Tidal Russian IT Challenges

These are indeed challenging times in Information Technology. Managers are under increased pressure to trim costs, reduce overhead and make the most efficient use of their IT budget.

At the same time they must continue to maintain the high levels of service and quality that their businesses require. Furthermore, to satisfy the competitive needs of the corporation, user departments generate a continual stream of requests to take on new mission critical projects, or enhance existing ones. The manager also knows that his corporation's competitors will be creative in achieving the same objectives so he has no time to waste. He has to concentrate on the strategic deployment of the core business to ensure corporate growth, all of which adds up to a very challenging environment for the IT manager.

To achieve his department objectives, the IT manager needs resources, including a core of well trained, experienced software developers. Such well qualified personnel are hard to find, hard to hire and require a lead time to train for new applications and technologies. Once hired and trained and with some proof of accomplishment, the most effective people become the targets of head hunters and companies seeking to buy their way out of schedule slippages, probably at a time inconvenient to the IT manager. One way to eliminate concerns with personnel management, recruitment and even the details of project administration is to turn those problems over to someone else, provided they can engender trust and confidence in their ability to perform.

Consequently, with growing workload and tightened budgets, it is an increasingly attractive proposition to consider off loading managed projects to outside vendors and development partners. The IT manager is familiar with outsourcing, possibly from third world countries, where the costs are cheap but where the commitment to western business practices and culture are less common. All of which bring management headaches and nervousness at a time when confidence and the elimination of risk are the object.

However not all outsourcing is the same. The companies selected for Russian IT Resources were selected based on performance and proven excellence.

They have considerable experience in offshore development and turnkey contracts. Russians have an advanced culture similar to the West and a highly developed, intelligent and motivated work force. These companies have experienced management, applications expertise, well educated, skilled and technically competent personnel and a commitment to a high quality end product.

They also offer considerable economic advantage and a dedication to meeting schedules. They all communicate in English, are very flexible in dealing with customers and above all consider meeting their customer's technical and business objectives as their paramount mission.

Consequently the availability of Russian outsourcing changes the equation, making it desirable to off load managed projects to properly qualified outside partners and eliminate concerns with recruitment, personnel management and the day to day details of project administration. It also helps to add confidence and quality and gain an advantage over business competitors seeking to solve the same management problems.

From the 22nd of October through the 26th 2001, representatives of the selected companies visited England and had a series of meetings with members of the British IT Industry.