Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Statement [Table] Legal Entity [Axis] Entity [Domain] Parent Company [Member] Statement [Line Items] Document Type Amendment Flag Document Period End Date Amendment Description Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Information Entity Information Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Entity Current Reporting Status Entity Voluntary Filers Current Fiscal Year End Date Entity Filer Category Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS Ordinary Shares Treasury Stock Additional Paid-In Capital Retained Earnings Equity Component [Domain] Statement Equity Components [Axis] CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ASSETS Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents Short term investments - available for sale (Note 3) Accounts receivable Unbilled revenue Other receivables Deferred tax asset (Note 12) Prepaid Expenses And Other Current Assets Prepayments and other current assets Income taxes receivable (Note 12) Total current assets Other Assets: Property, plant and equipment, net (Note 6) The total of the amounts paid in advance for capitalized costs that will be expensed with the passage of time or the occurrence of a triggering event, and will be charged against earnings within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, and the aggregate carrying amount of current assets, as of the balance sheet date, not separately presented elsewhere in the balance sheet. Current assets are expected to be realized or consumed within one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer). Goodwill (Note 4) Non-current other assets Non-current income taxes receivable (Note 12) Non-current deferred tax asset (Note 12) Intangible assets (Note 5) Total Assets LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities: Accounts payable Payments on account Other liabilities (Note 7) Deferred tax liability (Note 12) Income taxes payable (Note 12) Total current liabilities Other Liabilities: Non-current other liabilities Capital Government Grants Noncurrent Non-current government grants (Note 10) Non-current income taxes payable (Note 12) Non-current deferred tax liability (Note 12) Shareholders' Equity: Ordinary shares, par value 6 euro cents per share; 100,000,000 shares authorized (Note 11) 59,007,565 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2009 and 60,247,092 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2010 Additional Paid In Capital Common Stock Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Retained Earnings Accumulated Deficit Total Shareholders' Equity Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Noncurrent capital government grants, which are amortized and recognized in earnings over the grant period. Ordinary shares, par value (in euros per share) Ordinary shares, shares authorized Ordinary shares, shares issued Ordinary shares, shares outstanding Revenue: Gross revenue Reimbursable expenses Net revenue Costs and expenses: Direct costs Selling, general and administrative Depreciation and amortization Research And Development Incentives And Restructuring Charges The net result for the period of one time charges related to research and development incentives received by the company offset by the amount charged against earnings in the period for incurred and estimated costs associated with exit from or disposal of business activities or restructurings pursuant to a program that is planned and controlled by management, and materially changes either the scope of a business undertaken by an entity, or the manner in which that business is conducted. One-time net charges (Note 13) Total costs and expenses Income from operations Interest income Interest expense Income before provision for income taxes Provision for income taxes (Note 13) Net income Basic (in dollars per share) Diluted (in dollars per share) Weighted Average Number Of Common Shares Outstanding [Abstract] Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding: Abstract Basic (Note 2) (in shares) Diluted (Note 2) (in shares) Balance at, shares Balance at, value Comprehensive Income: Currency translation adjustment Actuarial loss on defined benefit pension plan (net of nil taxation) Total comprehensive income Exercise of share options, shares Exercise of share options, value Share based compensation expense Share issue costs Tax benefit on exercise of options Balance at, shares Balance at, value Actuarial gain loss on defined benefit pension plan, tax Cash flows from operating activities: Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment Amortization Of Government Grants Amortization of government grants The amortization of capital government grants which are amortized and recognized in earnings over the grant period. Stock compensation expense Deferred taxes Non-controlling interest Changes in assets and liabilities: (Increase)/decrease in accounts receivable (Increase)/decrease in unbilled revenue Decrease/(increase) in other receivables Increase Decrease In Prepayments And Other Current Assets Decrease/(increase) in prepayments and other current assets The net change during the reporting period in the value of prepaid and other current assets. Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Assets The net change during the reporting period in the value of other noncurrent assets. Increase in other non current assets Increase/(decrease) in payments on account Increase Decrease In Other Current Liabilities Increase/(decrease) in other current liabilities The net change during the reporting period in the value of other current liabilities. Decrease in income taxes payable (Decrease)/increase in accounts payable Net cash provided by operating activities Cash flows from investing activities: Purchase of property, plant and equipment Payments To Acquire Businesses And Acquisition Costs Purchase of subsidiary undertakings and acquisition costs The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of business, inclusive of acquisition costs, during the period. Cash acquired with subsidiary undertaking Proceeds From Grants Grant received Proceeds from capital government grants. Sale of short term investments Purchase of short term investments Net cash used in investing activities Cash flows from financing activities: Drawdown of bank credit lines and loan facilities Share issuance costs Proceeds from the exercise of share options Repayment of bank credit lines and loan facilities Tax benefit from the exercise of share options Proceeds From Payments For Other Financing Activities And Repayments Of Long Term Capital Lease Obligations Repayment of other liabilities and finance lease obligations Element represents the sum of a) The net cash inflow (outflow) from other financing activities, and b) The cash outflow for the obligation for lease meeting the criteria for capitalization (with maturities exceeding one year or beyond the operating cycle of the entity, if longer). Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities Effect of exchange rate movements on cash Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents Description of business [Abstract] Nature Of Operations [Text Block] Description of the nature of an entity's business, the major products or services it sells or provides and its principal markets, including the locations of those markets. If the entity operates in more than one business, the disclosure also indicates the relative importance of its operations in each business and the basis for the determination (for example, assets, revenues, or earnings). Disclosures about the nature of operations need not be quantified; relative importance could be conveyed by use of terms such as "predominately", "about equally", or "major and other". This element is also referred to as "Business Description". Description of business Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract] Significant Accounting Policies Short term investments - available for sale [Abstract] Short term investments - available for sale Goodwill [Abstract] Schedule Of Goodwill And Business Acquisitions By Acquisition [Text Block] Element represents the sum of a) The carrying amount of goodwill, goodwill acquired during the year, goodwill impairment losses recognized, goodwill written off due to the sale of a business unit, goodwill not yet allocated, and any other changes to goodwill during the period in total and for each reportable segment. At least annually, an Entity must evaluate its goodwill for impairment and b) Schedule of a material business combination completed during the period, including background, timing, and recognized assets and liabilities. This schedule does not include leveraged buyouts. Goodwill Intangible Assets [Abstract] Schedule Of Finite Lived Intangible Assets By Major Class [Text Block] Property, Plant and Equipment, net [Abstract] Property Plant and Equipment Disclosure [Text Block] Other Liability [Abstract] Other Liabilities Employee Benefits [Abstract] Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block] Share Options and Stock Compensation Charges [Abstract] Share Options and Stock Compensation Charges Government Grants [Abstract] Government Grants Disclosure [Text Block] Share Capital [Abstract] Share Capital Income Taxes [Abstract] Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block] One-time net charges [Abstract] Research And Development Incentives And Restructuring Charges Disclosure [Text Block] One-time net charges Significant Concentrations [Abstract] Significant Concentrations Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract] Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] Business Segment Information [Abstract] Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block] Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information [Abstract] Schedule of New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Text Block] Impact of New Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract] Related Parties [Abstract] Related Parties Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year Cash and cash equivalents at end of year Reimbursable expenses Interest expense Provision for income taxes (Note 12) Share issue costs (Increase)/decrease in accounts receivable Decrease/(increase) in unbilled revenue (Increase)/decrease in other receivables Purchase of property, plant and equipment Purchase of short term investments Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities Net cash provided by operating activities Repayment of bank credit lines and loan facilities Share issuance costs Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents Net revenue Net income Total costs and expenses Income from operations Income before provision for income taxes Total current assets Total Assets Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Total current liabilities Total Shareholders' Equity Non - controlling interest Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] Total comprehensive income Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Liabilities Increase in other non current liabilities Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment Shares issued The net change during the reporting period in the value of other noncurrent liabilities. Net income per ordinary share: Accumulated other comprehensive income (Note 18) Additional paid-in capital Retained earnings Schedule Of Line Of Credit Facilities [Text Block] Government Grants Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Long Term Funding Currency impact on long-term funding (net of tax) Adjustment that results from the process of translating the impact of long-term funding into the functional currency of the reporting entity, net of tax Issue of restricted share units Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Text Block] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Disclosure of the components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Subsequent Events [Abstract] Subsequent Events Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Bank Credit Lines and Loan Facilities Business Segment Information Commitments and Contingencies Employee Benefits Impact of New Accounting Pronouncements Income Taxes Intangible Assets Property, Plant and Equipment, net Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block] Cash Flow Supplemental Disclosures [Text Block] Concentration Risk Disclosure [Text Block] Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block] Available For Sale Securities [Text Block] Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs Share Based Payments [Text Block] Stockholders Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Abstract]