EMTM Alumni Workshop: Rightsourcing and Networking

April 17, 2004 — Nearly 80 EMTM graduates returned to Penn's campus for an intensive day-long alumni workshop that combined leading-edge knowledge and old-fashioned networking. "Rightsourcing Services: Make, Migrate or Outsource" was led by Dr. Ravi Aron, an authority on business process outsourcing (BPO) and a member of Wharton's Operations and Information Management Department.

Given the wave of recent headlines on jobs lost to off-shore outsourcing, the topic would be timely for almost any audience. But the chance to examine an issue steeped with both technology and business implications was especially appropriate for alumni of Penn Engineering's Executive Master's in Technology Management program, which is co-sponsored by the Wharton School.

"I hadn't been back to Penn in a few years," said Marcy Bartlett, EMTM ’95, Director, International Programs, Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems & Solutions, based in Gaithersburg, MD. "But when I saw the topic and the chance to recharge my intellectual batteries with other EMTM alumni, I couldn't resist."

Clearly, many participants were interested in what the implications of this trend were for their own companies, which ranged from leaders in financial services and pharmaceuticals to IT, telecoms, chemicals, consumer goods, and high-tech start-ups. While several were interested in exploring the option of playing an active role within their firms in orchestrating off-shore tie-ups, other participants had already set up business ventures or were working with firms that were off-shore BPO service providers. Finally, according to Aron, "Some attended simply because they were curious and wanted to know if this was the next bubble in the making, now that e-commerce gurus with their 2-by-2 matrices had disappeared."

Dr. Aron started off the workshop with an overview of off-shore outsourcing and trends, then moved into discussing techniques for measuring and managing risk, as well as how different forms of governance (such as captive centers), can have an impact on the quality and success of an effort.

It didn't take long for EMTM alumni to get back into their typical high-interaction classroom mode. Participants represented all sides of the issue. "Questions ranged from 'What exactly is BPO?'," said Aron, "to the fine-grain detail, for example, seeking the industry best practice levels for containing Direct Errors through penalty clauses and how successful have these been compared to active managerial monitoring." Active one-on-one and group conversations continued during the breaks that followed each session.

"I was impressed, but not surprised," said Jess Germansky, EMTM ’02,Technology Business Planning at Verizon Wireless in Warren, NJ. "Ravi Aron is an excellent speaker, knows the topic in its entirety, and provided some specific useful tools in deciding what to outsource and how to execute successfully. The 'revenue distance model' and the 'extended organizational form' were two that really stood out for me."

EMTM was also able to draw on its own alumni for practical expertise. Peter Nag, EMTM ’03, VP and Global PMO at Lehman Brothers, shared lessons learned and insights for managers based on his own firm's experience in "Taking the Outsourcing Leap." And the workshop concluded with Aron moderating a roundtable on current issues in off-shore outsourcing. Nag was joined by fellow alumni Mohit Kapoor, EMTM ’01, VP, Morgan Stanley, and Prashant Ukhade, EMTM '02, President, FirstBPO. Bringing additional perspectives were George Wu, President and CEO of DoubleBridge Technologies Inc., a Princeton-based firm with off-shore capabilities in China, and Sangita Singh, Chief Marketing Officer of Wipro Technologies, one of the largest Indian IT and BPO firms.

But it wasn't all work. At breakfast, breaks, lunch and an evening reception, participants caught up with former classmates and made new connections with other alumni. They also had the chance to welcome future alumni. Members of this year's graduating Class of 2004, and students who are taking part in this year's EMTM Global Immersion Trip to Hong Kong and Shanghai, sat in on the Roundtable discussion and joined alumni at the reception that followed.

"It was an outstanding event overall," said Germansky. "A chance to network with fellow alumni … both touching base with old friends and creating newfound connections."