...and Social Science Vol. 4 No. 8 [Special Issue – July 2013] Outsourcing: A Review of Trends, Winners & Losers and Future Directions Zafar Iqbal Lecturer Faculty of Administrative Sciences Kotli University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir MSc. University of Bedforshire, UK. Aasim Munir Dad PhD. Scholar The School of Business & Management University of Gloucestershire Cheltenham, GL50 2RH. Abstract The primary objective of this paper is to analyse the outsourcing trends in last one decade and to forecast the future on the basis of past studies. In this paper concepts and trends about outsourcing has been discussed on the basis of past studies. An extensive amount of literature review has been done to obtain the objective. This paper demonstrates the previous literature and findings. Outsourcing has become inevitable and virtually many of the multinationals are outsourcing to utilise scarce in-house resources. In this research it is being observed that owners of the companies are the prime winners in outsourcing and off shoring situation. Further, a detailed review of literature indicates that along with many other motives cost factor cause major influence in outsourcing decisions. There is an ultimate outcry over the jobs going overseas from industrialized nations such as United States, the UK and the western World. However, the net economic gains for these countries are growing, and outsourcing to an offshore destination will be on the rise for the foreseeable...
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...Introduction Global operations involves the linking and relating of four primary functions; marketing, finance and accounting, suppliers, and human resources to create a competitive advantage in global markets (Russell & Taylor, 2011). The business environment has become increasingly competitive over the past decade, due to the global economic crisis, environmental challenges, technological innovations, as well as, consumer lifestyle changes. As a result of the changes, many multi-national corporations (MNC), in an effort, to remain competitive and sustainable are responding by creating global strategic management plans to address the competitive trends occurring in the market (Kim, Bak, & Bae, 2010). In fact, the aforementioned factors created a rich environment for firms to access new technologies, materials, customer bases, as well as, the ability to form business partnerships, globally (Russell & Taylor, 2011; Nembhard, Shi, & Park, 2000). Consequently, there has been a shift in the way business operations are performed and managed. Procter and Gamble Company (P&G), is an excellent example of an iconic firm maintaining a competitive advantage in global markets through the effective implementation of global operations strategies and management. In fact, P&G is the leading consumer goods firm, generating annually $84 billion in sales, operating in 180+ countries, spanning the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Asia. In...
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...Q 1 How has the global economic down turn, Discussing in opening profile and throughout this chapter, impacted jobs outsourcing in the BPO industry? Ans: The global economic downturn has impacted jobs outsourcing in the BPO industry as it has helped to be one of the largest job creators in India. Due to this, many companies had to increase their operations output and therefore employ more and more people to keep up with the expanding trend. Job outsourcing seemed to be the only viable option as global economic downturn had created many problems when it came to funding and financial institutions. There needed to be cut backs in order to keep things afloat and most companies would see that job outsourcing would solve at least one of the many problems involved in the economic downturn. The global economic downturn provided merges and many acquisitions for the BPO industry and helped to create certain flexibilities for some companies which helped with resource management. The main reason why the economic downturn has impacted on job outsourcing in a major way is because it is cost effective and helps companies concentrate on core areas. It also contributes to improvement in productivity. Referringto chapter, The International Institute for labor has discussed in the opening profile “The reason behind the global economic downturn is the financial crisis which is hitting the world of work”. The credit crunch and collapse of stock markets are starting to effect firm’s...
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...Demographic Complementarities and Outsourcing: Implications for India By: Mukul G. Asher Professor, LKY School of Public Policy National University of Singapore e-mail: sppasher@nus.edu.sg and Research Scholar Department of Economics National University of Singapore e-mail: amarendu@nus.edu.sg Amarendu Nandy May 2006 Draft – Not to be cited without permission The authors would like to thank anonymous referees, Sanjeev Sanyal, Amlan Roy, Anantha Nageswaran and R. Swaminathan for their useful comments. The usual caveat applies. _______________ This is a longer version of the paper prepared for IMRC 2006 conference on Global Competitiveness through Outsourcing: Implications for Services & Manufacturing, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Bangalore, July 13-15, 2006. Abstract This paper analyses the implications of differing global demographic trends for India’s competitiveness in outsourcing and offshoring. It also briefly notes the implications of differing demographic trends among the Indian states. The paper argues that demographic complementarities with high-income countries provide India with one-time opportunity to sustain its growth rate and occupy all segments of global outsourcing and offshoring activities. India has used the labor cost advantage to gain reasonable market share in these activities. It however faces serious internal and external challenges in sustaining its international competitiveness, particularly with respect to labor cost....
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...We should to first know outsourcing Definition: The practice of having certain job functions done outside a company instead of having an in-house department or employee handle them; functions can be outsourced to either a company or an individual (encyclopedia, 2012) in business. Outsourcing is a practice which involves transferring parts of a company’s business processes to outside suppliers rather than completing it internally (Investopedia, 2013). It is the process of subcontracting a process, such as product design or manufacturing to a third party company (Venture Outsourcing, 2013). Outsourcing could be sub-divided into two which is off-shoring and home-shoring (home sourcing). Off shoring is moving business processes overseas in order to leverage opportunities such as cheap labour expenses, entrance into new markets, skilled labour and availability of resources (Sourcing Mag, 2003). Home shoring (home sourcing) on the other hand, is “the transfer of business processes to companies within the same country” (Brunelli, 2013). The form of outsourcing to be analysed in this report is off shoring because it is one of the effects of Globalization. Outsourcing became popular in the United states as at 1980s when critics began to raise eyebrows about it as they felt multi-national corporations (MNCs) where exporting a large portion of American jobs to other countries (handfield, 2006). Some MNCs that were popularly known and criticized for outsourcing were Boeing, AT&T, Coca-Cola...
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...economy b. To develop the necessary skills to succeed in business c. To make a business survive d. (a) and (b) Answer: D Conceptual, Nature of International Business, p. 7 5. Which of the following three statements about multinationals is NOT true? a. The largest multinationals are often privately owned b. The smallest multinationals are often privately owned c. The largest multinationals are often public corporations d. All of the above are true Answer: A Conceptual, Nature of International Business, p. 7 6. Developed economies have a. Mature economies with substantial per capita GDPs and international trade and investments b. A trend to expand beyond...
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...KARELIA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES International Business Degree Program Swedish Clothing Industry Global Business Environment November 2013 Introduction The distance between people in the world is decreasing. In stores in Sweden we find goods from all corners of the world. We are intertwined in a world of mutual dependences and it is what we now call globalization. Economic globalization is a historic process and the result of human innovation and technological development. The economies in the world are integrating, particularly through trade and financial flows, but globalization can also involve movement of people and labor, as well as knowledge and technology across international borders. This means that countries can specialize and produce what they are best at. Countries across the world wills also have access to more capital, better technology, cheaper imports and major export markets. This does not mean that all countries have access to the benefits of globalization, in the poorest countries, the international community help with contributions. The question is that is globalization a treat or an opportunity? Some believe that the difference between the rich and poor countries only increased with globalization, while others argue that the difference in income or GDP between countries across the world has increased, but it is not the whole truth. Wider measurements of welfare that takes social conditions in the calculation shows those developing countries...
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...Outsourcing is affecting the U.S. economy greatly. Outsourcing is taking away jobs from the American people causing a rise in the unemployment rates. Not only is outsourcing taking away jobs, but it is making it harder to find new jobs. Outsourcing is where an American company will send certain jobs or duties to be done in another country. Outsourcing is also the transfer of the management, and also the day by day execution of an entire business function to an external service provider. It is a company’s practice of paying an employee in a small developing country to perform a function or produce a product that could be made by the paying company. Business jobs that are typically outsourced include information technology, human resources, facilities and real estate management, accounting, Customer support and call center functions, like telemarketing, customer services, market research, manufacturing and engineering. Outsourcing has become one of the fastest growing trends in the business world. There are many reasons that a company would elect to use outsourcing. Among them is the fact that it provides an almost immediate opportunity for savings as well as a noted improvement in quality. The main reason why American companies are doing this is to save money. It’s cheaper to have someone form a developing country do the job because a dollar goes a lot further than in the states. One management problem that is causing outsourcing is that companies are looking for ways to cut...
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...Outsourcing: The Government, the People and the Companies Jeffrey W. Coleman Webster University Abstract Making a decision about whether or not to move these activities offshore is a decision of far-reaching consequences. Developing countries have been unable to radically alter their industrial structure due to numerous internal institutional and external technological barriers. Consequently, they have sought global participation through outsourcing activities. This is indeed a break from the traditional self-reliant way of doing business. Outsourcing arrangements are technologically and organizationally complex, and present a variety of challenges to manage effectively. Outsourcing benefits include cost savings, quality improvement, and the ability of the organization to concentrate time and resources on its core business. Outsourcing trends change from year to year, and usually involve changes such as progressive outsourcing, cloud sourcing, mergers between organizations from different parts of the world and protectionism. In this paper we will look at a few of these areas such as the how in recent years the business practice of outsourcing jobs has been considered both a blessing for American business and a concern for the American worker, the amount of outsourcing being done and why, the affect on the economy in the United States, and the role government plays in outsourcing. The paper concludes, however, that the trend is just beginning and how our country...
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...1.) OUTSOURCING JOBS AND ITS IMPACTS Outsourcing jobs from developed countries to undeveloped or developing countries is on the rise. Outsourcing is a very controversial topic and its impacts are large, varying from business to business. Logistics management, software development to design everything these days is being outsourced to countries like India, China mainly due to cheap labor and cost cutting being the prime reasons behind it. Outsourcing however as it may seem as a loss of opportunities in the countries outsourcing the jobs, it is incredibly beneficial to the countries the jobs are outsourced to. The positive impact of outsourcing outweighs the negative impacts of it. How is it positive and why is it necessary? In...
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...The Long Term Effects of Outsourcing on the US Economy The impact of outsourcing in the US economy has evoked extensive emotions to many, especially from presidential candidates and labor groups who criticized its practice. But economists and chief executives defend it as a natural succession of the economy. In today’s fast paced economy, it’s not new that outsourcing chased cheap labor costs around the globe for decade. But in recent years, the effort has move stealthily into higher mechanism and income brackets, and it shows no signs of slowing down. As a concept it is not new. Companies have chased cheap labor around the globe for decades, making cars in Mexico, plastic toys in Taiwan and shirts in Malaysia. The latest outcry is fueled by the fact that some service professionals, once insulated from outsourcing, are watching their jobs head overseas during a largely jobless recovery. It is unclear how many accounting, engineering, technical support and other professional jobs have moved offshore in recent years According to research data, more than 400,000 U.S. jobs had moved abroad and the total is estimated to hit 3.3 million by 2015. That’s just above 200,000 jobs lost every year to global outsourcing. Many government agencies outsource as part of their work in order to save millions of dollars, which helps US economy and helps federal spending. The theory here is that paying people less for work means that these companies have the ability to produce things cheaper...
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...Effects of Outsourcing Name Institution Effects of Outsourcing Abstract Outsourcing is the practice of assigning a firm's business progressions to an outside agency for the purpose of improving service quality, driving innovation, or developing benefits of lower labour costs (Burkholder. 2006). Intercontinental outsourcing occasionally known as offshoring is a significant facet of economic globalization. Since outsourcing hints to more specialization, it is anticipated to reduce production expenses and to raise productivity. This study uses micro data on American firms to investigate the effects of international and domestic outsourcing on the economy at large, jobs, the production quality and the its ethnic view in the United States. It is based on a unique survey on outsourcing covering the period 2001 to 2013 over a decade of study. The survey allows one to distinguish between domestic and international outsourcing and between outsourcing of core and support activities. This article will highlight the changes that have been observed since the initiation of the outsourcing practise to its impact on the areas of study in sub-topics. Introduction The conflict has been going on from at least the 1880s, when the first New England textile mills initiated moving its manufacturing process to the Carolinas. Whatever name it goes by be it runaway plants, outsourcing, global sourcing, offshoring workers and the public tends to have mixed fillings towards it, executives view it as...
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...Service Sector Jobs Sheila Brown Busb 315 University of Texas Abstract Outsourcing is the agreement of diverse functions, such as data entry, programming, facilities management, disaster recovery, and telecommunications management, to outside providers of services. The main reason why organizations implement outsourcing is cost reduction, to leverage themselves ahead of their competitors, and as a means to increase their adaptability to changes in the business world. Outsourcing also provides the ability to benefit from the advances in information technology, while focusing on core business activities of the organization. Not only does outsourcing information technology functions enable increased concentrated efforts toward the organizational mission, but if skillfully planned and properly managed, contributes to healthy growth in the company’s fiscal bottom line. The implementation of offshoring has affected the competition and the expansion of the business service industry in an increasingly accessible and competitive global world. The effect of Outsourcing Within The Business Services Industry The business service industry has been impacted with intense pressures of reducing costs while also increasing new customers and introducing new products to create a center of attention to those customers. Lately, more companies are implementing offshoring strategies (i.e. outsourcing of operations to foreign countries) to cut costs. However there is some empirical...
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...Outsourcing jobs may lead to a weakened economy Anne Onyambu ENG 1000 Ms. Lorrinda Khan November 11, 2011 A popular theory states that something is not worth doing if it earns you less than your hourly wage, imputed or otherwise. For example, if you make $120 an hour and you can hire someone experienced to mow your lawn for $20 an hour then, you should go ahead and pay for the service instead of doing it yourself. This will leave you free to use your time where you can earn $100 an hour hence create more value for yourself and many others. Of course, you can mow your own lawn, but you will be losing a value of $100, if there is an opportunity to earn $120 an hour and can get someone experienced, who earns $20 an hour to do your lawn. This is the essence of outsourcing, to save costs and hence create increasing value for stakeholders in organizations. The prevailing trend of outsourcing to foreign countries has become an issue of major concern of all representations of the common people all over the world. Specifically, in America, outsourcing of American jobs has become a big topic. Many jobs are being outsourced to other countries, like China, India, resulting in job scarcity and leaving the American population unemployed. Outsourcing refers to the practice of contracting with third companies or vendors outside the organizations, usually in another country, to deliver products and services to local customers at a cheaper price. The practice of outsourcing is a...
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...Segments and Trends • Banking sector • Insurance • Healthcare • Media/Publishing • Offshore Software Development • Network Outsourcing Services • HR Outsourcing V. Popular destinations VI. Employment opportunities VII. Key players in the market a. Indian companies b. MNCs VIII. Global competition IX. Future/outlook I. Introduction: Late 90’s has opened a new chapter in Information Technology (IT) sector in India – Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), one of the fastest growing segments of the Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) industry. Cost conscious companies in the world to gain cost savings has set up their back office operations in India. The BPO segment, which was virtually non-existent till a few years ago, has risen to be a US $2 billion industry and IDC expects it to grow at a CAGR of 54 per cent till 2006 to reach US $12 billion. A major portion of the revenues today come from customer care and back office processing services, according to IDC’s report. II. What is BPO? BPO is the contracting of a specific business task, such as payroll, to a third-party service provider. Usually, BPO is implemented as a cost-saving measure for tasks that a company requires but does not depend upon to maintain their position in the marketplace. BPO is often divided into two categories: back office outsourcing which includes internal business functions such as billing or purchasing, and front office outsourcing which...
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