The following are some useful links to the software, information technology, BPO and outsourcing industry.

1. Professional Organizations

NASSCOM (www.nasscom.org): NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies) is an association of Indian software, IT and BPO companies. Their website provides information on all aspects of the Indian software industry and can serve as an excellent guide for companies looking for partners in India.

IEEE (www.computer.org): The IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) is a professional society for computer scientists, systems programmers and electrical engineers.

TIE (www.tie.org): TIE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) is a not-for-profit organization of entrepreneurs and professionals in the field of information technology. It serves as a global platform to enhance communication of ideas and networking between individuals.

2. Software Engineering

SEI (www.sei.cmu.edu): The SEI (Software Engineering Institute) is the definitive body for the development of software engineering processes and methodologies. The CMM (Capability Maturity Model) standard for quality processes has been developed by the SEI.

Gantthead (www.gantthead.com): This is an excellent site for project management practices and techniques. Its purpose is to be an indispensable resource for IT project managers. We have incorporated a number of their project management principles in our organization.

3. Outsourcing Central

Corbett Associates (www.corbettassociates.com): This site is an excellent resource to global outsourcing. It is operated by Mr. Michael Corbett who is a well recognized authority on the outsourcing industry. He conducts seminars and conferences all over the world to provide first-hand insightful information on the global phenomenon of outsourcing.

Firmbuilder (www.firmbuilder.com): This is a partner site of Corbett Associates and contains a wealth of information on the IT outsourcing and BPO industry. Here you can find white papers and case studies on outsourcing of IT and back office operations as well as vendor listings.

4. Technical

MSDN (msdn.microsoft.com): MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) is probably the best resource for anything related to microsoft products and technologies. Here you can research products, download patches or upgrades, browse the knowledge base or participate in forums with other MS developers.

PlanetEE (www.planetee.com): An excellent site for electrical and electronics engineers as well as systems/embedded software programmers. A great resource for learning about new technologies and upcoming trends in the systems and embedded software industry.