Business description of Information-Services-Group-Inc from last 10-k form


 SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

        Information Services Group ("ISG") believes that some of the information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K constitutes forward-looking statements. You can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may," "expect," "anticipate," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "intends" and "continue" or similar words. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they:

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    discuss future expectations;

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    contain projections of future results of operations or financial condition; or

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    state other "forward-looking" information.

        These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to:

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    ability to retain existing clients and contracts;

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    ability to win new clients and engagements;

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    ability to implement cost reductions and productivity improvements;

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    beliefs about future trends in the sourcing industry;

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    expected spending on sourcing services by clients;

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    foreign currency exchange rates;

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    effective tax rate; and

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    competition in the sourcing industry.

        ISG believes it is important to communicate its expectations to its stockholders. However, there may be events in the future that ISG is not able to predict accurately or over which it has no control. The risk factors and cautionary language discussed in this Annual Report provide examples of risks, uncertainties and events that may cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations in such forward-looking statements, including among other things:

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    the amount of cash on hand;

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    business strategy;

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    cost reductions and productivity improvements may not be fully realized or realized within the expected time frame;

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    continued compliance with government regulations;

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    legislation or regulatory environments, requirements or changes adversely affecting the business in which ISG is engaged;

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    fluctuations in client demand;

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    management of growth;

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    ability to grow the business and effectively manage growth and international operations while maintaining effective internal controls;

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    ISG's relative dependence on clients which operate in the financial services, manufacturing, automotive and public services sectors;

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    ability to hire and retain enough qualified employees to support operations;

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    increases in wages in locations in which ISG has operations;
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    ability to retain senior management;

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    fluctuations in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies;

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    ability to attract and retain clients and the ability to develop and maintain client relationships based on attractive terms;

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    legislation in the United States or elsewhere that adversely affects the performance of sourcing services offshore;

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    increased competition;

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    telecommunications or technology disruptions or breaches, or natural or other disasters;

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    ability to protect ISG intellectual property and the intellectual property of others;

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    the international nature of ISG's business;

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    political or economic instability in countries where ISG has operations;

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    worldwide political, economic and business conditions; and

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    ability to successfully consummate or integrate strategic acquisitions.

        You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Annual Report.

        All forward-looking statements included herein attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. This Annual Report also contains forward-looking statements attributed to estimates of the growth of our markets. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Except to the extent required by applicable laws and regulations, we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Annual Report or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

        You should, however, review the risks and uncertainties we describe in the reports we will file from time to time with the SEC after the date of this Annual Report.

PART I

Item 1.    Business

        As used herein, unless the context otherwise requires, ISG, the registrant, is referred to in this Form 10-K annual report ("Form 10-K") as the "Company," "we," "us" and "our."

Our Company

        Information Services Group, Inc. (ISG) (NASDAQ: III) is a leading technology insights, market intelligence and advisory services company serving more than 500 clients around the world to help them achieve operational excellence. ISG supports private and public sector organizations to transform and optimize their operational environments through research, benchmarking, consulting and managed services with a focus on information technology, business process transformation, program management services and enterprise resource planning. Clients look to ISG for unique insights and innovative solutions for leveraging technology, our deep data source, and more than five decades of experience of global leadership in information and advisory services. Based in Stamford, Connecticut, the company has approximately 700 employees and operates in 21 countries.

        Our company was founded in 2006 with the strategic vision to become a high-growth, leading provider of information-based advisory services. In 2007, ISG consummated its initial public offering and completed the acquisition of TPI Advisory Services Americas, Inc. ("TPI").

        On January 4, 2011, we acquired Compass, a premier independent global provider of business and information technology benchmarking, performance improvement, data and analytics services. It was founded in 1980 and headquartered in the United Kingdom and had approximately 180 employees in 16 countries serving nearly 250 clients.

        On February 10, 2011, we acquired Austin, Texas-based STA Consulting, a premier independent information technology advisor serving the public sector. STA Consulting advises clients on information technology strategic planning and the acquisition and implementation of new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and other enterprise administration and management systems. STA Consulting was founded in 1997 and had approximately 40 professionals.

        We continue to believe that our vision will be realized through the acquisition, integration, and successful operation of market-leading brands within the data, analytics and advisory industry. Including our most recent acquisitions, we operate in 21 countries and employ approximately 700 professionals globally, delivering advisory, benchmarking and analytical insight to large, multinational corporations and governments in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

        There are important cyclical and secular challenges faced by our private and public sector clients which will continue to fuel demand for the professional services we provide. In the private sector, for example, we believe that companies will continue to face significant challenges associated with globalization, including the need to decrease operating costs, increase efficiencies and deal with increasing numbers of emerging and transformational technologies such as cloud computing. Similarly, public sector organizations at the national, regional and local levels increasingly must deal with the complex and converging issues of outdated technology systems, significantly impaired revenue sources and an aging workforce.

        Overall, we believe that the environmental dynamics at work in both the private and public sectors mitigate decisively in favor of the professional services, analytics and advice ISG can provide. In this dynamic environment, the strength of our client relationships greatly depends on the quality of our advice and insight, the independence of our thought leadership and the effectiveness of our people in assisting our clients to implement strategies that successfully address their most pressing operational challenges.

        We are organized as a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware. The current mailing address of the Company's principal executive office is:

        Information Services Group, Inc.

        Two Stamford Plaza, 281 Tresser Boulevard, Stamford, CT 06901, and our telephone number is (203) 517-3100.

Our Services

        During periods of expansion or contraction, for enterprises large or small, public or private, in North America or Europe and Asia Pacific, our services have helped organizations address their most complex operational issues. The functional domain experience of our experts and deep empirical data help clients better understand their strategic options. We provide four key lines of service:

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    Research.  We utilize our extensive experience and proprietary data assets to provide subscription and custom research services to both buyers and service providers active in the outsourcing and managed services industries. Our views into the buying behaviors, needs and objectives of global corporations examining transformation of their operations provide unique insight for industry participants.

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    Benchmarking and Analytics.  Our combined data sources, compiled over 30 years of servicing global corporations provide a rich source of benchmark data into the comparative cost and quality of operational alternatives. We use these data sources to provide clients with in-depth analysis into the implications of different service strategies allowing them to compare and contrast and make informed decision regarding strategic change.

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    Strategic Consulting.  We assist clients with envisioning, designing and implementing change in their operational environments. We evaluate existing practices and operating costs of public and private enterprises, identifying potential improvement opportunities to enhance service delivery, optimize operations or reduce costs. Solutions are customized by client situation and may include internal transformation, the adoption of external strategies, or some combination of both. In all cases, we assist with the selection, implementation and ongoing support for these strategic initiatives.

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    Managed Services.  Our managed service offerings provide best in class operational governance services and bring these to our clients as a seamless end-to-end service. This offering assists clients with monitoring and managing their supplier relationships, providing them with real-time accurate market intelligence and insights into all aspects of provider performance and cost, allowing them to focus on the more strategic aspects of supplier management.