Publications

July 2021
Article

Outsourcing Tasks Online: Matching Supply and Demand on Peer-to-Peer Internet Platforms

By: Zoë Cullen and Chiara Farronato

We study the growth of online peer-to-peer markets. Using data from TaskRabbit, an expanding marketplace for domestic tasks at the time of our study, we show that growth varies considerably across cities. To disentangle the potential drivers of growth, we look... View Details

Keywords: Two-sided Market; Two-sided Platforms; Peer-to-peer Markets; Platform Strategy; Sharing Economy; Platform Growth; Internet and the Web; Digital Platforms; Strategy; Market Design; Network Effects

January 1996 (Revised September 2001)
Teaching Note

General Dynamics and Computer Sciences Corporation: Outsourcing the IS Function Series TN

By: F. Warren McFarlan

Teaching Note for (9-193-144), (9-193-145), and (9-193-178). View Details

Keywords: Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Information Technology; Technology Industry

September 2014 (Revised July 2018)
Case

adidas Group: IT Multi-Sourcing

By: Lynda M. Applegate, Martin Wiener, Carol Saunders and Grandon Gill

This case describes the design and implementation of an IT-multi-sourcing strategy at a large global sportswear company, the adidas Group, which is headquartered in Germany. To help increase the benefits and reduce the risks of its sourcing arrangements, adidas... View Details

Keywords: IT Strategy; Outsourcing; Organizational Structure; Information Technology; Strategy; Sports Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Germany

July 2014
Article

Diasporas and Outsourcing: Evidence from oDesk and India

By: Ejaz Ghani, William R. Kerr and Christopher Stanton

This study examines the role of the Indian diaspora in the outsourcing of work to India. Our data are taken from oDesk, the world's largest online platform for outsourced contracts, where India is the largest country in terms of contract volume. We use an ethnic name... View Details

Keywords: Diaspora; Outsourcing; oDesk; Networks; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Diasporas; Internet and the Web; Ethnicity; Service Industry; South Asia; India

Read Now

May 2019 (Revised October 2019)
Teaching Note

ZBJ: Building a Global Outsourcing Platform for Knowledge Workers (A) and (B)

By: Feng Zhu and Margaret Vo

Teaching Note for HBS Nos. 618-044 and 618-046. View Details

January 2014
Case

Boeing 787 Manufacturing Footprint

By: Willy Shih

This case looks at the outsourcing strategy for major subsystems of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, and the risks and production consequences of letting go of core technology. It is intended to be used as a (B) case for 612-036 Boeing 737 Manufacturing Footprint: The Wichita... View Details

Keywords: Outsourcing; Outsourced Production; Boeing 787; Manufacturing Footprint; Systems Integration; Production; Supply Chain Management; Aerospace Industry; United States

August 2016 (Revised July 2018)
Case

Accenture Human Capital Strategy

By: Paula A. Price, V.G. Narayanan and James Weber

Accenture is a leading global consulting, technology, and outsourcing company. It has clients and its own operations throughout the world. This case describes the human resources and related activities necessary to deliver its services to clients. It allows students to... View Details

Keywords: Management Consulting; Technology Consulting; Outsourcing; Human Resources; Activity Based Costing and Management; Management Practices and Processes

August 2013
Teaching Note

Multiasistencia: Redefining the Relationship with Its Service Professionals

By: F. Asis Martinez-Jerez

Multiasistencia, a major Spanish BPO of insurance repairs, is changing the relational contract with its service profesionals from a referral model to a guaranteed workload one. View Details

Keywords: Outsourcing; Incentives; Relational Contracts; Business Model; Motivation and Incentives; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Contracts; Insurance Industry; Spain

June 2013
Supplement

Multiasistencia: Redefining the Relationship with its Service Professionals. Spreadsheet Supplement

By: Francisco de Asis Martinez-Jerez

Multiasistencia, a major Spanish BPO of insurance repairs, is changing the relational contract with its service profesionals from a referral model to a guaranteed workload one. View Details

Keywords: Outsourcing; Incentives; Relational Contracts; Business Model; Motivation and Incentives; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Contracts; Insurance Industry; Spain

June 2013
Case

Multiasistencia: Redefining the Relationship with Its Service Professionals

By: F. Asis Martinez-Jerez, Maria Garcia Perez and Katherine M. Miller

Multiasistencia, a major Spanish BPO of insurance repairs, is changing the relational contract with its service professionals from a referral model to a guaranteed workload one. View Details

Keywords: Outsourcing; Incentives; Relational Contracts; Business Model; Motivation and Incentives; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Contracts; Insurance Industry; Spain

2011
Teaching Note

Beyondsoft Co., Ltd. (A) (TN)

By: F. Warren McFarlan, Donghong Li and Hong Zhang

In the past two decades, along with China's rapidly growing economy and its integration into the world economic system, the Chinese software outsourcing industry has also risen from zero to being fairly significant in the world IT market. It is currently growing much... View Details

Keywords: Business Models; Competition; Competitive Strategy; Computer Software; Emerging Markets; Outsourcing; Strategy; China; Applications and Software; China

August 2013
Case

The Republic of the Philippines: The Next Asian Tiger?

By: Richard H.K. Vietor, Carol Dominguez and Tully Moss

The Philippines, for long a laggard in Asia, is now growing fast in 2012, with a positive current account balance. While it still exports services, it is increasing its assembly of manufactured products and trying to increase mining. For these activities, however, it... View Details

Keywords: Country Strategy; Asia; Outsourcing; Macroeconomics; Foreign Direct Investment; Country; Asia; Philippines

January 2015
Case

Aura Light: From a Light Bulb Manufacturer to an Energy Savings Solutions Provider

By: Krishna Palepu and Elena Corsi

A Swedish light bulb manufacturer reviews its strategy to better compete against large global multinationals. View Details

Keywords: Outsourcing; New Markets; Lighting Industry; Global Strategy

March 2013
Article

Breaking Them in or Eliciting Their Best? Reframing Socialization around Newcomers' Authentic Self-expression

By: Daniel M. Cable, Francesca Gino and Brad Staats

Socialization theory has focused on enculturating new employees such that they develop pride in their new organization and internalize its values. Drawing on authenticity research, we propose that the initial stage of socialization leads to more effective employment... View Details

Keywords: Socialization; Authenticity; Self-Expression; Best Self; Outsourcing; Employee Retention; Organizational Culture; Retention; Identity; Customer Satisfaction

Read Now

2019
Article

The Social Desirability of Offshoring: A Swiss Consensus (1945–1975)

By: Sabine Pitteloud

This article focuses on the evolution of the rhetoric and practice of corporate offshoring in Switzerland from the post-war economic boom to the industrial crisis in the mid-seventies. The virtue of a historical perspective on the issue of offshoring is to show how... View Details

Keywords: Multinationals; Offshoring And Outsourcing; Relocation; Labor Relations; Multinational Firms and Management; Labor and Management Relations; Job Cuts and Outsourcing; Switzerland

Register to Read

March 2025
Book Review

Retrofitting Leninism: Participation Without Democracy in China | by Dimitar D. Gueorguiev // Outsourcing Repression: Everyday State Power in Contemporary China | by Lynette H. Ong

By: Meg Rithmire

Read Now

January 2013 (Revised February 2013)
Case

EverTrue: Mobile Technology Development (A)

By: William R. Kerr and Alexis Brownell

Brent Grinna is evaluating different options for the technology development of his start-up's iPhone app, including hiring local programmers, finding a CTO, or outsourcing. He only has a little over two months before he presents his alumni networking app to Brown... View Details

Keywords: Start-up; Mobile App; oDesk; Outsourcing; CTO; Minimum Viable Product; App Development; Business Startups; Decisions; Entrepreneurship; Mobile and Wireless Technology; Intellectual Property; Product Development; Globalization; Technology Industry; Massachusetts; Boston; India

Research Summary

Overview

Downstream businesses that utilize global suppliers frequently use auditing programs to monitor their suppliers’ working conditions and are often deployed to address reputational concerns associated with procuring from unregulated suppliers. Despite their widespread... View Details

Keywords: Audit Quality; Remote Work; Outsourcing; Econometric Analysis; Switching Costs; Service Operations; Performance Effectiveness; Retail Industry; Service Industry

2012
Case

Beyondsoft Co., Ltd. (B)

By: F. Warren McFarlan, Donghong Li and Hong Zhang

The case "Beyondsoft Co., Ltd. (A)" completed in early 2010 described the strategic path of Beyondsoft over its history of more than 10 years since its foundation in 1995, containing its major business lines and the relations with the major customers at that time, the... View Details

Keywords: Computer Software; Entrepreneurship; Outsourcing; Strategy; China; Information Technology; China