ABSTRACT
The internal computing resource of British Aerospace is formidable: 11 000 pcs, 1600 workstations, 400 mid-range computers and some 15 000 employees across 14 diverse business units. In April 1994, all of these valuable resources joined the Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC). Vendors such as CSC have recognized the business opportunities associated with the needs of the emerging outsourcing market-place. At BAe, CSC has rationalized its 20 data centres running expensive mainframe computers, down to just six operating at four locations. As a dedicated services provider, CSC is totally independent of the information technology industry's hardware and software vendors. These highly-skilled people had to be sold – and sold is the operative word – that their future lay with CSC. CSC's duties embrace management consultancy and the development of new systems that will deliver the products that BAe wants. CSC experienced initial difficulties in service delivery in some areas; many of these difficulties have been resolved.
