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From the shadows into the light: Let's get real about outsourcing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

James D Hunter  and
Allastair N Hall
James D Hunter
Affiliation:
New England Business School, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
Allastair N Hall
Affiliation:
School of Business Economics and Public Policy, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
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Abstract

Despite the continued popularity of outsourcing amongst managers and management researchers alike, signifi cant questions arguably remain as to the adequacy of the typical framing of the outsourcing decision. An extensive review of the literature revealed a skewed, partial and fragmented conceptualisation of the option, further exacerbated by a concerning tendency effectively to rank quantitative outcomes over qualitative outcomes, even ex post. In this article it is argued that a critical analysis of the theoretical frameworks that underlie this body of work suggests a more realistic conceptualisation of outsourcing, both for management researchers and management decision makers.

Keywords

outsourcingcontractingcomplexitydecision makingcost economisingcore versus non-coreflexibilitypsychological contractindividual performance equation
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 17 , Issue 1 , January 2011 , pp. 77 - 94
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2011

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