Overview
A Guide to Global Sourcing examines the opportunities and obstacles associated with offshore outsourcing and other global delivery models, and provides practical advice for IT professionals and senior managers on supervising projects successfully. Global Sourcing is a sensitive and controversial issue. There has been a good deal of theoretical discussion about the subject in the press; speculation about the number of UK-based jobs that will be lost and hearsay customer complaints about communicating with call centre workers overseas. What have been missing, however, are factual details of how companies have gone about offshoring, and what the results have been. Companies are often reluctant to talk openly about their experiences, making it difficult for other managers to learn from their mistakes and successes. This is what makes A Guide to Global Sourcing different. Elizabeth Sparrow explains a range of business models, supported with real-life examples from a variety of industries. De mystifying the academic theory, she provides genuine case studies, and comments on them from the hands-on world of IT management. Considering situations from a variety of angles, 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. All of this is placed in context by looking at the wider responses of governments, professional organizations, trade associations and unions. Although written from a UK standpoint, A Guide to Global Sourcing explores many of the countries developing an offshore industry, including India, Ireland, Canada, and South Africa. Elizabeth's country-by-country analysis of offshore services available 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 - invaluable for any manager researching outsourcing opportunities. 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. A Guide to Global Sourcing: Offshoring in context, in the real world, and in practical terms.
Full Product Details
Author: Elizabeth Anne Sparrow
Publisher: BCS Learning & Development Limited
Imprint: British Computer Society
Dimensions:
Width: 17.20cm
, Height: 1.10cm
, Length: 24.60cm
Weight: 0.396kg
ISBN: 9781902505619
ISBN 10: 1902505611
Pages: 192
Publication Date: 01 November 2004
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Out of Print
Availability: Out of print, replaced by POD
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Author Information
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.
