Global Services: Moving to a Level Playing Field

The book examines the current situation and likely future developments in the global services marketplace. It applies the lessons learned from other industries to the IT services arena. The book recognizes that offshoring is a category of the international trade in services, and a natural development in the ongoing globalization of trade and commerce, rather than a novelty to be feared. It is aimed at an international audience of executives, board level and senior management and at ICT vendors.

Table of Contents:
1 Millennium 2 Business processes develop into knowledge processes 3 The maturing vendor community 4 The development of technology 5 The real matrix 6 The globalisation of services 7 Skills needed for a future economy 8 Globalisation 9 Conclusion Notes Further Reading Index

About the Author :
Mark Kobayashi-Hillary is the Global Technologies Research Director at the Commonwealth Business Council and a visiting lecturer in International Management at London South Bank University. Dr Richard Sykes was Group VP IT at ICI plc and chairman of the outsourcing consultancy Morgan Chambers plc. He is Chair of the Outsourcing and Offshore Group of Intellect.

Review :
A valuable, thought-provoking resource for any organisation working with an IT services budget - whether a provider or a consumer of those services. This book maintains the BCS track record for producing high quality, well-researched and extremely readable publications about our industry. It is a tour de force by two highly-respected and widely-experienced practitioners. It traces the development of the globalisation of services, charting that progress alongside the evolution and capability of the technology itself and demonstrating that new business models continue to emerge as the technological capability and global connectivity expand. To succeed in IT, at both the individual and national levels, we have to adapt to the changing world and be ready for the net title of the global playing field to respond with services and capabilities to meet emerging needs. The authors maintain that the UK is almost unique in possessing the right blend of skills to deliver globally sourced services in a multi-cultural world, with the stamp of professionalism and assurance running through them. Our people skills, business acumen, understanding of technology, creativity and innovative approach to business offer us the prospect of being able to level and succeed on the globalisation playing field. Tremendous food for thought.