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.

KM Program Benchmarks and Metrics
Get the data and insights needed to make smart decisions about the people, process, and technology resources KM needs and how they should be allocated; the tools, approaches, and KM enablers needed to enable the flow of knowledge; and how success should be measured what kind of results to expect.
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Contact APQCFinancial Management (FM)
In the fourth quarter of 2022, APQC conducted its annual survey of finance professionals to explore the focus areas, initiatives, and challenges APQC members and customers are addressing now and into 2023.
Previous APQC research has shown that future finance professionals will need skills in the areas of business process management, technology and automation, and advanced analytics. To expound on these findings, APQC conducted research into the talent needs of the future finance function. This research explores the most important skills for future finance professionals to possess and which talent management approaches—recruiting, development, and retention—finance functions are using to prepare. The research helps identify best practices for recruiting, developing, and retaining finance talent to meet evolving business needs.
In partnership with ERM subject matter expert and thought leader Dr. Paul Walker (Schiro/Zurich Chair in Enterprise Risk Management at St. John’s University), APQC launched its Evolving Practices in Enterprise Risk Management study to understand the current practices and tools of enterprise risk management (ERM) at organizations and how these practices are evolving in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This project gathered both survey as well as interview data and focused on the following scope areas: ERM processes and practices; what organizations do to drive a culture of ERM; ERM tools and technology for understanding, modeling, and reporting risk; and how ERM teams measure their success and demonstrate the value of ERM in their organizations.
Business closures over the past year necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in many back-office professionals working remotely, and APQC’s research finds that the virtual work phenomenon is expected to continue, with more and more finance professionals working in hybrid work environments (e.g., part-time in the office, part-time virtual). And as a result, many finance processes, such as closing the books, and the external audit of the financial statements, by necessity were also conducted virtually over the past year, resulting in some unanticipated challenges that had to be dealt with as well as unanticipated benefits. The purpose of this research collection is to convene/curate content to help finance functions conduct their processes better in the more virtual world of the future.
- Virtual External Audits of Financial Statements Quick Poll Survey Report
- Virtual External Audits of Financial Statements Survey Report: Financial Services/Banking vs. All Other Industries
- Virtual External Audits of Financial Statements Survey Report: Small Organization vs. Large Organizations
- Virtual Work Trends in the Finance Function
- How Virtual Work Impacts Finance Function Productivity & Performance
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Becoming an Effective Finance Business Partner
Business stakeholders have always needed a key point of contact within finance to provide answers and guidance. As the importance of data-based decisions has grown and the role of finance in providing inputs for such decisions has evolved, some organizations have formalized the role of the finance business partner. Other organizations seek to weave business partnering responsibilities into existing roles within the finance team. Thus, APQC is conducting new research to understand the current state of finance business partnership from both finance professionals and the business groups they support. The research will explore the nature of such partnerships, the skills and competencies of effective finance business partners, and the barriers to effective partnership. Through this research, APQC aims to develop an actionable and reusable definition of finance business partnering as well as an overview of current-state enablers and challenges in the implementation of finance business partnerships.
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Join the Conversation
Engage with our financial management audience through podcasts, webinars, case studies, and interviews!
Some sample topics include:
* Data management in the finance function
* Evolving technology in the finance processes
* Finance business partnership best practices
* Finance function process excellence
* Best practices in accounts receivable
* Best practices in accounts payable
Human Capital Management (HCM)
Organizations are at a cultural inflection point. In responding to the pandemic, they unfroze the regular ways of working. As they move towards a post-pandemic environment, organizations have a unique opportunity to get back or change their culture. The research focuses on the practical/tactical aspects of organizational culture, looking specifically at how to shift and sustain organizational culture. It identifies the drivers of culture and illustrates how these can be used for different types of organizational changes.
This research showcases findings from APQC's Current State of the HR Function Survey. Use the resources in the collection to understand how top performing HR functions handle core aspects of HR, including strategy, structure, staff, processes, technology, and analytics.
APQC's HR Customer Satisfaction Survey asked workers across industries and job levels about their experiences with HR. Their answers shed light on ways to improve and maintain a satisfying HR experience for employees.
Companies are increasing their focus on improving and expanding their DEI efforts across the organization. Using a survey and case studies, this research examined common DEI practices and challenges and identified key requirements for supporting DEI in spirit and practice. Using the research findings, organizations will be able to benchmark their DEI practices and progress against peer and best-in-class organizations.
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Best Practices in Learning & Development
As organizations build digital capabilities and adopt digital business models, their talent needs are changing—skills, roles, structure. This research will explore two aspects of this change: upskilling and reskilling.
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People Analytics
This research will look at where organizations are on the people analytics maturity curve and explore what cutting edge people analytics looks like today. It will generate resources to help organizations assess and improve people analytics capabilities.
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Join the Conversation
Engage with our human capital management audience through podcasts, webinars, case studies, and interviews!
Some sample topics include:
* People challenges
* HR process excellence
* Best practices in upskilling and reskilling employees
* HR as a strategic business partner
* Benchmarking HCM
Knowledge Management (KM)
The content in this collection is derived from APQC's 2023 annual research into knowledge management priorities and challenges. In this research, we provide a "pulse check" on the current state of knowledge management and explore its future.
KM programs are changing quickly, and KM leaders need up-to-date benchmarks to understand those changes and guide their programs in the best possible direction. This research explores how KM programs are currently structured, their investments in people, processes, and technology, and how those investments translate into ROI.
- Eleven Practices of Highly Effective KM Programs
- Measure the Business Impact of Knowledge Management
- Focus on Your KM Strategy and Business Case, Not Your Budget
- Include Satisfaction Metrics and Success Stories in Your KM Measurement Strategy
- Cultivate a Direct Line to Leadership in Your KM Reporting Structure
- 2022 KM Program Benchmarks and Metrics Survey Report
- Engaged Participants are the Best KM Advocates
This research focuses on KM’s relationship with internal customer groups and how KM is applied in different parts of the business. APQC looks at which areas of the organization are ideal strategic targets for KM, which require specialized KM support, and how KM should work with each stakeholder group to help it protect and manage its knowledge.
- Positioning KM as a Strategic Business Partner
- Applying Knowledge Management in the Business: Survey Report
- Applying Knowledge Management in the Business: Enterprise KM Programs vs All Others
- Applying Knowledge Management in the Business: Comparing KM Governance Structure
- Untapping KM's Business Potential
- Unlocking Knowledge Management's Full Potential
Wasted time, duplicated work, and inefficient processes affect an organization’s bottom line. Small inefficiencies add up—and they also impede innovation, agility, customer experience, and other drivers of competitive advantage. In this research, APQC sought to gauge the impact of inferior knowledge and process management on individual employees and—by extension—business outcomes. This research assesses the relative value of various interventions to better define and standardize work and connect employees to one another and the information they need to work effectively.
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KEEPING CONTENT FRESH AND FINDABLE
This study focuses on uncovering the latest best practices for managing all forms of enterprise content, including customer-facing, formal internal, and user-generated content.
The research examines how organizations formulate their content strategies; steer the content lifecycle; and ensure content can be easily found, accessed, and used. -
Managing Process Knowledge
To operate effectively, organizations need both business processes and associated knowledge. Process and knowledge management (KM) teams aim to document, standardize, and optimize how work gets done. Still, they often operate in their own “improvement silos” instead of collaborating on an integrated approach. In this research, APQC will look at ways to align process and knowledge management to improve process performance, reduce risks, and increase employee engagement.
Do you have a story to tell about managing process knowledge? We'd love to hear about it (and so would our audience)! We invite you to connect with our Research Services Team to find out more about engaging with APQC's audience.
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Excellence in Knowledge Management 2023
APQC recognizes eight organizations for their Excellence in Knowledge Management. As part of the research, APQC aims to highlight how successful KM programs use expert communities, embrace innovation, and measure their value. Take advantage of the insights and best practices of the Excellence in KM class of 2023. Stay tuned for more information.
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Engage with our knowledge management audience through podcasts, webinars, case studies, and interviews!
Some sample topics include:
- Process Maps for KM
- KM Essentials
- Emerging Technologies for KM
- Knowledge Mapping
- Knowledge Transfer Techniques
- People of Knowledge Management
- Communities of Practice
Process and Performance Management (PPM)
In December of 2022, APQC conducted a survey to understand the common challenges and priorities of process and performance management (PPM) practitioners. This study explores trends in process work and the intersection with data and technology for process management professions in the new business environment, and reveals the top five priorities and challenges in process management, organizational performance management, and more.
If the rate of change outside is greater than the rate of change inside, organizations will quickly be surpassed by the competition. Benchmarking accelerates the rate of change and supports large-scale transformation—it’s also now being performed at a rapid, cost-effective pace. Benchmarking is here to stay. However, the process for how we benchmark and what we benchmark has shifted. This research focuses on understanding the impact and importance benchmarking has on your ability to make important and informed decisions.
Most merger & acquisition (M&A) deals tend to fall apart in the integration phase. Whether it’s underestimating the costs of integrations, setting unrealistic timelines, struggles with merging cultures, or mis-scoping the integration process approximately 70 percent of integrations fail. This research includes findings from a survey conducted by APQC to understand the key practices for ensuring a successful M&A integration. In addition to best practices, it also explores the roles of data & analytics, process management, and knowledge management teams on value achievement.
An end-to-end process mindset is often necessary to help organizations achieve their goals because strategic goals are rarely functional in nature. They are large-scale issues such as improving organizational agility, becoming customer-centric, or entering a new market. Such goals rely on understanding how the organization creates value and aligns the purpose of its 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: Sales and Operations Planning
- End-to-End Process Map and Measures: Lead-to-Order
- End-to-End Process Map and Measures: Vision-to-Strategy
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Best Practices in Process Frameworks
This bi-annual project uses a survey and case studies to learn how organizations are using process frameworks, the common adoption practices, implementation practices, and the challenges involved.
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The People of Process
Effective process management is built on a foundation of dedicated process roles and responsibilities, both in the business and a dedicated process management function. APQC is conducting a research project to explore the people that support process management work.
This project will examine the people involved in process management and their roles within their organization. Combining a survey and interviews, APQC seeks to understand the demographics, skillset, and education of today's process workers. Additionally, the research will look at reporting structures, responsibilities, and career advancement in the process field.
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Making Change Management Mindful
At its core, change management is the act of proactively managing change and minimizing the resistance to organizational change through a set of structured processes or set of approaches to transition employees, teams, or an entire organization to a desired future state. However, as you may have heard before, change is hard. Organizations continue to struggle with effectively implementing change.
This research explores the common practices and effectiveness of key change management components.
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BPM and Top Technologies
Technology & process have become closely entwined. And teams have had to expand their toolbox over the last few years to include an array of new technologies as well as support organization’s implementation of technologies (e.g., ERP and automation). According to our recent research, most process teams continue to work on adopting and integrating key technologies like data visualization, automation, workflow, and collaboration tools into their toolkits.
This project looks at the trends purpose, ownership, adoption, and challenges in key technologies for process teams.
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Process Supporting the Business
Amid the widespread changes of the last few years, organizations have a higher-level of understanding of the value process and performance management disciplines provide. Particularly the ability to create clarity around how work gets accomplished, fix broken processes, engage people in change, and stay flexible enough to support a range of priorities.
This project explores the myriad ways that process professionals are tapped to support a growing array of projects (from operational improvements to organizational transformations).
Supply Chain Management (SCM)
In its 2023 Supply Chain Management Priorities and Challenges research, APQC asked supply chain professionals about their expectations and trends for the year ahead. Some examined topics include operational and process innovation, logistics, procurement, sourcing, and supply chain planning. With input from 347 participants across industries, APQC evaluated how well supply chains performed in 2022, changes and trends impacting supply chains, the biggest obstacles to improving supply chains, and focus areas and priorities for supply chains in 2023.
- 2023 Supply Chain Priorities and Challenges: White Paper
- 2023 Supply Chain Priorities and Challenges: Executive Summary
- 2023 Supply Chain Priorities and Challenges Survey Report
- Looking Back at Supply Chain Performance in 2022
- 2023 Supply Chain Top Focus Areas
- People are Central to Supply Chain Improvement
- 2023 Supply Chain Priorities, Challenges, and Trends
APQC conducted research, sponsored by Esker Inc., to understand how organizations can enable better customer service and alleviate critical challenges facing both customer service and order fulfillment teams. Organizations are facing changes in customer behavior resulting from the pandemic and global disruptions to supply chains. Because customer service interactions are moments of truth with customers, understanding how to optimize the surrounding processes is critical. This research in this collection focused on the context for the need for change in customer service organizations, aligning customer service strategy and measures, re-examining the role of customer service professionals, shifting behavior and rationalizing systems, and moving toward proactive customer service.
APQC conducts frequent quick polls to collect information about the use and planned adoption of key practices, tools, technologies, software, and other activities in supply chain to report out in a fast and meaningful way.
- Sales & Operations Planning in Supply Chain Quick Poll Summary Report
- Digital Transformation in Supply Chain Quick Poll Summary Report
- Big Data and Advanced Analytics in Supply Chain Quick Poll Summary Report
- The Impact of Supply Chain Disruptions: 2022 Quick Poll Results
- Supplier Relationship Management 2022 Quick Poll Summary Report
- Robotic Process Automation in Supply Chain: 2022 Current State
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Key Logistics Trends
This research leverages APQC's Open Standards Benchmarking and aims to guide APQC members in improving how they measure, assess, and execute logistics within their supply chains.
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Procurement in the Spotlight
This research draws insights from APQC’s Open Standards Benchmarking in procurement and yields new content and tools for APQC members. The collection includes both cross-industry and industry-specific reports on various practices in procurement.
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Supply Chain Insights
If you have a story to tell about how your organization has overcome common supply chain challenges, implemented new supply chain programs, or built a better mousetrap in supply chain, we (and our audience) would love to hear about it!

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.
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