OUTSOURCING INC. - An Introduction

Changing equations and shifts in the balance of power characterise the world economy today. The phenomenon of outsourcing dominates the scene of international economic exchange in the service sector. Broadly speaking, outsourcing is the process of allocating a part of a firm’s operations to a third entity which has control over those operations.

In terms of sheer volume, the United States and the United Kingdom emerge as leaders of outsourcing, while India, a country which generates a large pool of qualified and comparatively inexpensive labour, is a preferred destination. This is especially true for services in the IT, banking and insurance sectors. 

This blog will thus be an attempt to present debates and issues that focus on the social and economic implications of offshore outsourcing on two of its key players, India and the United Kingdom. Our research will concentrate on gathering information and portraying different points of view on questions as wide ranging as the impact on the job market in the UK and the creation of the fast-paced "BPO generation" in India. 

We are conducting this project as part of the curriculum for our Master in International Management and Commerce at the University of Lille 1, under the guidance of M.Jean-Paul Pinte, our professor for Competitive Intelligence Practices. We invite you to have a look and welcome your comments and inputs on our blog. 

Aurélie HUNOUT
Sumita KAROPADY
Devaki PATEL