Communication
Women in Global Sourcing: Sarah Scudder
Caller ID: A Simple Feature with Complex Effects
3 Tips for Communicating with Business Partners in Latin America
How to Weather a Provider M&A Storm
Many sourcing experts have been through a provider merger or acquisition in their time in the industry. The concern that it will disrupt existing services or alter the nature of the engagement can make M&A announcements a troubling read.
Cultural Counterparts: The Advantage of Nearshoring
When a business is choosing which company to outsource with, location can often be overlooked in favour of the most appropriate specialist for the project. However, location – and especially proximity - should be a critical part of the decision process. For example, if your company is based in Europe, it will be more difficult to outsource from a provider based in Asia, due to a mixture of time, travel, language, and perhaps cultural differences.
A Dizzying Pace of Change: A Provider's Perspective
Earlier this year, Outsource editor Jamie Liddell chaired an advisor roundtable hosted by Capgemini, during which key themes emerged which were subsequently explored further by several of the roundtable guests in our recent two-part article 'A Dizz
Advisor Roundtable: A Dizzying Pace of Change (Part 2)
To read the first part of this article, click here.
The outsource economy
Globalisation has sparked a shift in production to third parties. Savvy manufacturers are tapping digital networks to maximise opportunities and minimise risk.
Three steps to help IT leaders make better business decisions
Faced with a seemingly endless cycle of disruptive technology and increasingly inflexible budgets, IT executives have their work cut out when it comes to making decisions about how to improve operations and meet demanding business needs without driving costs up. Today's heavy-handed drive for cost savings necessitates that IT services are demonstrably aligned with business priorities.
A few words for the weekend
As another working week draws to a close, I thought I’d take this opportunity to wave you off into your respective weekends with a couple of announcements… Those of you who are members of our LinkedIn group may already have seen some of these; those of you who aren’t are missing out! Come and join us at the increasingly archaically named ‘Outsource Magazine – Global Community’ group – knock and ye shall be received…
A tale of two outsources: good versus bad
More and more facilities and IT organisations are outsourcing their services. They may have a lot to gain; for example, outsourcing these services can lead to leaner organisations less bogged down by technical pursuits. Unfortunately, outsourcing does not always improve efficiency, and when done badly can have a negative effect on services. The following are two examples that help explain how IT and facilities organisations handle outsourcing, and what this can mean…
Outsourcing services gone wrong
The boomerang outsource
Offshore outsourcing is controversial. No news there. For over 15 years customers have been moving services offshore as part of their global souring strategy. In the early ’00s businesses couldn’t offshore quick enough. Opponents of offshoring frequently quote the loss of domestic jobs, damage to economies, poor communication and quality, while proponents insist it facilitates competition and actually makes economies more efficient. But amid the furore, there is a rise in organisations returning from offshore.
Today’s biggest workplace disruptor: Millennials
For the first time, last year’s US workforce had more millennials (aged 18-30) than Baby Boomers. This generation of workers has arrived in full force. In fact, by 2020, they are projected to make up half the global workforce.
Culture gaps in a shrinking world
In so many ways the business world is smaller and more accessible in the modern era – a place where even tiny online companies can trade globally, where people travel for work as a matter of routine and where businesses become international by outsourcing tasks across all seven continents.