Chapter 2

Review of Current IS Outsourcing Topology and Trends

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.

—John Lennon, The Beatles, “Strawberry Fields”

Overview of Topology

Outsourcing is letting out work, work a company may have done in-house, to another company that specializes in that type of work.1 If done correctly, apart from cutting costs, this allows the client company to concentrate on its core activities and better define its competitive standing.2 In this regard outsourcing somewhat parallels the traditional dichotomy in information systems (IS) strategy, that is, “make or buy.” Many of the regular issues pushing one way or the other apply here, too: cost analysis, limited set of products or services, short- or ...

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