Key insights

Our research shows that while there has been much change over the last five years, more can be expected and the focus will shift to different areas.

• Quality and control will remain the chief drivers for most, but process efficiency will grow in importance.
• Indirect tax and statutory accounts production appear to be the processes for which global tax decision makers feel their current operating model is least effective, but satisfaction levels rise for those with more centralized delivery models. Looking forward, therefore, we can expect to see more focus on transformation of these processes.
• The AsiaPac region is expected to be the most dynamic in terms of changing operating models, perhaps as organizations expand outside the region and look for new approaches to managing tax in unfamiliar jurisdictions.
• More generally, it would seem that the focus in the coming years will rest on making improvements to organizations’ existing operating models, rather than wholesale changes in method.
• As well as looking for improvement in process efficiency, it would seem that examining global tax governance and tax technology architecture will be key requirements for many.
• Looking at the wider context, anxiety and uncertainty about forthcoming legislative change is likely to make the imperative for improvement even greater.
• Those organizations that feel more in control of and confident about their operating model (including resources, processes, technology and governance) feel that they will be better placed to deal with the impact of legislative change, closer regulatory scrutiny and an increased compliance burden.