The Careful Art Of Outsourcing

The concept of outsourcing jobs is not entirely new though it has undergone a high degree of innovation and evolved into a global phenomenon. Briefly, outsourcing knows no limits and in today's context it may not be an overstatement if we say that outsourcing in several developed countries of the world can now be classified in an A to Z Directory! This admirable "employment generator" has brought the business world much closer though there may be quite some negative thoughts on outsourcing from several quarters. However, the snowball effect of outsourcing is now so popular that nearly every business is utilizing the benefits of cheaper or better stated "lower overhead" job distribution and delegation of tasks to freelancers around the world. It is time now to also consider how outsourcing should take place and what we need to reflect upon to make it a success. This is the careful art of "outsourcing" that must be converted to some extent into a "science" as well!

Is Outsourcing a Drain on National Job Opportunities?

Well, it can still be a million dollar question! However, a simple answer to this query is no. There are two reasons for outsourcing projects. One is when there is no local or national expertise on a topic or service and the other reason for outsourcing is the economics of the project. In the latter case it is wise to think of the good deed one may be doing since it is indirectly related to employment generation. Outsourcing should only be considered when there is no fear of security or information "leak out". The most relevant fields where outsourcing of projects does not cause any harm is writing, data entry, web designing, software innovations, net marketing in a global sense (here the concept is more of remote agencies working for the benefit of the company - just like in the case of affiliate business) etc.

Ponder before you Outsource!

The two contrasting axioms one must carefully ponder upon are:

"Two heads are better than one"
Or
"Too many cooks spoil the broth"

To derive the most benefit out of any enterprise or job one needs more inputs and here the first axiom certainly has an impact. Global exposure is the name of the game today and many companies or organizations striving towards an international input or presence. Outsourcing therefore helps in achieving this objective.

The second idiom can also be true if the outsourcing is carried out in a haphazard manner or due consideration, investigation, or background not collected prior to allocating jobs and projects. It is also quite confusing if one depends on too many sources for a job - for example, too many writers contributing to a single project can throw the impact completely out of gear!

Whenever a need arises to outsource a job or project beyond national frontiers it is better to choose an agency that can really amalgamate and understand the job. Careful gathering of information and capabilities will go a long way in achieving that perfect "outsourcing" principle.

With the advent of Internet - The world is small!

There was a time when we could not outsource small jobs or medium size projects to expertise available at more affordable cost around the world. Only collaborations with their accompanying costs could be executed and everything took a longer time to complete. Today the situation is entirely different and we are in a position to minimize the turn around time for better realization. One must therefore consider "outsourcing" as an executive assistance rather than a job snatcher!

This "Careful Art" aims at completing tasks in the best possible manner and in the minimum period for efficient time management. Outsourcing is a concept that assists you in quickly completing your tasks and need not always be cheaper than local bidding - though it generally is! It is better to research the credentials of the agency prior to outsourcing - lest you be caught on the wrong foot!

Crowe Jamaica (www.crowe.com/jm) is one of the largest public accounting, consulting, and advisory firms in Jamaica. Crowe uses its deep industry expertise to provide audit services to public and private entities while also helping clients reach their goals with tax, advisory, risk and performance services. Crowe Jamaica serves clients worldwide as an independent member of Crowe Global, one of the largest global accounting networks in the world. The network consists of more than 200 independent accounting and advisory services firms in more than 130 countries around the world. Crowe Jamaica Corporate Office: Dawgen Tower 47-49 Trinidad Terrace Kingston 5 Tel: (876) 9292518 | (876) 9265210 info@crowehorwath.com.jm