Accenture was ranked the number one outsourcing service provider for the first time, coming out ahead of IBM, who had garnered the leading position since the list's inception three years ago.



Half of the top 10 companies are from India, reflecting the country's strong outsourcing growth. Infosys Technologies was number three on the Leaders List, representing firms with annual sales of $60 million or more. The other top-ranked India-based firms were Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro Technologies, Genpact and Tech Mahindra.

Two companies based in France ? Sodexo and Capgemini ? also earned the highest rankings from the independent panel of recognized industry leaders. Hewlett-Packard of Palo Alto, California, came in number eight on the list.

?The power balance in outsourcing is shifting,? said Jagdish Dalal, IAOP's managing director, thought leadership, who led the judges? panel. ?The intensifying global competition was reflected in this year's ranking with companies from 19 countries vying for recognition.?

More than 60 percent of the winners on the Rising Stars list are based outside the U.S., indicating that the companies to watch in the future will be from emerging countries. First-time honorees include Beyondsoft of China, LawScribe of the U.S., and MERA NN from Russia.

The data also provides a unique industry snapshot and reveals its continued fast growth. Revenue among Leaders grew 24 percent in 2007, compared to 16 percent growth the previous year. These companies averaged $1.7 billion in annual sales and engaged 27,000 employees globally.

IAOP established the list as a resource to help companies compare providers using an objective methodology. It includes both Leaders and Rising Stars, as well as 25 sublists based on geographies, services and industry.

Similar to the request for proposal process, companies are ranked on quality following a rigorously judged application process that examines 18 criteria. Final rankings are based on a weighted average on demonstrated competencies, size and growth, management capabilities and customer references.

?At a time when companies that outsource are scrutinizing their providers more closely, the criteria our judges used are increasingly important in differentiating the top players in the industry,? said Michael Corbett, IAOP chairman. ?The Global Outsourcing 100 is a comprehensive and useful guide to help companies research and compare service providers.?