Study evaluates vendors' current capabilities and identifies the vendors best positioned to gain market share

FRAMINGHAM, MA, October 24, 2011 – IDC Health Insights today announced the availability of a new IDC MarketScape report providing a comprehensive evaluation of the leading Research & Development (R&D) IT outsourcing providers in the life science industry.

IDC Health Insights' new report, IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Life Science R&D IT Outsourcing 2011 Vendor Assessment (Document # HI230026), is an assessment of the highly diverse R&D outsourcing services market that identifies leaders as well as emerging companies looking to grow market share. Thirteen companies participated, including: Accenture, Capgemini, Cognizant, CSC, HCL Technologies, IBM, Indegene, Infosys, L&T Infotech, Syntel, TAKE Solutions, Tata Consulting Services (TCS), and Wipro.

As life science companies look to improve operational efficiencies within their organizations, they are increasingly reducing the number of activities that they would categorize as core competencies. Noncore competencies are increasingly outsourced to third-party vendors. While historically outsourced activities were those efforts that would be considered commoditized and industry independent, such as accounting or human resources, there has been a gradual shift to increasingly outsource industry-specific activities.

"Contract manufacturing and IT support were early industry-specific areas outsourced in the life sciences, followed by clinical trials. Drug safety and analytics have more recently grown as outsourced activities, and even discovery research is being looked at as a noncore competency," stated Dr. Alan Louie, research director, IDC Health Insights. "To better position themselves to capture these expanding opportunities, outsourcing vendors have expanded their industry-specific knowledge, expertise, and capabilities."

IDC MarketScape vendor analysis reports are designed to identify factors conducive to success in a particular market, and then assess vendors participating in the market against those factors. The assessment then applies a market position to vendors relative to other market participants, providing life science companies with critical information necessary to make important technology decisions.

The focal point of the vendor assessment is the disclosure of each vendor's relative market position, based on vendors' current capabilities and their alignment to customer needs, as well as how the vendors' future strategies align with what customers will require in three to five years. Fourteen separate evaluation criteria are used for each, and include factors such as offerings functionality, delivery models, cost management strategies, sales and distribution strategies, marketing strategies, customer service strategies, innovation and R&D, and financial models. The report also provides brief profiles on each vendor, with commentary on their strengths, weaknesses, and market position.

Dr. Louie will present data on this study during a complimentary, one-hour Web conference, R&D IT Outsourcing in the Life Sciences – From Vendor to Partner, on Wednesday, October 26 at 12:00 p.m., U.S. Eastern time. Dr. Louie will review the changing trends in the industry, the overall MarketScape structure, key criteria used to develop the life science-specific R&D IT outsourcing study, and how life science companies should use and leverage the research. Please register at: http://bit.ly/IDCHI_RDOutsourcingWC.

For additional information about this study, or to arrange a one-on-one briefing with Dr. Louie, please contact Sarah Murray at 781-378-2674 or sarahbethmurray@gmail.com; reports are available to qualified members of the media. For information on purchasing reports, contact insights@idc.com.

About IDC MarketScapes

IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.

About IDC Health Insights

IDC Health Insights assists health businesses and IT leaders, as well as the suppliers who serve them, in making more effective technology decisions by providing accurate, timely, and insightful fact-based research and consulting services. Staffed by senior analysts with decades of industry experience, our global research analyzes and advises on business and technology issues facing the payer, provider and life sciences industries. International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology market. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world’s leading technology, media, research, and events company. For more information, please visit www.idc-hi.com, email info@idc-hi.com, or call 508-935-4445. Visit the IDC Health Insights Community at http://idc-insights-community.com/health.