10/06-04   -   Pressemeddelelse

Nordic BPO Market to Reach €3.1 Billion by 2008, Says IDC

Spending on business process outsourcing (BPO) services reached €1.3 billion in the Nordics in 2003 and is expected to increase to €3.1 billion in 2008 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.6%, according to new IDC research.

The BPO market is still in its development stage in the Nordics, with the majority of business services being delivered around logistics, payroll, finance and accounting, and HR services. BPO is not a new concept. Companies have been outsourcing business functions such as logistics, facility operations and management, customer care, and call centers for many years. Despite the relative maturity of BPO, the market has gone through significant changes over the past two to three years, causing major shifts in buyer behavior toward BPO and BPO service provision.

The background to these shifts is that companies, faced with challenges in the economic and business climates over the past couple of years, have been reevaluating their business operations. As they do so, they are thinking through issues and forming new goals such as achieving a strict focus on core competencies, gaining efficiencies and best practices, managing costs and risks, and accessing and utilizing technology. As they grapple with these issues, many leading companies have started to explore and evaluate the applicability of BPO to their business operations and its role in helping them achieve their new goals.

This process is causing unprecedented demand for BPO services across an ever-expanding range of business functions as well as major shifts in the competitive landscape for BPO services.

The BPO market is fundamentally made up of many individual markets, each with its own nuances, opportunities, and challenges. For service providers looking at BPO, IDC believes it is imperative to examine each function independently, analyze its characteristics, match buyer needs and expectations in each function with their own strengths and capabilities, and make strategic decisions on where to focus. Making a play as a BPO provider entails risks and takes time, resources, and patience. There is no fast track or silver bullet to the market, and focus is critical.

IDC´s BPO market forecast and analysis studies for 2004 to 2008 cover the Finnish, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish markets and update the five-year forecast for the Nordic BPO services market. The studies analyze trends and events influencing opportunities in the BPO market, assess their impact on the five-year forecast, and identify growth areas in each BPO segment.

To purchase the Finnish study, Finland Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Market Forecast and Analysis, 2003–2008 (IDC #FI560448L, June 2004), contact your local IDC office or visit www.idc.com. The Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish studies will be available in June.

About IDC
IDC is the premier global market intelligence and advisory firm in the information technology and telecommunications industries. We analyze and predict technology trends so that our clients can make strategic, fact-based decisions on IT purchases and business strategy. Over 700 IDC analysts in 50 countries provide local expertise and insights on technology markets. Business executives and IT managers have relied for 40 years on our advice to make decisions that contribute to the success of their organizations.

IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world´s leading technology media, research, and events company. Additional information can be found at www.idc.com
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For more information, contact:
Esa Peltonen
+35898770466
epeltonen@idc.com