Knowledge Process Outsourcing Research Articles

ISM approach to model financial risks in Indian KPO organization

Globalization has entered a new phase due to significant advancements in technology. This progress has allowed organizations to reduce costs while enhancing their market responsiveness, thus gaining a competitive edge. Nowadays, organizations prioritize knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) as a crucial element in their strategies, particularly in the service sector. However, research indicates that several challenges are negatively impacting the performance of the supply chain network when it comes to KPO. One major challenge is the financial risk associated with this environment. Various factors, such as switching costs, adaptation costs, and layoff costs, influence this financial risk. The aim of this research is to comprehend and identify the interconnectedness of these financial risk factors, which can affect the operational performance of KPO. The authors have meticulously reviewed relevant literature to identify these financial risk factors. Based on this subject matter, an integrated model has been constructed using Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to address the finance-related challenges impacting KPO. Additionally, the Cross-Impact Matrix analysis evaluates the dependency and driving power of financial challenges. This analysis assists decision-makers in classifying and identifying important factors, as well as understanding the direct and indirect effects of each factor on operations related to KPO. The results indicate that switching costs, disputes & litigation, and measurement problems have strong driving power and weak dependency, making them independent factors. By mitigating these independent factors, the overall performance of the model can be improved.

India’s Ascent to a Global Leadership: KPO as a Case in Point

Knowledge Process Outsourcing is the more complex arm of Business process outsourcing. This research examines the existence and evolution of KPO’s in India. It also studies the driving factors, such as cost advantages, operational efficiencies, etc., behind the urge to set up a KPO by developed nations in India and the subsequent challenges faced by these nations in outsourcing their knowledge work. The paper identifies strategies that can be adopted by service providers in India to mitigate the various risks and challenges faced by the KPO sector and attract more business in India. The scope of this research has been widened to identify what makes India a global leader in the KPO space, and it also elaborated the necessity for further research required for additional steps which India can establish to maintain this competitive advantage over other countries. The research has found that India is currently leading the KPO sector to retain that spot; the study recommends some strategies and scope of further research.

Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) Industry: Status and Prospects Affecting Its Growth in the Philippines

In the Knowledge Process Outsourcing market, the Philippines is slowly gaining traction as a genuine challenger. Despite the effect of the pandemic, BPO industries in the Philippines continue to advance, with a promising future in the years ahead. The study focuses on the KPO practices in the Philippine setting and the factors affecting them. The researchers used a descriptive cross-sectional design to analyze the factors affecting the KPO industries and their practices. This study used a purposive sampling technique to 100 supervisory and key account managers as respondents from six BPO firms with KPO services. This study included measures of central tendency and inferential statistics to determine the relationship between KPO practices and the factors affecting them. The result of the study shows that among the three (3) KPO practices, the provider capability gained the highest level, followed by client-retained capacity and contractual governance. In addition, among the four (4) factors affecting KPO practices, regulatory aspects got the highest level, followed closely by innovative elements, technological factors, and human resource factors. Moreover, the study observed low to moderate associations between the KPO practices and the factors. Finally, the technological aspect emerged as a predictor of industry KPO practices.

Opportunities for Business Process Outsourcing and Knowledge Process Outsourcing in Uzbekistan

This article is prepared for a better understanding of business process outsourcing (BPO) and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) and its potential opportunities. An explicit distinction has been made between Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) by analyzing its market overview. This study also examines the potential development of BPO and KPO in Uzbekistan and their desired role in its economic scenario and in light of these findings, the study suggests imperative factors for their success.

Business Process Outsourcing and Firm Performance of Selected Real Estate Firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Today’s ever-increasing competitive environment requires firms to seek for better ways to create value. In the organization era, firms continue to face tougher competition in the business environment and business process outsourcing is a critical strategy that improves a firm’s competitive capabilities by delivering value to customers. Business process outsourcing has emerged as a widely adopted strategy among firms in various sectors. The general objective of the study was to establish the effect of business process outsourcing on organizational performance of real estate firms in Nairobi City County. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the effect of Information Technology Outsourcing, Knowledge Process Outsourcing, Administration Support Systems and Project Management Skills Outsourcing on performance of selected real estate firms in Nairobi City County. The study was founded on Transaction Cost Economics, Resource-Based View and Contingency Theory. The population of interest in this study comprised of 245 real estate firms in Nairobi City County registered in accordance with the Estate Agents Act while the respondents of the study comprised of the real estate manager. The study used primary data that was obtained using questionnaires administered to real estate firm managers. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences will be used qualitative and quantitative data analyses. The findings of the study showed that real estate firms in Nairobi City County outsource information technology outsourcing, knowledge process outsourcing, administrative support systems outsourcing and project management skills to a great extent. The study concluded that Information Technology Outsourcing, Knowledge Process Outsourcing, Administration Support Systems and Project Management Skills Outsourcing positively and significantly influence performance of selected real estate firms in Nairobi City County. The study recommended that in order for real estate firms in Nairobi City County to improve their performance, there is need to outsource information communications and technology (ICT) infrastructure such as IT support services, software applications, computer network infrastructure, IT security infrastructure and IT training consultancy. The study also recommended real estate firms to outsource knowledge processes including managing performance and legal obligations, contract management and law, business and market research, building and research as well as research and development.

KPO’s: India's Ascension to the Top of the World

In the global scenario, technological advances and the growth of the information industry provided new market opportunities. Since business processing at low levels, multinational companies have begun outsourcing value-added ways of outsourcing of business processes. This has created a new outsourcing pattern, Knowledge Process Outsourcing, KPO. This covers intellectual property, equity and finance research and research, analysis, business research and data processing etc. After performance in BPOs, India is now focusing on KPOs. It is estimated that this business would hire 250,000 people by 2010. This paper addresses questions concerning the outsourcing of knowledge processes in terms of the Hecksher Ohlin model. It examines new developments in India's KPO market. It provides an outlook on the benefits of India in KPO and its evolving economic prospects. It also underlines the problems facing the next KPO market. Implementation of policies on challenges is often debated.

Exploring the Link of Psycho-social Factors and Job Environment Taking Mutual Trust as Mediator

This study aims to investigate the psycho-social factors responsible for the formation of perception about the job environment. The descriptive research design is used to carry out this study. The study’s independent variables include ‘Communication with superiors’, ‘Group or collective tasks’ and ‘Informal groups at workplace’. The study established that psycho-social factors positively affect the trust environment of the workplace. Also, mutual trust level mediates between three independent variables (psycho-social factors) and perceived job environment. The implication of this study is primarily for the management of the business process outsourcing (BPO) and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) sectors. The study highlights that an environment of trust with frequent and informal communication helps to build positivity in the minds of employees. Management can work on these fronts to improve employee retention strategies. Efforts should be made to embrace the activities, which strengthen the trust environment at the workplace.

Social recognition and employee engagement: The effect of social media in organizations

In the contemporary dynamic business context (characterized by stiff competition, high uncertainty, growth of global as well as virtual organizations, etc.), setting up systems for recognizing and engaging employees which need constant endeavor from present-day organizations. Hence, organizations are actively exploring and adopting novel initiatives through strategies platforms for their employer engaging effort, moving the organization image to the “company of employee’s choice” and connecting their strategic talent acquisition supply chain into that eco-system. Qualitative data analysis through 65 semi-structured interviews with employees working with various Software and Research & Development sectors, Human Resources and Talent Management professionals working for information technologies companies, IT-enabled (Business Process Outsourcing) BPO, and KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing) Services, as well as talent acquisition organizations, confirm the utilization of social media for social recognition & employee engagement in their organizations. The study contributes to the fields of talent management and social networks and has several key messages for practitioners regarding the expediency and effectiveness of social networks in organizations.

A Study on Stress Management by Middle Level Employees with Special Reference to Knowledge Process Outsourcing Company

A Study on Stress Management by Middle Level Employees with Special Reference to Knowledge Process Outsourcing Company

The Mediating Role of Innovation in Knowledge Process Outsourcing

Conducting knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) for sophisticated global clients is a learning curve and a complex journey that many emerging market-based service providers must navigate. In this study we establish a mediating framework, arguing that a KPO service provider’s internal and external knowledge process integration enhance its competitive performance through firm-level and product-level innovation. Drawing on the theories of organizational learning and dynamic capabilities, our empirical analysis of 205 KPO firms based in India suggests that the impact a KPO service provider’s knowledge process integration on performance is mediated through its firm-level and product-level innovation. This study contributes to the much-needed efforts in studying KPO, a new and fast-growing cross-border professional service activity, and provides helpful managerial implications to practicing global clients and offshore PSO service providers on how to successfully manage the outsourcing process to achieve expected benefits.

IMPACT OF OUTSOURCING ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF LISTED FOOD AND BEVERAGES FIRMS IN NIGERIA

The study examines the impact of outsourcing on organizational performance of listed food and beverage firms in Nigeria. In spite of the rapid drift in outsourcing, there are limited published sources of literature related to outsourcing in Nigeria, and also previous studies shows contradictory results. The study uses a correlation design, and used secondary data as the main instrument of data collected from the financial statements of the firms contained in the fact-book of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE). The population and sample of the study includes all the eighteen (18) food and beverages firms listed on the floor of the Nigeria stock exchange between2007-2016. Ordinary Lease square (OLS) regression analysis using statistical package for social science (SPSS) was employed to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. The findings reveal that both business process outsourcing and knowledge process outsourcing have a positive and significant impact on organizational performance of listed food and beverage firms in Nigeria. The study concludes that business process outsourcing and knowledge process outsourcing have significantly impacted on the organizational performance which is profitability and competitive advantage of the listed food and beverages firms in Nigeria. The study recommends that the management of these firms should engage in outsourcing strategy in decision making by outsourcing its business processes and knowledge processes in order to increase their profit and achieve performance.

The role of political risk in service offshoring entry mode decisions

This research investigates the effect of political risk on the offshore service industry. The study empirically examines how an extended political risk definition, operationalised into a model consisting of 12 political risk variables, helps predict location decisions across offshoring entry modes and activity types. The research focuses on captive offshoring and offshore outsourcing entry modes, and Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) activity types. The research indicated that political risk factors accounted for 38% of the variability in offshore outsourcing flows, implying that concerns about service disruptions and/or cost implications of external uncertainties feature as a key factor in supplier selection and location decisions. The findings further confirm a positive relationship between institutional and regulatory factors in host locations, and the flow of offshoring activities with a high knowledge content. The research contributes to enhancing the explanatory ability of Transaction Cost Economics by re-operationalising the concept of political risk in the context of both offshore outsourcing and captive offshoring. For practitioners, these findings provide a clear indication of the political risks that can affect service offshoring decisions; for policymakers, they highlight the importance of strengthening institutional and regulatory factors to attract investment.

KNOWLEDGE PROCESS OUTSOURCING AND THE USE OF ENGLISH: INDIAN EXPORT TO THE WORLD

KNOWLEDGE PROCESS OUTSOURCING AND THE USE OF ENGLISH: INDIAN EXPORT TO THE WORLD

Global sourcing and development: New drivers, models, and impacts

Global sourcing and development: New drivers, models, and impacts

Embedded Librarians as Providers of Knowledge Services

This article considers the evolution of the professional librarian from a collection-centered liaison librarian to a service-oriented, embedded specialist. It analyzes the competencies required to provide embedded library services and describes a process for establishing an embedded librarian model in a university library in an "Expert Librarian" project. Examples of services and products that libraries could provide are suggested. The article also discusses the possible transformation of embedded librarians into providers of a service known as knowledge process outsourcing.

Medical Device Document Writing - Correct Knowledge Process Outsourcing Partner will Be the Next-Gen Key to Success

Medical Device Document Writing - Correct Knowledge Process Outsourcing Partner will Be the Next-Gen Key to Success

Framework for identifying appropriate alliance governance structure for a knowledge process outsourcing organisation in an as-a-service delivery scenario

Traditional business process outsourcing (BPO) has been typically restricted to standardised process functions not perceived as core to the outsourcing organisations. However with knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), organisations are also exploring outsourcing of closer-to-core knowledge- intensive processes. Additionally, they are increasingly unwilling to the draw the line of separation between business process and relevant technology outsourcing and are expecting an integrated as-a-service approach. Thus KPO service providers are confronted with the dual challenge of building knowledge-intensive capabilities as well as integrating the relevant technologies hitherto not under their purview. This is leading many KPO organisations to look at building strategic partnerships with technology organisations. However, the success of the endeavour potentially rests on the organisation's alliance management capability as well as its ability of acquire, internalise and implement knowledge from partners (absorptive capacity). This paper attempts to develop a framework of possible alliance governance structures specifically aimed at KPO in an as‐a‐service scenario.

Exploring political risk in offshoring engagements

This research focuses on the analysis of political risk in the context of offshoring decisions. The study uses the Repertory Grid Technique, which entails a series of semi-structured interviews exploring key political risk experiences across offshoring engagements. The research extends the spectrum of political risk analysis in the context of offshoring engagements, and explores the varied impact of political risk across business activity types. The research identifies five key political risks affecting offshoring engagements and highlights the moderating effect of specific offshoring activity types Business Process Outsourcing, Information Technology Outsourcing or Knowledge Process Outsourcing on political risk implications. The research explores the conditioning effect of activity specific exposure to political risk and enhances the explanatory ability of the Transaction Cost Economics constructs, offering a novel operationalisation of the political risk component of external uncertainty. From a practical perspective, the research highlights the need for developing managerial tools to improve monitoring and identification of risks. The key practical contribution is the development of differentiated political risk typologies that can capture the nuances of external risks in offshoring, allowing for more accurate risk assessment of offshoring decisions.

Why Should One Choose Pharmacy as a Career

Objective of this article is to motivate the disheartened pharmacy professional toward profession through giving thorough knowledge of opportunities in pharmacy field. Although job opportunities for pharmaceutical professionals are with private as well as government sector but in these studies is mainly to point out the career opportunity of pharmaceutical professionals in department wise in private as well as government sector. At the commencement, the article gives a picture of the draft of enormous and growing industry. This study also reflects the all requirement for pharmacy professional doing job in various departments. Inside the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacy professional might be involved in various activities relating to the discovery, development, action, safety, formulation, production, quality control, quality assurance, packaging, storage, marketing, clinical research, legal advisor, documentation and technology transfer etc. There is ample scope of research for the pharmacy professional in India and abroad. Knowledge Process Outsourcing and Business Process Outsourcing, Bio-Informatics and Medical Transcription are the new options for job opportunity and career advancement for the pharmaceutical professionals. There is an enormous career opportunity for pharmaceutical professionals in the pharmaceutical industry but only those which are having progressive attitude and confidence.

Knowledge Process Outsourcing: A Value Proposition

In this paper an attempt has been made to study how and why the outsourcing have started moving up the value chain. An explicit distinction has been made between Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO). Findings indicate that, after demonstrating its success in information technology, outsourcing has started moving up the knowledge continuum to tasks that involve expertise and judgment, as opposed to routine tasks. The Knowledge Process Outsourcing industry (KPO) is expected to grow 45% in size by 2010. Global KPO pie in 2010 will be around $17 billion of which $12 billion (70%) will be outsourced to India. Therefore, India’s BPO industry will soon be edged out by the emerging Knowledge Processing Outsourcing (KPO) sector and it will prove to be the biggest revenue grosser in future. India is most definitely very well placed to take advantage of this opportunity. But replicating the success of BPO in KPO would be a challenging task since there are different processes involved in each of them. It requires domain expertise and therefore it is important for KPOs to develop expertise in few areas and excel in them, so as to meet varied customer requirements. The challenges faced are manifold but still India can emerge as a major KPO player in the global arena by leveraging the intellectual capital and the power of the Internet to offer quality research at value prices. Although cost effectiveness is key, Best Value principles should dictate the reason for outsourcing. Outsourcing solutions for high-end processes are usually customized and value-based. It will be this customization that will enhance the value proposition of KPO. This study also examines the present state of KPO in India and its desired role in the new economic scenario and in light of these findings, the study suggests imperative factors for the success of KPO.