Global management consulting, technology services, and out-sourcing company Accenture was at a crucial business juncture. When it separated from its parent company in 1999, Accenture had to create its own internal IT organization. Accenture inherited its parent company’s disparate technologies and hundreds of specialized global applications, but it quickly realized it needed to improve upon these systems and services to serve a rapidly growing global employee base. One of its primary goals was to standardize on a common technology platform. Accenture now runs 99 percent of its global applications on Microsoft® technologies and, next to Microsoft, is one of the largest companies to rely almost solely on Microsoft technology. Partnering closely with Avanade and Microsoft, Accenture created a simplified technology environment that is more flexible and cost-effective than ever before.
Situation
Accenture, a worldwide management consulting, technology services, and outsourcing company with 146,000 employees and annual revenues of U.S.$16.65 billion, is committed to helping its business and government clients become high-performance organizations based on a thorough understanding of their industries, business issues, and applicable technologies. Almost two-thirds of Accenture clients are included on the prestigious Fortune Global 500 list, and they span the full range of worldwide industries. By mobilizing the right people, skills, and technologies, Accenture delivers tailored solutions for its clients.
When Accenture separated from its former parent company in 1999, it inherited a disparate set of technologies and applications. The company found itself facing several challenges. As a new publicly traded company it needed a more integrated financial management structure. It foresaw a shift in the global business environment toward greater mobility and collaboration, and its diverse