Research by Common Sense Advisory helps companies localize products for new countries more quickly and cost-effectively.

Lowell, MA -- (SBWire) -- 02/09/2011 -- What is localization? Companies often define it as adapting their products and services into the languages and needs of local markets. Translation comes with the territory. But, as a new collection of research from Common Sense Advisory shows, localization is a more complex process, one that requires business adaptations for companies to market, sell, and support products in other countries, or in communities that use other languages.

The new research, which consists of two reports and four guides, introduces Common Sense Advisory’s updated localization maturity model and shows global businesses how they can move from one level of maturity to the next. Based on a global survey of 157 organizations, the reports also reveal detailed information about the average time it takes for companies to move from one phase to another.

"Now that we’ve charted the typical timeline for moving through the phases of maturity, we can easily identify when a company is lagging behind or moving ahead of the curve," explained Common Sense Advisory founder and Chief Strategy Officer Don DePalma. "Through the findings we present in this research, companies can learn exactly what they need to do in order to localize more quickly and cost-effectively, gaining a distinct advantage over their competitors."

Key findings include:

* More than half (52.83%) of the companies surveyed favor a corporate-wide model for localization management.

* Localization managers commonly oversee the language conversion of content for online help, websites, technical publications, and marketing materials, but they also deal with mobile applications, packaging, customer care, employee information, and other content types.

* Top drivers for localization efforts include increased product and country revenue, improved customer experience, and greater market share.

* More than three-fifths (63.6%) of respondents had heard a senior executive talk about translation or localization in a company speech, and nearly three-quarters (73.8%) had read about localization in a broadly distributed corporate communication such as a newsletter, blog, or intranet posting.

"One major trend we identified in this research is that localization is steadily gaining visibility at the corporate level," DePalma explains. "Executives are more aware than ever before of localization as a revenue enabler."

The research includes:

* Drivers and priorities for localization and how they change with time and experience

* Detailed suggestions for speeding up the process of building a mature localization practice

* A set of key performance indicators (KPIs) for localization maturity

* The roles that vision, execution, and mastery play in localization maturity

* A discussion of where and how industry suppliers can help companies become more mature

For additional information about Common Sense Advisory’s localization maturity reports and guides, visit http://www.commonsenseadvisory.com.

About Common Sense Advisory :
Common Sense Advisory, Inc. is an independent research and analysis firm specializing in the on- and offline operations driving business globalization, internationalization, localization, translation, and interpretation. Its research, consulting, and training help organizations improve the quality of their global business operations. For more information, visit: http://www.commonsenseadvisory.com or http://www.twitter.com/CSA_Research.

Contact:
Melissa C. Gillespie
Common Sense Advisory
Boston, MA
+1 760-522-4362
melissa@commonsenseadvisory.com
http://www.commonsenseadvisory.com