The Journey to New Lands: Utilizing the Global IT Workforce Through Offshore-Insourcing

Abstract

This chapter introduces a prescriptive conceptual framework from the practitioner’s perspective for the “offshore-insourcing” journey. In the decision phase of offshore-insourcing, we answer the questions “Why to insource from offshore?” “What to insource from offshore?,” and “Where to offshore?” In the implementation phase we answer the question “How to insource from offshore?” and describe the importance of evaluating outcomes. In the process of answering these questions, we discuss insourcing vs. outsourcing and the possible need for offshoring. We think of ways to select the IT functions that can be insourced from offshore, and also look at the popular offshore destinations. We discuss process of managing change, setting up the offshore center, recruiting IT professionals at offshore, and managing the IT professionals at onshore and offshore within the ambit of the global delivery model. Throughout the decision and implementation phases of offshore-insourcing, the focus is on the challenges related to managing IT personnel.