Businessweek

The Hackett Group, Inc., a strategic advisory company, provides practice advisory, benchmarking, and transformation consulting services, including shared services, offshoring, and outsourcing advice. Offerings The company offers a range of services, including executive advisory programs, benchmarking, business transformation, and technology consulting services. It has completed engagements in various industries, including automotive, consumer goods, financial services, technology, life sciences, manufacturing, media and entertainment, retail, telecommunications, transportation, and utilities. Executive Advisory Programs On-demand access provides performance metrics, peer-learning opportunities, and practice implementation advice. The scope of the company’s advisory programs is defined by business function (Executive Advisory) and by process coverage (Process Advisory). Its advisory programs include a mix of the following deliverables: Advisor Inquiry: The company’s inquiry services are used by clients for access to fact-based advice on proven approaches and methods to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of selling, general, and administrative processes. Best Practice Research: The company’s research provides detailed insights into the approaches in use at organizations that yield business results. Peer Interaction: Regular member-led Webcasts, annual Best Practice Conferences, annual Member Forums, membership performance surveys and client-submitted content, provide ongoing peer learning and networking opportunities. Best Practice Intelligence Center: Online, searchable repository of best practices, performance metrics, conference presentations and associated research available to Executive Advisory Program Members and their support teams. Benchmarking Services The company’s benchmarking group has measured and evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of enterprise functions for approximately 3,500 organizations worldwide. This includes the Dow Jones Industrials, the Fortune 100, the DAX 30, and the FTSE 100. Ongoing studies are conducted in a range of areas, including selling, general and administrative, finance, human resources, information technology, procurement, enterprise performance management, shared service centers, and working capital management. Benchmarks are used by the company’s clients to establish priorities, generate organizational consensus, align compensation to establish performance goals, and develop the required business case for business and technology investments. Business Transformation The company’s Business Transformation programs help clients develop a coordinated strategy for achieving performance improvements across the enterprise. Its strategic capabilities include operational assessments, process and organization design, change management and the application of technology. Through REL Consultancy Group Limited, the company offers services, which are designed to help companies improve cash flow from operations through improved working capital management. Through Archstone Consulting, LLC, the company offers services, which specialize in industry supply chain and procurement consulting and advisory competencies. Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions Group (ERP Solutions) The company’s ERP Solutions professionals help clients choose and deploy the software applications that meet their needs and objectives. Its expertise is focused on various application providers, such as Oracle, SAP, and time and attendance providers. The group offers services from planning, architecture, and vendor evaluation and selection through implementation, customization, testing, and integration. Best Practice Implementation tools and templates help integrate best practices into business and analytical applications. The group also offers post-implementation support, change management, exception management, process transparency, system documentation, and end-user training, all of which are designed to improve return on investment. The company also provides offshore application development and support services. These services include post-implementation support for select business application platforms. Its ERP Solutions group also includes a division responsible for the sale and maintenance support of the SAP suite of ERP applications. Clients The company focuses on developing long-term client relationships with Global 2000 firms and other buyers of business and information technology consulting services. Dispositions Subsequent to December 2012, the company exited the Oracle ERP implementation business practice, which is separate and distinct from its Oracle Enterprise Performance Management practice. Strategy The company’s strategies include expanding its brand or market permission to its other offerings; continuing to position and improve the company as an intellectual property (IP)-centric strategic advisory organization; introducing new IP–centric offerings; continuing to expand its BPI tools; creating strategic relationships that help the company utilize and expand its Hackett intellectual capital base; recruiting and developing talent; utilizing its dual shore capabilities; and seeking out strategic acquisitions. History The company was founded in 1991. It was formerly known as Answerthink, Inc. and changed its name to The Hackett Group, Inc. in 2008. The company was incorporated in 1997.