ABSTRACT

Today’s increasing pervasiveness of outsourcing and its emergence as a common business management tool in particular in the services sector feed a wealth of debates in corporate strategy and public policy. What is driving concerns and perceptions of threat is the rapid evolution of outsourcing, from farming out non-strategic activities (such as facilities or payroll) for pure cost-reduction reasons to offshoring functions valued in multimilliondollar deals, and of real or potential strategic impact on the future of the outsourcing company and its local communities.