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Consultancy firm in offshore sourcing

In 1995, Paul Tjia founded GPI Consultancy, a Dutch consultancy firm in the field of offshore sourcing (both ICT and Business Process Outsourcing). We work for clients in the Netherlands and abroad. Our activities include:

 

Assisting (potential) Dutch users of ICT/BPO-services
Although a small country, Holland is one of the largest users of offshore ICT-services in Europe. Over the years, hundreds of Dutch companies have offshored, including Philips, Shell, ABN Amro Bank and KLM. Although India is the most important source, the Dutch have been egalitarian in choosing their suppliers: at least 30 nations have conducted software work for Dutch organizations. The Dutch market for offshore services will continue to grow, especially among the SME-sector (Smaller and Medium Sized Enterprises). GPI consultancy promotes offshoring of ICT and BPO in the Netherlands and assists Dutch clients in several areas: 

  • Offshore Strategy. The actual offshore journey starts with developing an offshore strategy and an operational plan. A feasibility stage could result in the conducting of a low-risk pilot project. We have are involved in various activities, such as: providing general information on the advantages (and disadvantages) of offshoring to both business managers and ICT and BPO professionals. Defining the strategic goals of offshoring: what are the advantages? Preparing a business case (e.g. estimate of the cost savings, the ‘hidden costs’, the offshore risks, selecting the right project to start). Country selection and identification of potential offshore ICT and BPO providers. 
  • Offshore Transition. The offshore transition is a complex and critical process, especially if large amounts of work have to be transferred offshore. Hiring external expertise on a full-time or part-time basis speeds up the process and saves valuable time for the launch team. The focus of GPI Consultancy is on the three main topics in the management processes and structures that lead to successful transitioning of work offshore: change management; knowledge transfer; governance.
  • Cultural Training Services. Improving the ‘cultural fit’ when working together. We arrange lectures in workshops: 'how to deal with the Indian business culture' for Dutch and Belgian users of Indian offshore services. We also take part in workshops: 'how to deal with the Dutch business culture' for the staff of foreign ICT services providers.

 

Export promotion services
The Dutch ICT sector has not yet discovered the potential of export markets in the Middle East and the Gulf region. We have started a project designed to promote Dutch ICT exports to this region. Accessing these new markets and organizing  ICT business trips to Dubai are part of this project. Our Palestinian contacts can be used for localisation (e.g. translating the software into the Arabic language). They can also assist in market research and marketing and sales, since they already belong to networks in the region.

 

Promoting offshore sourcing in the Netherlands
In order to promote offshore sourcing, our consultants are involved in writing articles in Dutch ICT and business magazines and in assisting journalists. Sofar, more than 100 articles in the Dutch language have been published.

Since the year 2000, GPI Consultancy organizes full-day and half-day seminars on offshoring. With speakers on different topics, they include Dutch case studies on a range of countries (e.g. India, Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine, Malta, Bulgaria, Russia, Bangladesh, Serbia, Malaysia, Kenya, Palestine, Kenia, China).

We also organize offshore ICT/BPO-missions on a regular basis, and to various countries. The goal of these missions is to give the Dutch participants detailed information about offshore sourcing, and especially about the opportunities in a certain country. The business delegation will visit several local companies in one or more cities. A trip will have an informal character, with a visit to a university, an ICT-park and also with some attention to cultural and tourist elements. Examples of destinations: India, Nepal, China, North Korea, Palestine, Bangladesh, Surinam, Malta and Kenya.

 

Supporting the ICT/BPO-export sector of developing countries
We also assist organizations from developing countries in the field of Private Sector Development. GPI Consultancy was involved  in export promotion projects initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (CBI, Center for the promotion of imports from Developing Countries), HIVOS, ITC (International Trade Centre, Geneva), European Union, GTZ, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, government organizations, trade promotion organizations and ICT associations. See for details the webpage: Our services.
  

 

Organizing ICT/BPO-missions
We organize offshore ICT/BPO-missions on a regular basis, and to various countries. The goal of these missions is to give the European participants detailed information about offshore sourcing, and especially about the opportunities in a certain country. The business delegation will visit several local companies in one or more cities. A trip will have an informal character, with a visit to a university, an ICT-park and also with some attention to cultural and tourist elements. Examples of destinations: Nepal, China, Palestine, Bangladesh, Surinam, Malta and Kenya.

 

Arranging press coverage / writing articles 
In order to promote offshore sourcing, our consultants are involved in writing articles in Dutch ICT and business magazines and in assisting journalists. Sofar, more than 100 articles in the Dutch language have been published. For some examples of articles in the English language, see the webpage: Articles.

 

 

Handbook “Offshoring Information Technology” 

Paul Tjia, founder of GPI Consulancy, wrote a book on international ICT collaboration, together with Professor Erran Carmel (American University, USA). "Offshoring Information Technology - Sourcing and Outsourcing to a Global Workforce" contains more than 300 pages and is one of the most detailed publications available on the subject (now in its fifth print). Published by Cambridge University Press, the book has the following Table of Contents.  

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