A Guide to Global Sourcing
Elizabeth Anne Sparrow (author)UK Price: £37.99 EU Price: €48.99 ROW (USD) Price: $59.99 ISBN: 9781902505619
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 172 x 246 x 11
Number of pages: 192
Publication date: 01 NOV 2004
About the book:
This excellent publication examines the opportunities and obstacles associated with offshore outsourcing and other global delivery models. Elizabeth Sparrow shows a range of business models and supports this with real-life case studies from a variety of industries. She explains how countries exploit technological advances, low wage rates and good education systems to develop world-class IT services that can offer very competitive prices in addition to excellent facilities, incentives and tax breaks and favourable employment regulations. However, the use of offshore services also brings increased risk of problems in communications, quality management and control, and the associated implications for IT professionals. The country-by-country analysis of offshore services is a unique resource. She identifies the particular strengths within each country, highlighting the issues of labour costs, socio and geopolitical factors, physical and time zone differences, the business environment, market prospects, communications, culture, infrastructure and the availability of specialist skills, plus general facts and figures and sources of further information. Elizabeth looks at the spectrum of opportunities available to companies, including outsourcing to overseas suppliers; outsourcing to companies who themselves have offshore subsidiaries; setting up join ventures or shared service centres; and acquiring overseas companies.
De-mystifying the academic theory, Elizabeth Sparrow provides genuine case studies from a variety of industries to explain a range of business models, and comments on them from the hands-on world of IT management.
About the Author(s):
Elizabeth Sparrow is an IT leader and has particular expertise in improving supplier relationships and in working with outsourcing partners. Previous positions include IT Projects Director at the Home Office. Since 1999 Elizabeth has worked as a freelance interim manager and consultant for companies including One 2 One and NatWest Bank Card Services.
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
The origins and growth of the offshore market
Business models
Work permits
Responses to the offshore outsourcing trent
2. Advantages and benefits
Cost reduction
Other economic advantages
Quality management
Follow the sun
Access to skills and resources
Greater focus on core business objectives
Productivity and service improvements
Business transformation and new developments
3. Risks and countermeasures
Hidden costs
Cultural differences
Geopolitical instability
Legal issues
Security, confidentiality and data protection
Loss of technical expertise
Loss of flexibility and control
Customer backlash
Negative impact on IT professionals
4. Managing offshore outsourcing projects
Sourcing strategy
Identifying what to source offshore
Objectives
Statement of requirements
Investigating the IT services market
Choosing a service provider
Outsourcing contracts
Transition
Managing performance
5. Country profiles
General information resources
Key to country profiles
6. The future world of global sourcing
Appendix
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