Tholons Releases 2018 Services Globalization Index - Digital at Scale

Top 50 'Digital Nations' and Top 100 'Super Cities'

TSGI 2018

Tholons today released the “Tholons Services Globalization Index 2018TM” (TSGI), its flagship research report and ranking of the Top 50 “Digital Nations” and Top 100 “Super Cities”. Services Globalization (outsourcing) industry has been shaken by the paradigm shift and big industry leaders are grappling to align their business model to the new world of enterprise digital innovation and transformation. Tholons Services Globalization Index (TSGI) is published annually and is the industry’s premier ranking of the Top 100 “Super Cities” and Top 50 “Digital Nations.”

Vashistha, Chairman and CEO, Tholons, says “Intelligent Automation, Machine Learning, Cognitive Computing and Applications moving to cloud is transforming businesses and the services industry. Tomorrow’s workforce will be a digital workforce at scale, consisting of digital workers and human beings working together."

Digital is now a critical element in disrupting and transforming industries globally. Technology, business process management companies and multinational corporations need to align with the stark reality of digital innovation and transformation. Most of the services will get commoditized for the biggest leaders in services globalization like US, UK, Canada, Europe, India, Philippines, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Clients are now seeking strategies to digitally transform their businesses, leveraging new age technology like AI, mobility, analytics, cloud, social media, blockchain and cybersecurity. The legacy and traditional businesses need to revisit their business models in order to harness the power of such technology. Secondly, the intelligent automation of services like application management, infrastructure support, testing and business process management, is reducing or even eliminating the need for manpower. These new forces will push technology and services companies to think differently to sustain and grow.

Tholons introduced innovation, startup ecosystem and digital transformation as key components to define its index for Top 50 Digital Nations and Top 100 Super Cities 2017. Tholons is excited to present its perspective on digital, and how it will change the industry, and the future of economies and growth markets. In our current release of TSGI 2018, we have included cybersecurity, digital skills, scale and global competitiveness to gauge the wider aspects and impact of the digital ecosystem.

The Globalization Industry has been knocked by digital forces. Robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Social Media, Mobility, Big Data, Block Chain, Digital Supply Chain, Digital Trust, As-a-Service will continue to punch established players. The outsourcing industry has been shaken at the core; big industry leaders are aligning themselves to meet the speed and scale of digital transformation.

  • New Entrants to Top 10 Digital Nations: US, Russia, Colombia and South Africa are the new entrants to the top 10 Digital Nations.
  • Top 5 Super Cities: Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad from India, and Manila from the Philippines continue to be in the top 5 of Super Cities. Manila has regained its 2nd position from last year’s when it slipped to 4th position.
  • Top 10 Super Cities Exits and Entrants: Chennai has moved out of top 10 Super Cities while Montevideo has moved in the Top 10 list.
  • New Entrants in Top 50 Digital Nations: There are few countries who have shown exemplary movement in embracing digital and being relevant to the globalization of services. These countries are Jordan, Slovenia, Latvia and Mauritius making in Top 50 Digital Nations.
  • Future Digital Leaders: New York, San Francisco, London, Singapore and Tokyo are the Top 5 potential Digital Leaders.
  • Notable Exits from TGSI 2018: In this digital age, innovation is key. However, it’s very important to collaborate among Clients, Network of Startups, Mentors, Venture Capitalists, System Integrators and Platform Builders. China seems to have closed their borders for collaboration with the outside world and thereby rendered themselves irrelevant to the globalization of businesses outside of China. We believe China is not relevant to the Top 100 Super Cities or Top 50 Digital Nations. China is exiting the Index this year. There are few countries who have not been able to make the minimum benchmark and standards to qualify in TSGI 2018 or been disqualified like China, as mentioned above. The country which has also exited this year from TSGI 2018 is Bangladesh. 

The opportunity of the growing $2.8 Trillion technology spend to $4.0 Trillion by the accelerated transition of legacy businesses to digital is not to be missed. It is good news for innovative startups, super cities and digital nations to claim the territory. An engaged focus in digital innovation at enterprise level will lead to the emergence of new leaders. These new players clearly stand a great chance to be the winners given they are not saddled with legacy and big transformational effort and cost. We feel jubilant ringing the bell to the dawn of certainty, opportunity and this new found world.

About Tholons

THOLONS is a Global Strategic Consulting, Digital Industrial Innovation and Investment Advisory group serving Fortune 500 / Global 2000 clients. We help clients maximize returns on their innovation, digital transformation, business growth and global expansion.

Tholons advisors engage with government bodies to build compelling strategies for making countries attractive destination for Technology, Business Process Management, Innovation and Digital.

MY SPACES, the Enterprise Innovation global network, powered by THOLONS is the global leader and platform in collaborative ecosystem of Co-work | Co-innovate | Co-invest.

About Tholons Services Globalization Index (TSGI)

TSGI 2018 is the 13th edition since its inception in 2006 and is based on Tholons’s proprietary location assessment framework, which uses both primary and secondary research. Data is collected and validated from extensive network of industry stakeholders including enterprise buyers, service providers, governments, trade bodies and associations. Innovation / Digital, Talent, Skills & Quality, Cost, Risk & Quality of Life, Business Catalyst and Infrastructure are the key metrics used to rate and rank Super Cities and Digital Nations.

Media Contact
New York: Ankita Vashistha   | +1-646-250-3828   | ankita@tholons.com
London: David Jones              | +44-745-967-9656 | david@tholons.com
Bangalore: Anthony Rajesh    | +91-988-645-7772 | rajesh@tholons.com

www.tholons.com

Source: Tholons Inc.