Research

APQC’s research team applies proven research methods to develop solutions, strategies, and tools to solve your real business problems. Working alone and in partnership with member organizations and industry experts, we discover and capture the key processes and enablers behind successful practices. We then disseminate that knowledge to other organizations to help you meet today’s challenges while helping you transform your organization for future success and competitive advantage. Explore the findings and results from our research in our vast Resource Library, and check out our upcoming and past research below.

Sponsored Research Opportunities
APQC’s sponsored research program is a fee-based opportunity for professional services firms, associations, and technology providers to sponsor and participate in APQC research or data collection opportunities. Promote your brand, develop thought leadership, and access exclusive research through this program.
Learn MoreQuestions About Our Research?
Contact APQCFinancial Management
APQC and the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) conducted a study analyzing survey and interview data to understand where FP&A stands in these efforts, the current tools, technologies, and techniques used by organizations for FP&A, and the associated skills required of today’s FP&A professionals.
Recent APQC financial management challenges and priorities surveys have shown that implementing new tools and technologies are high-priority activities for finance, and that interest is particularly high for new digital tools, such as cloud computing, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), artificial intelligence/cognitive computing/machine learning, and blockchain.
-
Leading Practices for Financial and Managerial ReportingContact Rachele Collins
Posted March, 5 2020 -
Finance 2020: Annual Priorities and Trends SurveyContact Rachele Collins
Posted March, 5 2020 -
Structure, Tools, and Teams for High-performing Finance Data AnalyticsContact Rachele Collins
Posted March, 5 2020 -
New Developments in Internal ControlsContact Rachele Collins
Posted March, 5 2020 -
Planning and Management Accounting Blueprint (2nd edition)Contact Rachele Collins
Posted March, 5 2020
Human Capital Management
Advances in technology and analytics present many opportunities to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of HR. Based on data from APQC’s Open Standards Benchmarking?, APQC briefed talent leaders on these new tools and technologies, their adoption and use within HR, and how best-practice organizations are leveraging them to transform the HR function.
Competition for talent is fierce. Low unemployment and scarcity of hot skills have employers focused on crafting an engaging employee experience that will both attract and retain top talent. APQC conducted a survey to uncover how organizations are using listening, design thinking, leadership, and analytics to deliver such an experience.
Talent acquisition is a balancing act for employers today. Organizations tell APQC that they seek to cut talent acquisition costs while improving the recruiting experience and the quality of new hires. This research project analyzed APQC’s Open Standards Benchmarking data to uncover recruiting approaches that are both efficient and effective.
-
HR TransformationContact Elissa Tucker
Posted March, 5 2020 -
The Modern Learning OrganizationContact Elissa Tucker
Posted March, 5 2020 -
Job RedesignContact Elissa Tucker
Posted March, 5 2020 -
Talent MatchingContact Elissa Tucker
Posted March, 5 2020
Knowledge Management
Cloud computing is one of the most pervasive trends in enterprise IT. In 2019, APQC surveyed more than 300 organizations to understand their use of cloud platforms to support content management and collaboration.
To meet the knowledge needs of the organization, KM teams often partner with functions such as IT and organizational learning. This project explores ways to establish successful partnerships and tips to work with specific groups.
This ongoing project explores common barriers to knowledge sharing and how you can address them in order to encourage participation and engagement in KM tools and approaches.
APQC recognized 13 organizations as winners of its first-ever Excellence in Knowledge Management award in 2019. The award is based on analysis from APQC’s KM Capability Assessment Tool, which measures and evaluates KM programs based on their strategy, people, process, and content and IT capabilities.
- Best Practices for Knowledge Management Excellence: 2019
- Embrace KM’s Role in Digital Transformation—and Don’t Be Afraid to Take Ownership
- Position KM as a Shared Responsibility Across the Workforce
- When the KM Program Stagnates: Reimagine, Reinvigorate, Rebrand
- Insights from Winning Knowledge Management Programs
Motivating employees to share and reuse knowledge has always been the holy grail of knowledge management. But what actually convinces employees to change their habits and incorporate KM into their daily activities? This research answers that question based on data from 374 KM professionals and in-depth case studies with eight best-practice organizations.
-
KM Innovation in the Face of DisruptionRead the Blog
Posted March, 5 2020 -
Keeping Content Fresh and FindableParticipate in a Case Study
Posted March, 5 2020 -
Excellence in KM 2020Learn About the Award and Apply to Win
Posted March, 5 2020 -
The Intersection of KM and AgileParticipate in a Case Study
Posted March, 5 2020 -
People of Knowledge ManagementContact Lauren Trees to Learn More
Posted March, 5 2020
Process and Performance Management
In December of 2019, APQC conducted a survey to understand the common challenges and priorities of process and performance management (PPM) practitioners for 2020.
This project explored the people that support process management work. APQC sought to understand the demographics, skillset, and education of today's process workers. Additionally, the research looked at reporting structures, responsibilities, and career advancement in the process field.
This project included the development of end-to-end process maps, based on the Process Classification Framework?, combined with related KPIs and benchmarks for the most common end-to-end processes.
- End-to-End Process Maps and Measures: Idea-to-Market
- End-to-End Process Maps and Measures: Order-to-Cash
- End-to-End Process Maps and Measures: Procure-to-Pay
- End-to-End Process Maps and Measures: Hire-to-Retire
- End-to-End Process Maps and Measures: Record-to-Report
- End-to-End Process Maps and Measures: Sales and Operations Planning
This research explores trends in change management practices and looks at the gap between “check the box” practices and those that instill behavioral shifts in employees.
- Upping Your Change Engagement Game
- Leading Effective Change: The Roles of Leaders in Change Management
- Measuring the Change Gap: Survey Summary
- Managing Change Across the Enterprise at Puget Sound Energy: Case Study
- Securing Alignment in Enterprise Resource Planning and IT Transformations: Cargill Case Study
- Engaging Employees in Change: Are We Doing Enough?
This project will help organizations understand effective ways to translate their digital strategy into effective execution.
- Three Roles to Make Your Digital Transformation a Success
- Measures of Digital Transformation Survey Report
- Integrating Digital Transformation Into the Flow of Work: Corporación Multi Inversiones Case Study
- How Human Connections Support Digital Transformation: General Electric Case Study
- How TechnipFMC Enables Flexible and Agile Digital Transformation
- Tracking the Success of Digital Programs: Move Beyond Milestones
-
Business Process Management AssessmentContact Holly Lyke-Ho-Gland to Learn More
Posted March, 5 2020 -
The Intersection of Data, Information, and Process ManagementParticipate in a Case Study
Posted March, 5 2020 -
End-to-End Process Maps & MeasuresMore Maps Coming Soon - Check out what's available now!
Posted March, 5 2020
Supply Chain Management
APQC and Supply Chain Management Review are conducting frequent short polls to collect information from supply chain professionals about the use and planned adoption of tools, technologies, software, and practices to report out in a fast and meaningful way.
APQC assessed how organizations are developing procurement professionals for what is to come by examining the current state of investments in procurement talent and the future skills needed for success. This research showcases responses from more than 200 procurement professionals worldwide.
-
Future Skills for Procurement ProfessionalsContact Marisa Brown
Posted March, 5 2020 -
Global R&D OrganizationsParticipate in the research
Posted March, 5 2020 -
Seven Tenets of Managing Supply Chain ProcessesContact Marisa Brown
Posted March, 5 2020