Selecting your Offshore Vendor - A Gartner Perspective

Below is an assessment of how Global Reach and Fujitsu's offshore solutions measure up to the 12 key criteria identified by the Gartner Group when choosing an outsourcing location (Research Note - January 4, 2002).

Geopolitical risk
The Philippines represents a lower geopolitical risk compared to alternative offshore locations such as India, Russia and Israel.

Location
The US-Philippines time zone difference permits around the clock development efficiencies. Design specifications submitted at 5pm US local time can be coded and ready for testing by 8am the following day.

Government support
The Philippines government invests heavily in the strategic growth of the country's IT sector. Approximately 86 universities and colleges turn out 350,000 graduates each year - many with IT-related qualifications.

Infrastructure & Communications
Fujitsu Philippines maintains the highest standard of IT facilities by leveraging the world-class infrastructure of the global Fujitsu Group.

Labor pool characteristics
The Philippines IT labor pool is one of the strongest in the world with over 100,000 IT professionals, 99% of whom are college graduates.

Educational system
The Philippines boasts one of the best education systems in Asia with an adult literacy rate of 90% (compared to 54% in India).

English proficiency
The Philippines is the third largest English-speaking nation in the world. English is the primary language for education, business and government.

Cultural compatibility
Cultural differences have been identified as the leading issue in dealing with offshore vendors. The Philippines, as a former US colony (1898-1946) maintains high standards of cultural compatibility and affinity with the United States.

Labor cost advantage
Despite the quality of its workforce, the Philippines can provide skilled IT labor for as low as 25% of equivalent US labor costs. Even better, the strict selection criteria and world-class training of the Fujitsu Group allows Global Reach to supply IT talent at a quality and cost that is simply unbeatable from any other vendor, regardless of global location.

Quality initiatives
Fujitsu Philippines is certified to the ISO 9001 standard, and is further empowered to deliver consistent customer satisfaction by adhering to the proven and industry-leading methodologies of the global Fujitsu Group.

Country laws
The Philippines is governed by a democratically elected US-style constitution. Major legal issues including, visa regulations and import and export regulations are well harmonized with US law.

IP Protection
Protection of intellectual property is a major concern for any company considering offshore outsourcing. In addition to strict local Filipino laws governing intellectual property and data privacy, the corporate reputation and business ethics of the international Fujitsu Group provides the ultimate reassurance for our clients.

The Philippines - ranked #1 for knowledge workers by the Meta Group.