Wipro and HCL have been rated the front runners in a global rating of the ‘most wanted’ R&D Service Providers – the overwhelming majority of them, based out of India.
The annual study entitled “Global R&D Service Providers (GSPR) Rating 2011”, by leading Bangalore and US-headquartered globalization advisory firm Zinnov Management Consulting was conducted across geographies like India, China, Russia and Eastern Europe to assist business leaders in spearheading global engineering initiatives and help them to identify the right partners across geographies.

Wipro emerges the clear leader in the overall rating with HCL, Patni, Infosys, Mahindra Satyam and MindTree following them ( in that order). The top six players constitute 58% of the total R&D service provider market, the study highlights. All 44 participating companies have been assessed on parameters like Human capital, capabilities, financials, ecosystem linkages, infrastructure & business sustainability. While Wipro proves to be a leader in the overall rating, HCL, L&T IES, Symphony Services, Tata Elxsi, Aricent and Patni establish themselves as leaders in specific industry verticals. The study, suggests that the last 18 months have seen emergence of themes that are driving growth in the R&D service providers community: convergence & mobility; emerging markets: cloud computing; enterprise adoption and green initiatives. Two-thirds of the R&D centres based in India are multinational Captive Centres while one-third are Indian R&D Service Providers.

While the study was global, the overwhelming majority of R&D providers are based out of India explained Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, Zinnov’s Director , Globalization Advisory: Only two –EPAM ( Ukraine) and VinceInfo ( China) of the adjudged front runners, were in other geographies. TCS a leading Indian R&D player did not participate in the ratings exercise.
Adds Zinnov’s Founder –CEO, Pari Natarajan:"Our study also highlights that service providers are now more open to trying out newer business models in the wake of increased competition and the need to differentiate.”

For the first time Zinnov has introduced a new graphical framework for assessment and relative comparison of R&D service providers. Called ‘Zinnov Zones’ , it presents a n interesting perspective on the capabilities of service providers as potential partners for global engineering customers. ‘Zinnov Zones’ provide a dashboard view of the stage of evolution of product engineering services practice at a vertical / overall level. The framework allows one to access a company basis of its presence in Nuture / Breakout / Execution / Leadership category.

In a concurrent statement Sanjay Gupta, Senior Vice President and Global Head, Product Engineering Services, Wipro Technologies, says: “Wipro is delighted at being ranked the No. 1 third party Global R&D Services Provider by Zinnov. We are committed to investing in enhancing our investments in our employees and knowledge of domains, systems, and architecture to earn the continuing franchise of our customers and being the best place to work for our employees”.

Founded in 2002, Zinnov – meaning Zeal in Innovation – is a leading management consulting company providing advisory services in the area of Global Sourcing, Emerging Markets Expansion and Human Capital Optimization to Fortune 1000 and reputed SMB companies.
www.zinnov.com  May 19 2011