| Outsourcing is a growing phenomenon worldwide, one | | | | your electronic information can be intercepted and |
| which is allowing many companies to focus on their | | | | managed before they create a problem. Look for |
| core competencies and grow their businesses like | | | | companies like Datacraft in Asia, and OBT in Australia, |
| never before. It makes for much simpler organizational | | | | that offer both. |
| structures, and also creates more interactivity in the | | | | You'll often hear that you should outsource anything |
| business world, making for healthier economies and | | | | that isn't a core competency of your organization. |
| more integrated societies. However, there are still | | | | However, you will just as often hear that there is no |
| some arguments for keeping services in house, and | | | | right answer for every situation, and that anything that |
| here we examine both the pros and cons of | | | | generalizes so extensively is definitely untrustworthy! |
| outsourcing services, especially in the information | | | | The truth lies somewhere in the middle - obviously you |
| technology consulting area. | | | | should outsource things that aren't in your core |
| When it comes to IT consultants, though, it can | | | | deliveries or competencies, but not necessarily |
| become expensive and wasteful to keep one of | | | | everything. Take things like website management - this |
| these on staff. Unless you have a large, IT-dependent | | | | is a (usually) simple, quite routine task for many |
| organization, you won't need the capability to build a | | | | organizations. If you need to update price lists, staff or |
| website at the drop of a hat, in house, or to build new | | | | products on your website, paying contractor rates to |
| information management systems with full employee | | | | have this done will soon cut quite a hole in the |
| confidentiality. These functions are better outsourced. | | | | company budget. There is a wealth of content |
| Surprisingly, one function that is increasingly being | | | | management systems available to help - this is one |
| outsourced to information technology consultancies is | | | | service that can easily and often be kept in house. |
| maintenance services. If something in your IT | | | | Some companies have become dissatisfied with full |
| infrastructure 'breaks', you will often need it fixed | | | | outsourcing model, and have chosen to bring selected |
| straight away, which could tempt you to have an | | | | functions back in house. These functions include IT |
| employee on hand for that very purpose. However, | | | | architecture, governance and compliance, financial |
| companies like Datacraft, an Asian IT solutions firm, are | | | | controls, and IT policy. Many of these management |
| pioneering remote 'break-fix' solutions for companies. | | | | decisions are more effectively carried out by the |
| Sungard is another of these IT consultants, in the US, | | | | people that need to implement them - the managers. |
| that has fast and effective remote maintenance | | | | One thing to be aware of is that some information |
| capabilities. | | | | technology consultants that you outsource to, will in |
| If maintenance is something that particualrly concerns | | | | turn outsource services to their own partners. Look for |
| your organization (if it is critical that problems be fixed | | | | companies that take final responsibility for your |
| almost immediately), then monitoring is another IT | | | | system, no matter whether they or a partner provided |
| service you should consider outsourcing. Excellent IT | | | | a particular service. This will help make things simpler |
| resources are needed, however monitoring is a | | | | for your organization, especially at times of stress and |
| proactive service, that greatly enhances maintenance | | | | concern - when you most need things to be easy. |
| offerings. Events that could affect the availability of | | | | |