounting firms also joined this trend pretty early on; to be better prepared to inculcate the technology in their offerings in the […]

The field of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has progressed noticeably over the past few years. Robots have changed the way organizations work. RPA is one of the currently available mature technology solutions and is the most adopted automation solution within businesses today. The technology enables the automation of repeatable business processes, eliminating lower complexity tasks […]

Introduction During the early 2000’s, global corporations began to play around technologies which are now the founding pillars of innovation, i.e. data storage, cloud, and data analytics. These technologies will remain a part of the firms’ business model even in the coming future. Accounting firms are leveraging emerging technologies for their own and clients’ data […]

Automation and robotics are changing the way we live and work. The pace at which automation is supplanting human exertion in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) firms shows that the pit between the digital-physical partitions will be crossed over fundamentally in the coming years, affecting human lives and enterprises. Over […]

Q4 2017 Supply Wisdom Monitor: Country Risk Index covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS Accounting Industry Transition Led by Motives of Revenue Growth, Market Share, and Competitiveness: Global Accounting Firms Begin to Look Beyond Their Existing Comfortable Sources of Income The Big Four Explore the Consulting Landscape by Leveraging Its Existing Pool of Expertise and Brand Name New Ventures Bring New Risks to the Management Table: The […]

Who is Most Vulnerable & What are the Risks for Businesses? Ransomware-as-a-Service’s (RaaS) ease of access and deployment allows it to flood the market with higher volumes of ransomware, greatly increasing an organization’s threat potential. The success of these platforms and the growing demand is driving ransomware authors to develop new distinct ransomware offerings to […]

What is Ransomware-as-a-Service? Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) is an unusual type of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provided through the internet as a vendor platform. Among the different kind of SaaS provided by tech vendors, RaaS is different as it represents an offering used by criminals to lock down IT systems. How does Ransomware-as-a-Service work? In a RaaS situation, a […]

After a decade of recuperation from the global economic crisis, today all the major economies of the world are growing together. Global economic indicators are showing positive trend with better stability. International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its ‘World Economic Outlook’ has estimated global output to have grown by 3.7% in 2017 which is half a […]

Blockchain is one of the emerging technologies in recent years, which follows the distributed ledger principle for maintaining a tamper-proof record of all transactional data. It stores the data in a decentralized database that is managed by peer-to-peer networking systems. All systems in the network will have the same transactional history instead of one company […]

Regulatory policies for financial services providers were predicted to undergo a massive restructuring in 2018. However, regulators are likely to continue to expect an overall strengthening of core risk management governance, controls, practices, and reporting, particularly in the areas of data protection and third-party risk management, which can have a considerable impact on the financial […]

Application of cloud and related services has become so ubiquitous in recent years that almost every company uses it in one form or the other. Even everyday productivity and collaboration applications such as Office 365 or G Suite are based on cloud technology.  Yet, one of the least spoken about data security threats every company […]

Continuing from our last week’s blog that described the big data breach at Equifax, this blog write-up attempts to shed light on how a data breach in any vendor firm in the service chain affects individual firms and the financial service industry as a whole. How loss of customer information affects financial services? One of […]

Equifax, one of the three largest credit reporting agencies in the US, reported a major security breach in September 2017. Equifax stocks plunged more than 13% in the after-hours trading following the announcement of the breach and still have not recovered completely. There are more than a dozen ongoing lawsuits against the company which will […]

The three big global rating agencies – Fitch, Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s – control about 96% of the global market. John Knowles Fitch founded the Fitch Publishing Company in 1913. In 1924, Fitch introduced the ‘AAA’ through ‘D’ rating system that has become the basis for ratings throughout the industry. John Moody and Company […]

Today, leveraging the advantages of outsourcing is not just a need for any company but it has become a compulsion. In order to reduce and control operating costs, to improve company focus, and to free internal resources for more complex activities, companies opt for outsourcing. Outsourcing also provides an opportunity to gain access to world-class […]

According to a recent survey conducted by Deloitte, 87% of business executives believe that reputation is their largest risk area and only 19% of respondents committed to having their businesses adequately protected. In today’s world with hackers found in almost every third street waiting for corporates to make a miss, it becomes a ‘need’ for […]

Q3 2017 Supply Wisdom Monitor: Country Risk Index covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

Supply Wisdom SM clients can now access all of Supply Wisdom’s Supplier and Location risk solutions on a continuous, real-time basis, including Alerts, Data and Guidance, as well as Health and Risk Scores.   Boston, MA – November 15, 2017 – In the current climate of unprecedented weather-related disasters and geo-political uncertainty, corporations are increasingly […]

Over the last few months, most technology companies have been investing through acquisitions in order to accelerate growth and market share. Of late, Supply Wisdom has seen several organizations reorganizing their service models and growth strategies. With the rising requirement for newer technologies, most large suppliers are acquiring smaller companies to create more value for […]

In the field of outsourcing, analytics is the latest to join the list. Owing to the growing availability of data and the competitive edge it has provided to a few companies, a large number of organizations are looking to realize revenues through collected data. According to MIT Sloan Management Review, the percentage of companies that […]

Infrastructure security inadequacies at companies such as Equifax, Deloitte, and Accenture in the past few weeks have been part of corporate discussions. These are big reputed companies, which one may assume secure their network with strict security measures in place, but they have also succumbed to data breach incidents and neglect such as old servers […]

Globalization is a reality that compels businesses to rethink how they would manage their operations across multiple markets. Before expanding into other locations, businesses must evaluate the pros and cons surrounding a particular location. Due diligence studies and strategic location analysis is a must, which basically involves assessment of all types of risks pertaining to […]

“Thought leadership should be an entry point to a relationship. Thought leadership should intrigue, challenge, and inspire even people already familiar with a company. It should help start a relationship where none exists, and it should enhance existing relationships.” – Daniel Rasmus Wikipedia terms thought leadership as a ‘business jargon’ and also defines it as […]

The outsourcing industry has always thrived on the availability of a low-cost workforce and the numbers in terms of adequate workforce have always played a vital role in making any country or location an attractive outsourcing destination. The outsourcing giants, China and India, have long been benefited with the presence of their enormous IT-BPO labor […]

Overview: Coupled with leading industries, the healthcare industry is one of the lifelines for an economy. It drives and contributes not only to saving lives, but also to maintaining a sustainable market by contributing to the country’s GDP. With the industry already set up, countries seek to enhance services rendered by improving policies, accessibility, and […]

It is no secret that over the years, Infosys is regarded as a representation of excellent corporate governance practices, ethics, and values. Infosys has been known for its ethos, deep-rooted values, and unquestionable integrity. In the past, Infosys was looked up to by other companies as a benchmark for having no reports of wrongdoing. The […]

Outsourcing conglomerates and regulatory agencies have for long, managed to co-exist without having to interfere much when it came to conducting day-to-day business activities and market expansion operations. This arrangement served well for both parties through 1990s and early 2000s. Nevertheless, this arrangement has evolved considerably in the last decade. The expanding need of global […]

Q2 2017 Supply Wisdom Monitor: Country Risk Index covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

In this digital era, the internet has facilitated the quick adoption of technology by businesses making online transactions easier. However, with increasing digitalization, the number of cyber-attacks is on the rise. It seems organizations are not fully equipped to manage IT security and tackle security threats to their business operations. Cyber-attacks can adversely impact businesses […]

“If you don’t invest in risk management, it doesn’t matter what business you’re in, it’s a risky business.” – Gary Cohn “Economics always wins” may not hold true in all cases. However, it did work, at the end, in case of all the hullaballoo that was created around protecting jobs from outsourcing in the US. […]

Looking back at the first half of 2017, a trend was observed of companies giving off some of their business divisions. Companies across industries have been active in terms of portfolio adjustments. A Look at Some of the Divestments of H1 2017: Avaya, a technology company, agreed to sell its networking business to Extreme Networks. […]

“It takes years to build up a reputation while it takes minutes to destroy it” – Warren Buffett Reputation of a business is fundamental for a company’s survival. The trust and confidence of consumers and partners can have a direct and profound effect on a company’s bottom line. Firms with robust positive reputation attract better […]

Philippines came to prominence as a noticeable outsourcing destination in 2001 when a US-based outsourcing center moved its operations to the country and created 8,400 jobs in the process. Since then, the Information Technology-Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry has become an integral part of the Philippine economy with a current industrial growth rate of around […]

Almost a year ago, the exit of Britain from EU arrived as a shocker, sending chills down the spine of various economies. Why did the citizens of Britain vote to separate  itself from European Union (EU)? Root causes were issues like inequality, immigration, and sovereignty. Those who voted to leave at the referendum cited loss […]

In recent times, several IT and BPO service providers have been involved in restructuring to organize their service lines and reshuffle their top executives and service heads. Most recently, in May 2017, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) launched its major restructuring activity in close to a decade, putting it under a new President, Krishnan Ramanujam. The […]

Market analysts cited that the global ransomware attack that occurred on Friday, May 12, 2017 was the biggest ransomware outbreak in history. According to experts, over 100 countries were affected by the cyberattack, with Russia having been the hardest hit, followed by the United Kingdom’s NHS health service. The attack caused immense disruption to global […]

Protectionism in outsourcing is not new to the industry. It started as early as 2003 when several states in the United States including New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, and Pennsylvania proposed various legislations aiming to restrict offshore outsourcing for government contracts.  During the same year, State Senator Shirley Turner, a New Jersey Democrat, proposed a bill […]

The Shared Assessments Summit 2017 will take place in Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City, Arlington, VA, from June 28th & 29th, 2017. This is a two-day event now in its tenth year, brings together Senior Risk Executives who share best practices and latest insights on managing Third Party Risk.  Supply Wisdom will be represented at the Summit […]

Q1 2017 Supply Wisdom Monitor: Country Risk Index covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

“Creating a better world requires teamwork, partnerships, and collaboration, as we need an entire army of companies to work together to build a better world within the next few decades” – Simon Mainwaring, Branding Consultant, Advertising Creative Director, and Social Media Specialist Every organization has diverse set of qualities. They have certain agenda, priorities, values […]

It might sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but a world full of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robots is not right around the corner, it’s here. In many industries, it is an everyday reality. The pace of AI development is astounding. Google project robots will reach levels of human intelligence by 2029, […]

‘Analysis’ – the word is pretty self-explanatory and reminds me of the interaction I had with one of my professors at school back in 1998. We were in a deep conversation in regards to the efforts and transformation that a progressive economy puts in to be transformed into a better and a strong economy.  The […]

Recurring hidden costs pose one of the greatest challenges of risk management when it comes to outsourcing of services. Outsourcing (offshore and nearshore) is known to save, in some instances, up to 80% of costs; however, this is seldom the case. There are six key hidden costs when it comes to outsourcing. The knowledge of […]

Over the years, corruption has become a rising menace that its effect is rampant throughout our society. Recently, this issue created headlines across several countries such as India, Mexico, and China who have been struggling to combat corruption. Charles Caleb Colton once said: “Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it is set rolling, […]

“If you deprive yourself of outsourcing and your competitors do not, you’re putting yourself out of business.”– Lee Kuan Yew, Former Prime Minister of Singapore Outsourcing has become an extremely popular business formula in the highly competitive world, over the past decade. It is a business strategy, through which an organization contracts out key tasks to […]

President Trump has started to deliver on his campaign promises within the first month of his presidency. Case in point would the review of H1B visa policy. There have been speculations that the minimum salary for H1B jobs would be raised to $100,000 per annum. If a bill like this gets passed, the number of […]

Current Scenario: Despite the differences and difficulties, in the current global scenario, it is extremely tough to not outsource or offshore. Firstly, in outsourcing, there is a comparative advantage – the ability to manage services at a lower opportunity cost. Clients can divert their pool of resources, both human and financial, to processes that add […]

Introduction: In today’s world, where companies’ competitiveness lies majorly in sourcing, cross culture is becoming increasingly relevant. According to Charles Gay and James Essinger in their book, “Managing Strategic Sourcing”, if you are flying on a BA aircraft, you are probably actually not flying on it. The plane has the BA livery, the crew wear […]

Q4 2016 Supply Wisdom Monitor: Country Risk Index covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

The likelihood of a bankruptcy is a legal risk that affects customers, service providers, employees, and supply chains including subcontractors and indirect customers. Bankruptcy rules have special clauses in outsourcing as it does not involve the sale of goods by a vendor. With the bankruptcy filing of telecommunications company Avaya on January 19, 2017, the […]

“What gets measured, gets managed.”- Peter Drucker In order to understand whether a particular strategy will work or not, it needs to be analyzed. The necessity to analyze, demands for the ability to measure. Measurement in turn points out the need to find the right set of data and to obtain the essential data, adequate […]

In early 1990s, when the concept of outsourcing was officially formulated as a “Business Strategy”, the attention of global companies shifted to low cost countries in APAC especially towards India and the Philippines. While India became an IT hub, the focus of the Philippines was more on attracting BPO centers. BPO in the Philippines started with […]

During 2016, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) were on the upswing among technology majors (such as Accenture, IBM, Cognizant, Microsoft and Wipro to name a few), with the end objective of deriving new business models, testing ideas, and installing new technologies. Acquiring companies gives rise to several risks that must be cautiously evaluated and accounted for […]

The global IT/BPM sourcing landscape over the past decade and a half has been shaped by a number of factors such as cost arbitrage, availability of human capital, IT/IP protection regimes and ease of doing business. While some of these factors outweigh others, developments in other facets of IT/BPM, covering both buy and supply-side markets, […]

At the sundown of November 8, 2016, the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi surprised the country by declaring that the INR 500 and INR 1000 will no longer be a legal tender from midnight. The RBI termed it as a ‘bold’ move in the battle against corruption and black money. New chip based […]

In early October 2016, over 600 fake call center employees in India were apprehended under suspicion of performing fake or scam calls to US taxpayers while impersonating Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees. Authorities had been conducting checks on scammers after receiving complaints from US citizens about fraudulent activities. Companies being investigated for malpractice are Iserve […]

Just as we thought the IT-BPM growth story in the Philippines was looking picture perfect with solid revenues and rising “Next Wave Cities”, the statements made by President Rodrigo Duterte have managed to stir up a storm that has caught investors and businesses unaware. From his anti-U.S remarks to his pro-China foreign policy, everything has […]

What does Q3 2016 look like? How do your favorite sourcing hubs fare? How have the risks and opportunities varied in comparison to the previous quarters? Answers to these questions & more are the focus of this upcoming Supply Wisdom Insights webinar on 21 December 2016. Supply WisdomSM recently launched the fourth instalment of its quarterly Supply […]

“Hedge funds, private equity and venture capital funds have played an important role in providing liquidity to our financial system and improving the efficiency of capital markets. But as their role has grown, so have the risks they pose.” – Jack Reed, Senior US Senator Asset Allocation in today’s world does not follow the simple […]

Q3 2016 Supply Wisdom Monitor: Country Risk Index covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

On September 30, 2016, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation took to headlines as it announced that it is investigating for possible violation of a federal anti-foreign-corruption act regarding payment made to its Indian division. In another development announced on the same day, the company informed that its president had resigned giving no supporting reason. Cognizant notified […]

Preface: Just the other day, it was raining profusely and I thought of not going to work, as the waters may clog the roads. There was a high risk of this leading to traffic congestion and the waters entering into my car. Just put simply – I didn’t want to take a risk that would […]

Vendor risk management can span across many internal groups, like sourcing, procurement, and vendor management teams. Trying to manage complex vendor ecosystems across multiple groups can be cumbersome when so many players are involved. Neo Group has seen increasing trends with organizations centralizing their vendor and risk management functions. This allows for standardization of processes, […]

The expeditious growth of offshoring and sourcing has not only changed the way businesses are managing their operations globally but also transformed countries such as India, China, Philippines, Brazil, and Mexico into major IT-BPM (Information Technology – Business Process Management) hubs. Massive revenues, huge employment opportunities, and global reputation has made the IT-BPM industry as […]

Modern outsourcing first came about in the late 1980s, promising specialization, labor arbitrage, risk sharing, and scale efficiencies. In the start of the 1990s, globalization made its way to becoming the second step in outsourcing with the onset of offshoring. Nowadays, with the rise the digital age and social networking, many business leaders believe that […]

“The curfew came after rampaging mobs set fire to dozens of buses, trucks, and cars and attacked shops and businesses in Bengaluru and some other parts of the state”- The Indian Express, September 2016. Bangalore has set a horrific picture of social violence this September. Section 144 was imposed in the IT Capital of India causing […]

In many ways, India can be described as a paradoxical nation of sorts. Popularly identified with buzz words such as ‘population’, ‘multitude of languages & religions’, ‘rich culture’, ‘scrumptious food’, ‘Yoga’, ‘Ayurveda’, ‘the number zero’ and with over 1.25 billion people, the country has transitioned to become the fourth largest economy in the world. In […]

“Kaizen”, a word with Sino-Japanese origins, refers to the philosophy of continuous improvement. This approach has witnessed widespread adoption among corporates and has been implemented in many different contexts, be it corporate strategy or workplace improvement. But why are we talking about Kaizen and where exactly does it fit in with the context of ‘ease […]

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not a new terminology that needs introduction. It is probably one of the most used terms in the corporate dictionary. Over the years, CSR has become an integral part of the reputation building exercise of an organization. Initially limited to the C-suite, today it has extended to possibly every employee […]

As business leaders seek more centralized and low-cost methods of processing information, they are turning to offshore outsourcing to fulfill many of their business processes. However, one of the biggest worries of outsourcing is data theft and breach of privacy. Although there are equipped security guards situated outside most outsourcing companies, and while companies routinely […]

“Nearly 40,000 Verizon workers go on strike”… This headline flashed across the US and the Philippines between April and June 2016. The reason:  Workers, mostly installers, electricians, and call center resources protested against a number of issues including low wages, hiring non-union contractors and outsourcing jobs to low-cost locations including Mexico, the Philippines and the […]

Perceived crime levels have a definitive impact on a location’s business competitiveness. With the recent surge in crime levels witnessed across countries such as Mexico and Canada, we re-look at the implications this has on the operating environment, business costs, and the overarching dent this makes in a location’s appeal as a sourcing destination. Mexico, […]

Argentina is the 2nd largest South American country in terms of area and 3rd largest by population. The country’s capital Buenos Aires, is the fourth biggest city in the world and is one of the three Latin American cities that are considered as ‘Alpha City’ or ‘Global City’. While soccer is the unofficial religion, it […]

The word ‘Olympics’ evokes vivid images in one’s mind, of countless sports and athletes, their preparation, the intense competition, the finish lines, energy, spirit, greatness, medals, celebration, and so on. Add technology to that list. The 2016 Summer Olympics, more popularly known as the Rio Olympics, are showcasing some of the best technology experience, thanks […]

Q2 2016 Supply Wisdom Monitor: Country Risk Index covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

As global sourcing vendors are being given more responsibility from a technical and business standpoint, when it comes to global outsourcing, the risks are higher than ever. Additionally, the progressively unpredictable, erratic, and expensive labor pool makes it much riskier. Among the various outsourcing risks is inadequate visibility and control, which could turn out to […]

Risk Appetite has Evolved Over Time; But What About the Recipe for Risk Management? It is no coincidence that in the 90’s, when the explosion of the internet forever changed the way the world communicates, the concept of sourcing services globally started scaling rapidly. While this concept was still at its nascent stage, the associated […]

A.T. Kearney recently wrote that ‘risk management is not a critical focus for those in that profession but threats are present.’ It would be incredibly difficult to remedy this if you cannot address the issues firsthand. Companies either privately held or publically traded are all too often shrouded by risks of many colors. Those risks […]

With the US elections approaching, global service providers continue to be influenced by the impending visa situation in the near term. It is believed that with business visas, such as H-1B and L-1, becoming limited and the US presidential election due in November, visas have become a political tool to win votes. As a result […]

A lot has been said about EMPLOYABILITY and a lot has been done too. With statistics such as “Less than 40% of Indian graduates employable” and “Very low English proficiency of Colombian labor pool could impact BPO sector” grabbing headlines, the question is “Are the current skill development initiatives enough?” Do these initiatives, present in […]

News is abuzz with the emergence of niche technologies that has been attracting the attention of companies worldwide.  Consumer trends are driving the need for firms to re-think their traditional approaches and innovate, to adapt to the changing face of technology. With this, technologies are becoming potentially disruptive to business models as well as processes. […]

The much anticipated UK referendum results are out and Brexit it is. 51.9% of the UK voted in favor of the ‘British Exit’ from the European Union (EU); not a convincing majority, but a majority nonetheless. The pro-EU voices of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and London couldn’t save the day with the rest of England and […]

Business in Jamaica is often associated with its hospitality and tourism industry. So it might be a bit surprising to hear the name come up when the talk is not about travel or vacations. Like many things still unknown to the most of us, for instance the character of James Bond being created on the […]

Over the last two years, there have been number of reported cases of massive job cuts. Trimming of non-performers due to closing of delivery centers of global outsourcing firms, withdrawing services from overly ‘sensitive’ locations, and from the influx of robotics and automation within the service industry are a few. Historically, it is known that […]

Corruption, fraud, bribery, graft, nepotism, embezzlement! – Sounds familiar? These buzz words are doing the rounds ever so frequently in the national headlines of many countries lately. Ranging from major political scandals and large-scale larceny by reputed multinational firms to government crackdown on fraudulent practices and new anti-corruption laws at national and subnational levels, corruption […]

What ties the following headlines together? “Odd-Even Policy” to control pollution in Delhi, Ban on registration of diesel vehicles in Delhi and Kerala, Similar rules that prohibit the use of vehicles on certain days to control pollution in Mexico City and Beijing, Creation of a low emission zone around Antwerp No, it’s not just the […]

Outsourcing Risk Indices can turn out to be great tools for risk assessment and management (at least the baby steps) and there is no dearth of them these days. Supply WisdomSM Research Division recently launched the quarterly Supply Wisdom Monitor: Country Risk Index. Read on to find out how this index represents country risk and […]

Q1 2016 Supply Wisdom Index: Country Risk Rankings covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

Our quarterly Supply Wisdom Index: Country Risk Rankings covers global outsourcing markets and ranks key locations based on the Composite Risk score, a comprehensive measure of important risk criteria.

“The early bird catches the worm” is a timeless idiom, commonly used in various contexts. Does it apply to industry-academia partnerships? Read on to know how. Collaboration between companies and universities/colleges is not unheard of. In fact, some of the biggest tech firms sprouted from university campuses. The humble beginnings of tech giants like Google, […]

As automation capabilities continue to advance and as labor costs continue to rise globally, robotic process automation (RPA) is becoming a promising alternative to traditional labor-intensive BPO operations. Though this is a rosy future for businesses looking to save costs and improve quality, it doesn’t bode so well for the millions of humans worldwide currently […]

Outsourcing has evolved from being almost entirely driven by cost savings and labor arbitrage into a much more sophisticated strategic relationship that prioritizes the top line over the bottom line. As competitive pressures continue to rise, companies seek strategic suppliers and service providers that can help them innovate and leverage emerging technologies in order to […]

Trying to navigate through the OCC, CFPB, FDIC and FFIEC risk management “guidance” releases can be daunting. These bulletins are not guidelines, they are requirements and the penalties are stiff for lack of compliance. It’s helpful to remember that the primary objective of these oversight committees is to ensure that you are effectively protecting your […]

It’s that time of the year when Indian tech giants gear up for outsourcing contracts worth billions of dollars, which are up for renewal in 2016-17. While conference rooms turn into warzones with firms fighting it out to win new plush deals or lure their existing clients to renew deals, it is interesting to note […]

Every country in the world experiences some degree of social tension – so how should you incorporate this type of risk in your overall risk management program? How much weightage should be assigned to risks related to social tensions such as ethnic violence? This blog explores several recent examples of ethnic tensions and offers practical […]

China, with its large pool of technical resources, numerous incentives for foreign investors and its smart city schemes, has established a booming outsourcing industry, second only to India. However, recent government regulations and policies have led many foreign companies to reconsider their presence in China. Is it time for multi-national companies to say goodbye and […]

As most of Latin America, especially the summer Olympics host nation Brazil, grapples with the Zika virus outbreak, a number of businesses around the world are beginning to assess their risk exposures. The explosive spread of the Zika virus has caught most global businesses and their suppliers by surprise. With WHO declaring the outbreak a […]

Many organizations think of both risk management and corporate social responsibility (CSR) as “check the box” activities. And that tactical approach hurts them – both in terms of negative events still occurring and in terms of losing out on opportunities to grow. Let’s look at an area where risk management and CSR intersect – integrity […]

Despite the political spotlight shining on the ongoing US presidential elections, it’s important for global business leaders to stay tuned to government changes in other countries, too. Changes in a country’s leadership, whether a new face from the same party or a new party altogether, could bring significant changes to economic policies, taxes, infrastructure and […]

IBM recently reported its 15th straight quarter of year-on-year declining revenue. Although the company has taken several measures to correct this trend, many believe that another significant round of layoffs is imminent. Some believe that as many as 26% of employees could be terminated or laid off by the end of the month. IBM authorities […]

Within the same month of the US Congress formally notifying IT companies worldwide of its decision double the visa fee for H-1B and L1 visas, the UK government is expected to follow suit with a proposed annual surcharge of £1,000 per non-European Union workers. Establishments in the UK, which hire a large number of non-European […]

The New Year has started with stiff headwinds for HP with news that it is looking to sell its 60.5% shares in Mphasis, the BPO part of the business, for US$1 billion. Let’s take a look at the events leading up to this new development, and the possible impact on HP clients. In November 2015, […]

Corporate tax policies can have a huge impact on your bottom line. Are you currently tracking changes in tax rates and policies globally? This blog highlights the biggest recent changes in corporate tax rates and other tax reforms from around the world to help you monitor and understand this important information. Costa Rica On December […]

The 2016 IAOP Outsourcing World Summit, the world’s most important gathering of outsourcing professionals, will take place in Buena Vista, FL from February 15th to 17th, 2016. Will you be attending? Stop by our booth in the Exhibitor Pavilion at the Summit Hall to learn more about Supply Wisdom’s powerful features and capabilities and see how it […]

From New York City to Bangkok and London to Bangalore, the rental price of office space around the world is going up at an increasing pace. This blog provides an overview of global office rents in several cities, sheds light on the primary drivers of this persistent increase in operating costs and explains why this […]

US Congress has passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which will fund health coverage and compensation to those affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This is a huge victory for first responders and their families, but the program is expected to cost $7 billion over the next 75 years. To help cover […]

As 200 countries came together in Paris for the 2015 Climate Change Summit, it raised several prevailing issues on stabilizing global warming as well as reducing industrial pollution in Asia. Levels of industrial pollution, smog, and haze have been consistently affecting several major outsourcing destinations in the region over the last few years. Pollution and […]

Government policies, laws and incentives can have a significant impact on business. They not only affect a company’s bottom line in terms of taxes and other costs, but can also impact availability of talent, data security, IP protection and overall ease of doing business. Are you carefully monitoring changes in policies and new incentive programs […]

The leading global sourcing destination, India, also leads in a less favorable category: fraud. For many global companies, the threat of fraud is a known risk when entering emerging markets such as India. In many cases, executives reason that the opportunity for growth is greater than the potential risk of fraud. Before coming to such […]

Infrastructure is a key factor to consider while selecting a new destination for outsourcing, offshoring or setting up a global in-house center. Reliable roads, well maintained buildings and continued access to power supply is a fundamental requirement in ensuring smooth operations. However, every location has its set of seasonal weather difficulties that affect the location’s […]

Networking giants Cisco and Ericsson announced a partnership to tackle competition and the changing tech environment. The ten-year partnership will enable both companies to overcome inadequacies, generate growth and increase innovation, all without the drawn out legal procedures of a merger. Details of the Deal Both Cisco and Ericsson are facing challenges due to the […]

The most talked about subject in the American technology market has to be HP’s split into 2 companies: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., which sells business software, servers, storage and networking equipment, and HP Inc., which includes the former company’s personal computer and printer businesses. The breakup marks the biggest milestone not only in the company’s […]

On October 28th, the World Bank published its annual Ease of Doing Business Report. This popular publication ranks 189 of the world’s economies in order of ease of doing business, with #1 being the friendliest and most conducive atmosphere in which to run a business, and #189 being the hardest and most difficult environment in […]

Over the past few years, the Philippines have proven to be a world-class outsourcing destination. The BPO industry in the Philippines has grown 46% annually since 2006. In 2013, Manila was ranked third in Tholons’ Top 100 Global Outsourcing Destinations report for the most popular outsourcing destinations in the world. The Philippines offer lower labor costs, a […]

In recent months, acquisitions have taken a very forward and active route as companies look to boost their growth and market share. When these transactions take place between supply-side companies, it’s important for client companies to understand why the M&A is happening. Depending on the driving factors and strategic objectives at play, the impact on […]

India is by far the most popular IT outsourcing destination in the world. With the coming of the startup age, the country’s well-established IT industry is experiencing increasing competitive pressures, especially in hiring and retaining fresher-level IT talent. How are these new, smaller startups capable of causing waves in a sea of traditional tech giants […]

Australia’s telco market faced headwinds when one of the biggest telecom providers, Optus, lost its largest client, TPG, to competitor, Vodafone Hutchison. TPG is said to be shifting 320,000 mobile customers from Optus to Vodafone in order to offer several benefits to its customers, including access to better network and mobile data quality. Seems like […]

The Cisco router attacks which transpired last week gained worldwide attention as the event spread across 200 routers and 31 countries, including the US, India, Ukraine, Russia and the Philippines. Several industries and governmental agencies have also been hit by the attack. Network infrastructure is the backbone of an organization’s functionality and has long been […]

Recently British Telecom announced that it planned to bring call center services back from India and place them in the UK. Why would BT bring back these services a decade after moving them? Reports show that UK customers were unhappy with speaking to representatives not based in the UK, and also referenced poor customer satisfaction […]

One of the most important factors to consider when selecting a new destination for outsourcing, offshoring or setting up a global in-house center is the country’s infrastructure. Access to reliable, well-maintained roads, buildings and power supplies is a fundamental requirement to maintain smooth operations. How can it be that despite persistent, widespread power outages, India […]

As the global business environment becomes more and more complex, a company’s exposure to risk continuously increases. Over the past year or two, we’ve seen a growing attention to the function of risk management. Corporate leaders and boards now understand the value and criticality of investing in risk management, not only to meeting growing regulatory […]

Earlier this year, the US government opened an investigation against 2 of the largest IT firms specializing in outsourcing and offshoring for possible violations of H-1B visa rules. The Department of Labor opened the investigation against Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys for violating of rules for visas for foreign technology workers under contracts they […]

The country-wide strike in India on Thursday, September 3rd paralyzed the nation for an entire day, causing severe inconvenience to local people and companies. Public transport was completely shut down with buses and autos partaking in the protest, leaving commuters stranded on the streets. The workers on strike were from the banking, manufacturing, construction and […]

Companies in various domains, with different areas of expertise and strengths, often partner to better serve their clients’ needs or to collaborate on something new and innovative. Establishing an effective partnership typically requires involvement of all core teams in each organization (financial, legal, human resources, etc.) to develop a mutually acceptable agreement that ensures efficiency […]

Over the past few years, Bangkok has proven itself to be a world-class outsourcing destination. It has achieved international reputation with respect to the BPO and IT sectors as the center of excellence to conduct software outsourcing that is class apart. Thai software industry today comprises of over 1,900 companies, employing close to 100,000 people, […]

A change in management, especially in the executive team, can have significant impacts on the overall operations of an organization. It can signal upcoming changes in strategic direction, new processes and functions, and even a new corporate culture. For instance, Indian global IT services and solutions provider, L&T Infotech, has had several key changes in […]

India continues to be the largest market for outsourcing services by many definitions. It dwarfs other outsourcing locations in terms of talent pool and industry size in USD, and it also has one of the highest projected industry growth rates compared to other global locations. Despite its popularity and established success as a preferred outsourcing […]

Many businesses are turning to Latin America as an attractive outsourcing destination. Global companies, such as IBM, Accenture and Genpact, as well as regional players such as Globant, Stefanini and Softek, have established a presence in Latin America to leverage the region’s promising talent and competitive costs. In a recent webinar, hosted by Nearshore Executive […]

It’s easy for business leaders to dismiss the importance of monitoring location-based risks such as natural disasters, since in many cases those risks are not preventable or predictable. For instance, why worry about earthquakes, floods or fires if it’s impossible to prevent them? It’s important to remember that although the occurrence of these types of […]

The region of Latin America is an attractive nearshore destination, but each country offers its own nuances. Business climate and laws, labor costs, working hours, visa requirements, English proficiency, services maturity, infrastructure, operating costs, and so many more factors vary from country to country, and even from city to city. Understanding the different opportunities and […]

There’s a lot of research that shows supplier-based disruptions are much more commonly caused by subcontractors in the Tier One suppliers’ supply chains. This seems logical since most companies do significant due diligence on their major suppliers before signing contracts. But there’s also a myth that grew out of this knowledge – that your big […]

In this Insight Piece, Christine Ferrusi Ross explores how a supplier risk management maturity model can be used to enhance a supplier risk management program’s effectiveness and enable the business to lower their costs and push their objectives forward.

Fighting the Last War Have you ever heard the saying that countries build armies to fight the last war? That means that most leaders learn very specific, tactical lessons from their failures and then try to prevent the same failure from ever happening again – only to find out that the “new war” or next […]

This report highlights key trends, challenges and opportunities of Latin America and shares detailed research and insights on ten of the leading countries in the region: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru.

Supplier risk managers are in an interesting spot – they’re their own worst enemies. If they’re bad at their jobs, then the company is exposed to unnecessary risk. BUT if they’re good at their jobs, then risk becomes so well managed that stakeholders begin to take their efforts for granted, turning on them with “what […]

Immercio 2015 is an annual conference hosted by the Nearshore Executive Alliance (NEA), an organization dedicated to promoting Latin America and the Caribbean as an attractive sourcing destination. The event gathers business leaders, service providers and Investment Promotion Agencies to discuss and discover the opportunities, challenges and best practices of the Nearshore community. This year, the leading LatAm focused event will […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in Asia Pacific: China, Australia and Philippines.

How does your organization prepare for and mitigate against different types of global supply risks? Are you proactive or reactive when it comes to responding to supply disruptions, regulatory and legal compliance, and brand protection? As global organizations become more and more exposed to different types of risks, many are increasingly investing in their supplier risk management […]

New GIC Wisdom Program by Neo Group Promises Insights & Best Practices into Global In-house Center Landscape PLEASANTON, CA – Global In-house Centers (GICs), previously called Captive Centers, have come a long way over the past four decades. What initially began in the 80’s as a model to leverage labor cost arbitrage from low-cost locations […]

The annual Shared Assessments Summit will be held on April 29 – 30 at the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore. Now in its eighth year, this day-and-a-half conference includes thought leaders and knowledge experts discussing hot topics, trends, and best practices in risk management including security, privacy, Cloud Computing, resiliency, innovation, vendor risk management, regulatory and […]

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – Atul Vashistha, CEO of Neo Group, will share his thoughts and experiences with leading CIOs and other technology, government and business leaders on The Evolving Role of the CIO and How Puerto Rico Can Play, at the CIO & IT Leadership Conference, an event presented by the Puerto Rico IT Cluster that […]

When you hear about an upcoming monsoon, government election, or change in a business regulation, do you just note it as a piece of news or do you think through the implications on your ability to deliver from the affected location? What about the impact on any service providers you use in that location? Often […]

The CIO & IT Leadership Conference, an event that brings together Puerto Rico’s private and public sector leaders to explore role of IT as a principal engine of innovation and economic development for the Island, will take place on March 20, 2015 at the The Ritz – Carlton Hotel in Puerto Rico. Atul Vashistha, Neo […]

The Sourcing Interest Group (SIG) Global Summit, a three-day event that deep dives into outsourcing industry best practices, cost-cutting strategies, innovative processes, and risk-mitigation approaches, will take place March 10-12, 2015 in Amelia Island, FL. Neo Group CEO, Atul Vashistha, will join a panel with leaders from GenesisPath, iTexico, MedAssets, and Unosquare to discuss, Happy Client, Happy Life: […]

Global companies are adapting their business strategies to reach the empowered consumer, fueling an increase in digital spend to support key digital initiatives. A number of global leaders are leveraging sourcing to tap into global talent in order to meet their increasing need for digital talent. This is not the same expertise as the previous […]

Neo Group leaders look forward to participating in this year’s Outsourcing World Summit and contributing unique insights on key industry topics, including analytics, digital and supply risk management. Phoenix, AZ: Neo Group, a leading globalization data, analytics, monitoring and advisory firm, will participate in the 2015 Outsourcing World Summit in Phoenix, AZ. Presented by The […]

Over a decade ago, I was working with a client that wanted feedback on its latest marketing campaign – one aimed at the risk and security market. The main premise was how your world would change if you weren’t afraid. The campaign gave multiple examples of moving from a reactive state to a proactive one, […]

The 2015 IAOP Outsourcing World Summit, the world’s most important gathering of outsourcing professionals, will take place in Phoenix, AZ from February 16th to 18th, 2015. Will you be attending? Stop by the Neo Group booth in the Global Services Mall to learn more about Neo Group and Supply WisdomSM. Neo Group CEO and Chairman, Atul […]

In this webinar hosted by the Nearshore Executive Alliance, Neo Group will be moderating a discussion with Humana and Neoris about the key considerations that led them to set up shop in Latin America. Each country in the region (and even each city) offers an individual set of relevant opportunities and risks. Discover them in this webinar! If you have existing operations […]

The rise in the use of global sourcing and global business services has been dramatic, exponentially increasing the potential benefits both for the businesses using those services and for the nations seeking to provide services. But these potential benefits come hand in hand with increasing exposure to risk for participating businesses and a wildly escalating […]

The rise in the use of global sourcing and global business services has been dramatic, exponentially increasing the potential benefits both for the businesses using those services and for the nations seeking to provide services. But these potential benefits come hand in hand with increasing exposure to risk for participating businesses and a wildly escalating […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in Asia Pacific: India, Malaysia & Vietnam.

December 29, 2014, Pleasanton, CA: Neo Group, a leading globalization data, analytics, monitoring and advisory firm, announced today that it hired three senior executives – Christine Ferrusi Ross, William Sellers, and Kevin English have joined — to help the company’s accelerating growth in 2015, particularly in support of the newly announced risk monitoring platform Supply […]

Managing Third Party Risks, hosted by NYSE (New York Stock Exchange), will take place at the Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington D.C. on December 10, 2014. New regulations and demands from consumers for more transparency calls for greater due diligence in supply chain management. This conference will bring together compliance professionals and board members for networking […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in The Americas: Brazil, Colombia & Mexico.

OUTSOURCE2LAC is the most popular and influential forum on Outsourcing and Offshoring in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Latin America and the Caribbean Outsourcing Summit (Outsource2LAC) will take place at the Westin Camino Real Hotel in Guatemala City on November 11-13, 2014. The objective of the forum is to provide an opportunity for participants […]

The BPO Innovations Conference, hosted by Outsourcing Institute, will provide a roadmap to changing market dynamics and how to obtain true innovation value add in your existing and future outsourcing relationships. Spend the day networking, learning and connecting with leading BPO industry decision makers, influencers and thought leaders. Sessions at BPOI will touch base on Innovative […]

All things come to an end, good and bad. Whether your current service providers are exceeding your expectations or barely meeting contract terms, the end-of-term period is an opportunity for positive change and realignment. Effective contract renegotiations enable organizations to bring competitive flavor to the sourcing process and realize potential annual savings of as much […]

The IAOP Governance Chapter, co-chaired by Neo Group, Applied Materials, Boston Scientific, and Hess Corporation will hold a webinar on October 8, 2014 at 10am PDT/ Noon CDT/ 1pm EDT. Topic: Health Check & Governance Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2014 Time: 1:00 PM EDT (10:00 AM PDT/12:00 PM CDT) Location: Online Webinar Speakers: Gaurav Garg, CIO, City of Santa Clara and Christopher Jackson, Information Services Manager, City of Santa Clara […]

Atul Vashistha, leading globalization expert and advisor, Chairman of Neo Group and Founding Board Member of IAOP, will deliver a Special Address at the 2014 Asia Pacific Outsourcing Summit, taking place September 23 & 24 at the Mandarin Orchard in Singapore. The theme for this year’s Summit is Enhancing Sustained Value for Regional Integration – […]

The 2014 Asia Pacific Outsourcing Summit will take place at the Mandarin Orchard in Singapore on September 23rd and 24th, 2014. The theme for this year’s Summit is Enhancing Sustained Value for Regional Integration – Sourcing Maturity & Techno-Commercial Value. The event will bring together influential and creative thought leaders from the buy-side and supply-side, […]

Thursday, 7 Aug 2014 | 8:00 AM ET – Outsourced R&D: The threat to American innovation Susan Caminiti | @SusanCaminiti As published by CNBC: “…as U.S. multinationals see some of their healthiest growth occurring in markets outside North America, their need to outsource R&D to these locales grows, too. Atul Vashistha, chairman and CEO of Neo […]

The August IAOP Chapter Meeting, held on August 14, 2014, featured a valuable discussion about a detailed and informative case study on Governance Models for Global Business Services (GBS) by Jack Sanderson, COP, Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing & Process Transformation Office at Boston Scientific and moderated by Atul Vashistha, Chairman, Neo Group. Boston Scientific is […]

Supply Wisdom data and analysis are featured in IAOP Pulse magazine’s Hot Spots feature on Egypt and Kenya. As published in IAOP’s Pulse Magazine: Egypt has one of the highest growth potential IPO-BPO markets in the Middle East. Kenya has a strong IT infrastructure and a national ICT Master Plan to create 30,000 jobs over the […]

When a services contract nears its end and the possibility of a contract renegotiation presents itself, organizations have an opportunity to fully review their sourcing model and re-align sourcing strategies with their business in order to better inform the contract renegotiation process. A comprehensive and professional review framework, such as the Neo Group Vendor Contracting Framework, can help businesses […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in India, Malaysia & Vietnam.

How are robotics and automation impacting global services and sourcing, and what’s in store for the future? Using Google’s Self-Driving Car as a handy analogy, this Insight Piece considers the Business Case for robots and some of the lessons learned – so far.

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in Kenya, Russia & Egypt.

The IAOP Governance chapter, co-chaired by Neo Group, Applied Materials, Blue Shield of California, and Boston Scientific in conjunction with the Financial Services Chapter, co-chaired by Wells Fargo, will host a discussion on recent OCC regulations and their impact on third party oversight in the Financial Services Industry. Topic: OCC Compliance Date: June 19, 2014 […]

Supply Wisdom data and analysis on the outsourcing industry in Australia and New Zealand are featured in IAOP Pulse Magazine’s article: Hot, Hot, Hot: Australia and New Zealand. As published in IAOP’s Pulse Magazine: In Australia BPO is growing more than 6 percent a year while the ITO growth rate is 4 percent. New Zealand […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.

The 7th Annual Shared Assessments Summit took place at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Boston, MA on May 20th and 21st, 2014. Over the course of two days, senior risk executives from the financial industry and regulatory organizations gathered to discuss third party risk management. The identification and management of third party risk is a […]

The FSO Knowledge Exchange (FSOkx) is hosting a Roundtable for the Insurance Industry on May 20, 2014 from 4:30pm to 7:30pm at the Princeton Club of New York. Neo Group Vice President, Alan Hanson, will be co-presenting with Nearshore Americas Media Managing Director, Kirk Laughlin, on the topic of Shared Services in LATAM: Risks and […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in China, India and the Philippines.

The 2014 Chief Digital Officer Summit will take place at the Time Warner Conference Center in New York City on April 22 & 23, 2014. The CDO Summit is the premier event for digital leaders and executives. The war for talent with digital skills is on. How do you decide what talent to source? Where […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in Kenya, Russia & Egypt.

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in El Salvador, Nicaragua & Peru.

IT outsourcing experts tell CIO.com what to expect in the year ahead. And if they’re right, this could be the year customers — and a few robots — take greater control of the IT outsourcing space. CIO — This year, the IT services industry saw customers doing more of their own IT services deals, testing […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in Vietnam, Malaysia & Australia.

Last year, we predicted that 2013 would be the year that outsourcing governance finally grew up. We said outsourcing customers would take the reins with do-it-yourself deals. And we forecasted that local support would be a critical differentiator for service providers. Now it’s time to see how those predictions panned out. Around this time last […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in Russia, Kenya & Egypt.

The 2014 IAOP Outsourcing World Summit will take place in Lake Buena Vista, FL from February 17th to 19th, 2014. Will you be attending? Stop by the Neo Group booth in the Global Services Mall to learn more about Neo Group and Global Supply Risk MonitorSM. Don’t miss Neo Group CEO and Chairman, Atul Vashistha, […]

The Immercio Conference 2014 will take place in Guadalajara, Mexico from January 23rd to 24th, 2014. Join us at Immercio, the outsourcing industry’s first conference developed exclusively by nearshore buyers and providers through the Nearshore Executive Alliance. It is not like any other event you have attended before. Immercio features industry leaders and is designed […]

We share our insights on 2014 outsourcing trends in IAOP Pulse Magazine article, What Does the Future Hold? Our research and analysis points to increasing attention to effective supplier risk management as well as growing popularity of Latin America as a nearshore destination, thanks to increasing availability and diversity of world-class services. As published in […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil.

The following summarizes some of Q2’s more interesting developments from around the world as extracted from Neo Group’s Global Supply Risk Monitor℠ (GSRM℠), which tracks hundreds of the world’s leading Countries, Cities and Suppliers in the global services and sourcing realm. From thousands of observations, we’ve filtered a number of key highlights from Q2 with potential […]

An overview of global sourcing Risks & Opportunities in China, India and the Philippines.

The third annual Latin America Outsourcing Summit will take place in San José, Costa Rica from December 3rd to 5th, 2013. Founder & CEO of Neo Group, Atul Vashistha, will be presenting on Looking at the Big Six LatAm Destinations as Alternatives to Traditional Offshore Markets. He will be joined by both a buyer and […]

Maximizing outsourcing relationships is a challenge for buyer and seller alike. Buyers want more value. Service providers must meet their numbers. How can both win? The answer is innovative business process outsourcing. Explore ways to apply this concept to your business at the BPO Innovations Conference taking place in New York City on November 13, […]

A successful globalization initiative is built on sound strategic sourcing decisions. This begins with a comprehensive assessment of which services and processes to outsource, and which to retain in-house. This point of view explores the key strategic sourcing considerations that help identify what to source and what to retain in order to ensure a successful global sourcing strategy.

The following summarizes some of the more interesting developments related to supplier risks and location risks in Q2 2013 from around the world as extracted from our continuous research and analysis. From thousands of observations, we’ve filtered a number of key highlights from Q2 with potential impact in the periods ahead. Here’s what to watch: 1. The […]

Central American Nearshore Summit 2013 (CANS 2013) will take place in Managua, Nicaragua on November 7th and 8th, 2013. This unprecedented event will allow investors to obtain valuable information on nearshore destinations in the region and facilitate the evaluation process. Founder & CEO of Neo Group, Atul Vashistha, will be participating in an interview with […]

The 2013 World Leadership Summit will take place in Fort Worth, TX from October 15th to 17th, 2013. Neo Group will be leading a presentation titled, Leveraging Market Data and Supplier Information to Drive Better Performance. Greater global information and insights can allow a company to improve the results of their global services portfolio and […]

INTERVIEWED BY LARRY JANIS LJ: Would you please share with us your current role and responsibilities. AH: As Senior Vice President, I lead our solutions, sales and marketing globally. Neo Group provides Globalization Advisory, Governance Solutions, and Supplier and Location risk analytics and monitoring services. All three areas are growing and the supplier risk and […]

Banking, financial services and similarly regulated industries have experienced growing regulatory requirements for ongoing risk monitoring of their global supplier networks and offshore locations. Join Neo Group and as they focus on approaches to effectively meet a number of the requirements, and on how analytics can be leveraged to not only meet regulators needs, but […]

Atul Vashistha, Chairman, Neo Group, will be presenting with Lauren Fritsch, Founder, The Coaching Collective, and Rachel Payne, CEO, FEM Inc. at the SXSW V2V on the following topic: How Not to Suck as a CEO: Startup Management and Leadership Summary In this workshop, three successful entrepreneurs give their spin on effective leadership and management for […]

 “Its more fun to be a pirate, than to join the Navy,”    – Steve Jobs Global sourcing has developed into an intricate web of complex professional relationships that span oceans and continents alike, as companies seek to optimize their operations through outsourcing, offshoring, and cloud-based services. This increase in complexity in globalization is accompanied […]

Latin America, a Nearshore option, has emerged as a favorable destination for Information Technology (IT), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), captive operations. Geographical proximity, similar time zone and cultural affinity have defined the value proposition for Nearshore. However, the region is ready to take the next step. Governments are working hard to leverage their Nearshore advantage […]

When you think of offshore IT outsourcing, you think of India. But “having all of your IT work done in one location is akin to having your entire retirement portfolio in a single stock – it’s an unnecessary risk,” says Esteban Herrera, partner with outsourcing consultancy Information Services Group. Smart IT leaders seek to complement […]

[fusion_text]A panel of Nexus experts confronts the question: Where is the smart money moving to in global services?

Companies used to have only a few locations from which to choose for the delivery of their outsourced services. In the 1990s the answer to where to send such work was almost always India. Now, however, it’s an entirely different story – as was evident by a spirited panel discussion at last week’s Nearshore Nexus […]

As supply chains continue to push expansion to new regions with major location risks, including emerging providers, some organizations are successfully adopting approaches to this critical intersection. It needs to be examined how supplier risks (and opportunities) may be better explained through environmental or location factors and how customers can actively monitor, predict and manage […]

This week’s featured webinar was hosted by Sourcing Interests Group and presented by Neo Group, a services firm focused on gaining efficiencies through low-cost country providers and outsourcing in general. The focus of the event was global sourcing governance, and how, when leveraged appropriately, it can help companies go from ‘good to great’. Alan Hanson, […]

SIG’s Global Summits are packed with the latest best practices, cost-cutting strategies, innovative processes, and risk-mitigation approaches. You’ll hear from industry thought leaders and have the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals facing similar challenges.

POWER 50 2013: The Real Operators The Official List of Most Influential Executives in Nearshore Outsourcing It is often said that outsourcing is a people business. And in this newly released 2013 Nearshore Americas Power 50 ranking, we see first-hand that the people inside the ‘war room’ of the Nearshore business community are hard-working, ambitious […]

CIO — IT outsourcing providers are increasingly setting up operations in so-called tier-2 cities to decrease their cost of delivery and access new labor pools. “As offshoring grows, most leading offshoring destinations face pressures around availability of talent, escalating salaries, rising real estate prices, and high competitive intensity,” says H. Karthik, vice president with outsourcing […]

As the economy continues to slowly improve, many are looking at opportunities outside their domestic markets and often with companies that are global players. We particularly heard from jobseekers looking at the global players such as Softtek, Genpact, Neusoft, Luxoft, TCS, Infosys, Cognizant and others. We also heard from employers and talked to them about […]

Many organizations are recognizing that effective global Governance and Vendor Management requires more – often much more – than post period tracking of whether suppliers are performing in line with a signed contract. Instead, to produce lower risk and superior results, an integrated approach to global governance and scorecards weaves together real time transactional performance, […]

Atul Vashistha of Neo Group sees more multinationals arriving into Brazil, thus triggering greater competition for talent.

General Motors said Thursday it will take 3,000 workers from operations it outsourced to Hewlett-Packard and put them on GM’s payroll. It’s part of GM’s previously announced strategy to bring back IT under GM’s roof and hire as many as 10,000 IT workers over the next three to five years. The company said the IT […]

Companies are less likely to outsource IT jobs to Middle Eastern countries embroiled in sectarian or political violence, a point underscored by President Obama during his Tuesday address to the United Nations General Assembly. His remarks came two weeks after four Americans including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, were slain in Libya, amid anti-American violence that swept […]

Staff Augmentation. Labor Arbitrage. India. For many out there, outsourcing seems to be defined largely by the above – people working for low compensation in locations such as India helping the client save significant monies. That is outsourcing to them. However, the recent downturn and current client experience has upset many notions and models that […]

Any of us are sometimes reluctant to make what look like simple switching choices. Returning from a brief stop at London’s Olympic Games this week (no I didn’t run, jump, tumble, or throw; I wasn’t asked), I ignored a faster moving security line at Heath-row in favor of staying put behind an elderly couple who […]

CIO — In what experts are calling one of the worst blackouts in history, more than half a billion people were without power when the grids in north and west India buckled twice in as many days. Multinational outsourcing providers with operations in the region appear to have passed the most significant test to date […]

What to watch out for in multi-location, multi-supplier deals, according to a Nexus panel with UBS, Capgemini, Citi and NeoGroup

Companies are pulling back on foreign outsourcing as they find cheaper ways to do the work themselves. Firms who had worked with outsourcers for years are finding they can use the cost-cutting tricks of their vendors in-house and have more flexibility. And companies have found outsourcing can lead to a loss of expertise within the […]

As Americans struggle to figure out how to stimulate the economy, we are seeing a rising sentiment against outsourcing. So, I wanted to take this opportunity to share my thoughts, though many of these points have been made by others in the last 10 to 15 years. Globalisation of services is making significant positive contributions […]

Following is an interview with Atul Vashistha, Chairman of Neo Group. Atul is a leading proponent and practitioner of globalization and futurizing enterprises. He is recognized globally as one of the leading advisors on globalization and outsourcing. Atul received the following awards in recognition of his work: Globalization Today Powerhouse 25, NearShore Americas Power 50, […]

According to many online sources, Atul Vashistha is recognized globally as one of the leading experts on globalization and outsourcing. He founded Neo Group in 2007 and a simile firm in 1999, with the mission of helping enterprises grow their business and improve operations by leveraging outsourcing and globalization. He also advises government and trade […]

IAOP® partners with Global Supply Risk Monitor(SM) to offer its members an additional member-service, enabling members the ability to continuously monitor, predict and manage Country, City and Supplier level risks, affecting the global services and outsourcing industry SAN FRANCISCO and POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (http://www.IAOP.org) partnered with Supply […]

Out with the old and in with the new. Well, almost! Global Services Trends 2012 takes a peak at what can be expected in global services and sourcing for the coming year.

Brazil’s value proposition is becoming clearer, now it’s time to get the message across, consistently – Atul Vashistha at Neo Group.

Out with the old and in with the new — well, almost! We do see “retro” back in fashion in some areas of the outsourcing market when looking ahead to 2012. What follows are nine key trends that CIOs can expect in the coming year in terms of outsourcing and global services. 1. Demand outlook […]

Today, outsourcing has become a mainstay of corporations. It is mainstream, it is global and it is rapidly changing. This dynamic has a huge impact on the competitiveness of global corporations. Yet, global sourcing is not what it was even a few years ago. Its complexity has risen manifold. This rise in use of outsourcing […]

According to Gartner, the top 30 outsourcing destinations are emerging markets that bring varied and often high risks. The need of the hour, instead, is a proactive, and effective, risk monitoring mechanism and strategy.

It’s been over a decade since corporations started leveraging outsourcing to better manage capacity, costs, quality, risk and speed to market. What started as giving mundane tasks to an external supplier locally has evolved to partners in far flung locations such as India and China running key processes. Initially only large corporations such as American […]

Global Services Conference 2011

Many client organisations undertake global sourcing initiatives without an accurate understanding of the management that will have to be involved for the initiative to be successful. That’s why the sixth secret (presented in the previous edition) is to implement a strong governance model. But how will the client organisation know if its governance model is […]

When I make presentations at client conferences, I often ask this question:What is the single largest factor contributing to the failure of services globalisation initiatives? The answers I receive range from “lack of proper planning”, “supplier incompetence” to “miscommunication” to “internal resistance.” But in my experience, a great percentage of services globalisation initiatives fail because […]

Atul Vashistha, Chariman & Founder speaking about – How Does Brazil Rank in Attracting Investment?

Globalisation is not about a single action, or even a group of actions. Globalisation, when successful, is about an attitude. Yet even when the CEO of a company embraces Globalisation as a new attitude, it will fail unless their partners – the people who work for them – embrace the attitude as well. But getting […]

I’ve said before that a company that wishes to flourish in today’s global market must adopt a services Globalisation strategy. However, not every company is ready to Globalise each of its processes today. A successful services Globalisation strategy takes diligent planning and thought – and that takes time and focused effort. In the previous article […]

Services globalisation is a journey and not just a destination; it requires management of the entire lifecycle – from the knowledge phase (understanding the true services globalisation opportunity) to the planning phase (developing a services globalisation roadmap) and on to the sourcing and management phases. The third secret of successful globalisers is: Adopt a lifecycle […]

One underlying fact successful globalisers understand is that services globalisation has come a long way from offshore outsourcing and continues to evolve every day.As services globalisation evolves,new opportunities arise. The reality,as Applied Materials GVP and CIO Ron Kifer sees it, is that a company can embrace, leverage and be a part of that globalisation or […]

Communicating effectively with your internal and external stakeholders is an important part of successful globalisation initiatives. That’s important because opinions, if they become negative, can turn into behaviours that threaten to derailan initiative. Positive opinions, on the other hand, can turn into behaviours that contribute substantially to an initiative’s success. INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS When communicating with […]