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126 Outsourcing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Outsourcing has become an increasingly popular business practice in today's global economy. Companies often turn to outsourcing to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and focus on their core competencies. However, outsourcing is not without its controversies and challenges. In this article, we will explore 126 outsourcing essay topic ideas and provide examples to help you better understand this complex and evolving phenomenon.

  • The impact of outsourcing on the economy
  • The pros and cons of outsourcing
  • Outsourcing vs. offshoring: what's the difference?
  • The role of technology in outsourcing
  • Outsourcing and job loss
  • The ethics of outsourcing
  • Outsourcing in the healthcare industry
  • Outsourcing in the manufacturing industry
  • Outsourcing in the IT industry
  • The future of outsourcing
  • Outsourcing and globalization
  • Outsourcing and corporate social responsibility
  • The outsourcing of customer service
  • Outsourcing and small businesses
  • Outsourcing and data security
  • Outsourcing and the gig economy
  • Outsourcing and the environment
  • Outsourcing and legal implications
  • The outsourcing of government services
  • Outsourcing and cultural differences
  • Outsourcing and supply chain management
  • Outsourcing and human rights
  • Outsourcing and innovation
  • Outsourcing and risk management
  • Outsourcing and the sharing economy
  • Outsourcing and artificial intelligence
  • Outsourcing and corporate governance
  • Outsourcing and corporate strategy
  • Outsourcing and corporate culture
  • Outsourcing and corporate branding
  • Outsourcing and corporate restructuring
  • Outsourcing and corporate finance
  • Outsourcing and corporate sustainability
  • Outsourcing and corporate ethics
  • Outsourcing and corporate compliance
  • Outsourcing and corporate citizenship
  • Outsourcing and corporate reputation

Outsourcing is a complex and multifaceted business practice that has both benefits and drawbacks. By exploring these 126 outsourcing essay topic ideas and examples, you can gain a better understanding of the various issues and challenges associated with outsourcing in today's global economy. Whether you are a student, a researcher, or a business professional, these topics can serve as a valuable resource for further study and analysis.

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174 Outsourcing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best outsourcing topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on outsourcing, 🥇 simple & easy outsourcing essay titles, 📃 interesting topics to write about outsourcing, 💡 most interesting outsourcing topics to write about.

  • Nike Inc.’s Outsourcing and International Labor It was until Nike started making losses that Phil Knight took courage to admit that the company had made mistakes in terms of corporate responsibility, code of conduct, and labor laws.
  • Film ‘Outsourced’ by John Jeffcoat The film Outsourced introduces viewers to the customs of the Indian culture through the experience of the principal character, Todd Anderson.
  • Nestlé’s Outsourcing Issues Nestle has thus aptly utilised outsourcing to enhance its competitive advantage and profitability globally while appropriately dealing with issues arising from the approaches effectively.
  • The Movie “Outsourced” by John Jeffcoat Specifically, the misalignment between the expectations that the leading character has of the new staff members and the Indian employees’ perception of their role in the organization, as well as the approach toward managing their […]
  • Doing Business in India: Outsourcing Manufacturing Activities of a New Tablet Computer to India Another aim of the report is to analyse the requirements for the establishment of the company in India, studying the competitors in the industry and their experience.
  • Outsourcing of Hospital Services: Strategic Capacity Planning The majority of all advantages were connected to the possibility to increase the level of satisfaction of the staff. Finally, the possibility to fill in working places may lead to the creation of a possibility […]
  • Outsourcing: Benefits and Challenges The challenges of outsourcing Outsourcing happens to have certain challenges to the operations of the outsourcing firm and the economic development in the country of origin of the firm.
  • Failure of the Outsourcing Project: BSkyB and EDS However, in 2001, the contract was revised and the parties signed the Letter of Agreement, which extended the deadline for the implementation of the first stage until March 2002.
  • J.P. Morgan and IBM Outsourcing Failure The termination of the deal was linked to the merger with Bank One, and it thus made sense for J.P. Morgan, the failure of the deal involved significant restructuring of the IT department and the […]
  • Globalization and Outsourcing The buyer organizations are seeking to obtain lower rates of legal impositions from the host governments and conditions of doing business in such countries.
  • Boeing Company and Its Outsourcing Plans What are the benefits to Boeing of outsourcing so much work on the 787 to foreign suppliers? Boeing announced that there was going to be the postponement of the launch of the 787 series.
  • Flattening of the World: Globalization and Outsourcing The rate of affordability of the IT hardware and software on the other hand pushed the need for its adoption of the process and hence the realization of the economic gains that had become elusive.
  • Outsourcing the Cleaning Services of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company It would also help the organization to develop the best supply chain policies to follow in the outsourcing plan and assist the company’s managers to identify the right type of relationship to be developed between […]
  • The Risks and Benefits of Outsourcing in Indonesia This is critical in the provision of labour to companies in diverse industries that would wish to outsource to Indonesia. In the context of labour cost, rising labour cost in China has increased the competitiveness […]
  • Textile Industry and Outsourcing in China The main aim of conducting PESTLE analysis is to help in the analysis of the external environment and its effect on the organization.
  • Global Outsourcing for IBM After an assessment of the institution, the human resource department determines the need to introduce new resources to the organization. The human resources at IBM and the machinery used to perform functions including the management […]
  • Strategic Outsourcing at Bharti Airtel Limited Thus, the analysis will represent the review of the possible problems described in the case study, the recommendations for the company, and the analysis of the strategic approaches, which are used, and should be resorted […]
  • Outsourcing Decision: Employee Resistance It is not tenable for corporations to engage in projects that could ultimately undermine their productivity and success in the market.
  • Business Process Outsourcing Outsourcing has become popular in developed nations and across the world, with the firms being drawn to the BPO because of factors like availability of expertise, availability of improved services and cost reduction India hosts […]
  • Outsourcing Facilities Management in the Hospitality Industry In addition to the issue of careers in hospitality it has been noted that in recent years growth within the hospitality industry has become more apparent in chain operations or within the industry’s corporate segment.
  • Outsourcing Strategy at ADNOC Distribution Service Stations The first part of the paper outlines background information relating to the ADNOC Distribution, a statement of the issue facing the organization in implementing the outsourcing strategy, scope, rationale, objectives, and limitation of the study.
  • The Saudi Aramco’s Security Company Outsourcing Strategy According to Gupta & Shaw, the importance of conducting a periodic review of employee performance is that it aligns the desired business practices with the company’s objectives. It is important for leaders to develop a […]
  • Offshore Outsourcing This essay seeks to explain the concept of offshore sourcing, reasons advanced to oppose offshore outsourcing and reasons for offshore outsourcing.
  • Outsourcing – Insourcing: Advantages and Disadvantages To begin with, insourcing research is by the company employees who have a better understanding and knowledge of the company. In this case, misappropriation of funds might occur making it more expensive for the company […]
  • Socio-Economic Effects of International Outsourcing in India However, exposure to western culture, a differing lifestyle, and disposable income has also had concomitant effects on the psyche of the women working in call centers.
  • General Electric Company: Locations, Offshoring, Outsourcing In order to take advantage of the human resource and other resources in the developing world, GE has outsourced manufacturing plants as well as Research and Development to these countries.
  • Gap Inc.’s Global Workforce and Outsourcing Firms that were mainly based in the USA and Europe have moved their operations into developing nations such as India, China, Indonesia, Brazil, and so on to take advantage of benefits such as the availability […]
  • General Motors – Outsourcing HR In its basic sense, outsourcing HR means employing the services of an external agency in the recruitment and selection of candidates on behalf of the internal HR department of an organization.
  • Should Us Government Regulates Offshore Outsourcing? Similarly, it could be argued that offshore outsourcing is good for the United States as it will force the country to continue innovating in order to find new sources of wealth and work.
  • HR Outsourcing Issues and Benefits Ethical In outsourcing HR, an organization should ensure that all employees act in a professional manner and service delivery is fair and is in an impartial way.
  • Outsourcing and Bad Working Conditions In struggle to protect their own social cultural beliefs and practices, there is emergence of social disorder among the foreign workers and the local workers.
  • Outsourcing Manufacturing: Global Outsourcing and Offshoring There are numerous factors that must be assessed by a firm in order to conclude the possibility of outsourcing entire product lines.
  • The Role of Outsourcing in a Company’s Business Model As a result, corporations can have a strategy of focusing on core business and expertise, determining what is vital to the company’s future success and what is not for further outsourcing.
  • Outsourcing: Benefits, Risks, and Considerations Outsourcing is a process that involves the identification and selection of a third party, which is either an organization or an individual, and assigning a particular share of the organization’s activities to it.
  • Outsourcing: Advantages and Disadvantages According to Rosario, some of the factors that need to be considered include cost efficiency, project scope and the history of compliance.
  • Code of Ethics in Human Resources Outsourcing Since the main activity of the specialists of this department is tightly connected to working with people, in my opinion the Code of Ethics should be followed by both internal and outsourced recruiters. With an […]
  • Outsourcing and Globalization in Indian Society The bottom line of the video is that globalization took advantage of Indian labor market and created thousands of high-tech and call center jobs that contributed to the economic development of India.
  • Outsourcing Customer Service for Axe Co. To avoid congestion at the headquarter premises To avoid workload for human resource and finance department To improve quality of customer service, support To promote the company’s awareness by partnership To provide quality customer […]
  • Strategic Marketing Module Case: HR Outsourcing The outsourcing of the HR services addresses the cost and resources issue for the Inn because an outsourcing company has a pool of candidates skilled to work in the hospitality field and can find the […]
  • Outsourcing Production and Welfare of Countries Outsourcing refers to the process by which a third party is hired to perform services meant to be conducted typically by the company.
  • Outsourcing Also Known as Offshoring in Brazil Latin America is in proximity to the U.S.as compared to the other countries; therefore, similar time zones, helps with uninterrupted communication.
  • Outsourcing Methodology in Education Outsourcing methodology is a set of clearly defined processes that aim to optimize the operations of a company or an institution by transferring tasks to a third party.
  • Nitenite Hotel Birmingham Outsourcing Housekeeping Department The aim of the research can be seen as the determination to define if it is more beneficial for Nitenite to outsource the housekeeping department.
  • Outsourced Logistics for Environmental Credentials of a Business On the other hand, when a manufacturing company outsources some of its activities in the production line, the burden of managing the by-products is transferred to the 3PLs partner.
  • Managerial Accounting Decisions: Outsourcing Relevant costing is of great assistance to analyze what needs to be outsourced as well as the impact on the company’s revenues.
  • Storm Containers’ Outsourcing Decision The lower the costs of producing a product relative to the price customers pay for it is, the greater the quantity of a product the company is willing to supply is.
  • Outsourcing and Teleradiology in Healthcare Industry The purpose of this paper is to explain why outsourcing and teleradiology are critical fields in healthcare practice. The unavailability of such healthcare services forces hospitals and facilities to outsource.
  • Outsourcing of International Software Development The growth in the level of software used as the 1990s approached coupled with the increased complexity of software led to a further increase in the software teams.
  • Financial Investment Information for Outsourcing A company in debt cannot avail of the opportunity of outsourcing as it is unable to find investors to fund its ventures.
  • The Popularity of Outsourcing To discuss the peculiarities of obtained perceptions and behaviors to provide a solid rationale regarding the essence of HR outsourcing in the framework of its impact on employees’ performance.
  • Reasons for Outsourcing in Business All in all, the main advantages of outsourcing are cost-effectiveness, better management of human resources, and the ability to prioritize. All in all, as a conscious business decision, outsourcing is one of the ways to […]
  • Outsourcing Support Services in Healthcare and Pressure on Healthcare Providers Outsourcing cleaning and housekeeping is also typical in the United States and Europe, though turning to outside service providers is a matter of more significant consideration than in the case with food service.
  • IT Outsourcing and Offshoring: Quantitative Research Design The dependent variable in this study is the impact of IT outsourcing and offshoring to businesses because it is affected by other variables for instance the kind of knowledge available in a business, the experience […]
  • Information Technology Business Outsourcing: Justify Research Design In this research, questionnaires will be administered to the employees of these businesses and to the general public that have knowledge regarding the use of Outsourcing in Information technology.
  • IT Outsourcing: Study Methodology Therefore, the survey will work from the known to the unknown in order to achieve the study objective of identifying the motives behind IT outsourcing and offshoring.
  • Business Outsourcing and Offshoring IT The difference between offshoring and outsourcing lies in the fact that offshoring concerns the movement of the business operations to another nation.
  • Outsourcing in the Hospitality Sector The other important thing that the contracted company should do is to carry out a pilot survey which would make its members of staff be familiar with the environment which they are intended to work […]
  • Outsourcing Advantages in the United Kingdom In a speech delivered to the civil service, he called upon every policy maker to increase the dynamic of competition by embracing the new generation of service providers.
  • Management Information System and Outsourcing According to these critics, there is a need for some of the currently outsourced services to be performed in the home country.
  • The Outsourcing Ultimate Goal as a Strategic Tool for Organizations The main factors to reject outsourcing strategies are lack of financial resources and the size of the company. The extent of this ‘catching up’ is dependent on many factors, such as the political, cultural, economic, […]
  • Microcost: BlueJay Outsourcing Project The concept of the acquisition costs for the project is also crucial in this respect together with the delineated and clearly understood microcosts involved in the conduct of the project.
  • BlueJay Manufacturing: Evaluation of Outsourcing Options It is also important to consider the financial standing of the supplier to ensure a continued supply of products to the company.
  • Small Business Management and Outsourcing Issues However, there are a number of dangers associated with outsourcing some or all of the services by a company. Outsourcing, in most cases, facilitates the elimination of one-to-one communication between a given company and its […]
  • Ethical Considerations of Outsourcing The ethical issues of the decision of outsourcing the manufacturing forces to China, it should be stated that the chief management of Ohio Art do not have any ethical responsibility towards their workers.
  • Outsourcing, Downsizing, and Delayering On the whole, outsourcing can be defined as transferring some of the firms activities to a third party or subcontractor for a certain period of time.
  • Outsourcing Jobs to Be More Economical in Our Businesses Thus it cuts the costs of the firm as it does not have to acquire those expensive technologies and train its employees on the use of those technologies which further increases the costs.
  • Human Resource Outsourcing in the US Army The U. The U.
  • Business World and Globalization-Outsourcing Yet stagnation would have been the fate of any of the constituent technologies had innovations not come along to allow the development to jump from one S-curve to the next, just in the nick of […]
  • Outsourcing, a Foreign Concept Although there is still poverty in these nations, it can be argued that the poor are living better quality lives as a result of the influx of capital and resources.
  • Outsourcing: Good or Bad for Marketing Strategy On the other hand the bad side of outsourcing that result to many social issues like the loss of the jobs is also focused upon.
  • Outsourcing Strategies Analysis As each component of the outsourcing agreement is ruled by the contract, both the company and the provider need to attain absolute agreement.
  • The Pains and Gains in Outsourcing Health Services India is one of the largest producers of software in the world and over a quarter of the world’s original investment in R&D is now made in India.
  • Outsourcing Evolution in Poland Dating back to the near the start days of previous Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s occupancy in the 1980s, the United Kingdom has outsourced to “obtain the administration absent of that commerce”.
  • Outsourcing and Its Impact on Business One of the major problems faced by the company is because of increasing competition and the constant pressure to reduce the premium rates.
  • International Outsourcing as a Management Accountant’s Role Besides the marketing advantages, such outsourcing entails, it is also possible to effect cost savings and reduction in workload of the outsourcing due to use of the international outsourcing techniques.
  • Apple Inc’s Outsource Manufacturing The transfer of some functions and processes to the category of non-core allows the company to reduce the number of costs for their implementation.
  • Change in Outsourced Companies: An Interview The responsibilities of the manager include not only the identification of needs and processes of change but also require getting the rest of the employees on board with the idea.
  • The Best Practices of Outsourcing For example, the conflict between the cost of outsourcing and the profit the vendor makes can result in issues with the quality of services.
  • Dynamic Innovation in Outsourcing Theories Gain-sharing is the most convenient way of interaction between a supplier and a client to develop products, since the vendor receives part of the client’s profit for the contribution to the project.
  • The Concept of Payroll Outsourcing This paper aims at addressing the following objectives: To determine the role of payroll outsourcing in the organization; To reveal benefits, including performance measurement tools; To specify any drawbacks of payroll outsourcing in the workplace; […]
  • Infosys Company’s Outsourcing and Sustainability Outsourcing helps to gain access to a market of highly talented individuals that are striving to achieve a career, thus dedicating time and effort to the company’s project.
  • Enterprise Architecture and Outsourcing Strategy Organization There are various types of outsourcing arrangements that can be utilized in an organization, for instance, an arrangement where a strategic partnership exists and a vendor is charged with almost all the responsibilities in a […]
  • Outsourcing of Manufacturing Jobs Overseas The term may also be used to refer to the process of contracting part of an organization’s work to be done by a third within the same country.
  • Tamweel Outsourcing Strategy: Business Competition The focus of Rolex Company is on relatively wealthy clients who desire the best in the market. Since the target group for Rolex Company is already established, the company has managed to remain profitable and […]
  • Outsourcing Policies and Economic Development Many reasons have been cited as to why outsourcing is a concept that is becoming common and necessary: it is important in realizing and gaining outside expertise; it has become necessary in improving service quality; […]
  • Workflow and Open Source Software and Outsourcing The software allows the computer to work as a multi-user inter-phase since the configured programs can run alongside others working in the back ground.
  • Outsourcing Pros and Cons for Firms and Vendors Just as it is being the case with the corporate practitioners of conventional outsourcing, which indulge in this practice due to the considerations of increasing the extent of their operative cost-effectiveness, IT-companies that practice offshoring […]
  • Information Technologies and E-Commerce Outsourcing It would be proper to state that various accounting processes become much clearer and predictable when a certain amount of work is outsourced.
  • Outsourcing and Employment in America They further argue that outsourcing significantly lowers the cost of production and eventually results in a reduction in the price of goods.
  • Outsourcing in Pakistan: Economic Benefits Pakistan is one of the low-cost outsourcing destinations due to cheap and skilled labor. According to Hashmi and Mansoor, labor is one of the key factors of production in any organization.
  • Risk Management in Healthcare Outsourcing Services The study engaged a qualitative research approach to investigate, for the purpose of better service delivery, how to manage operational risks that arise due to the outsourcing of IT services, and why such risks happen.
  • Listening as an Essential Skill in Outsourcing When the customer feels that he/she is not listened to properly, he/she usually comes up with the conclusion that the provider of the service is not interested in communication.
  • Outsourcing in Overview and History: The Great Industrial Revolution and the Beginning of Outsourcing in the Business World Outsourcing in the contemporary world also includes products and services, whereby companies develop manufacturing plants in different parts of the world where the cost of production is significantly lower.
  • Outsourcing, Its Variants, Risks and Benefits Backsourcing is actually terminating the outsourcing agreement in cases where the outsourced manpower is perceived to be underperforming, engaging in illegal activities in the name of the host company or as a result of negligence […]
  • Outsourcing, Its Factors and Criteria In order to engage in the practice of outsourcing, one of the factors that are keenly considered is the role of the product or service in the business.
  • Alphacorp’s Innovation in Outsourcing Relationship To adequately assess the focus on innovation that AlphaCorp is pursuing, it is worth considering the lessons learned from the companies whose cases are similar to that of the imaginary establishments.
  • Outsourcing, Causes, Effects and Foreign Relations Solution to business causes of outsourcing makes an industry to focus on its activities and improve on the position of the business competitiveness in the market.
  • Outsourcing Strategy in the United Arab Emirates In this study, the researcher is interested in investigating the relevance of outsourcing to Emirati firms in the current competitive business environment. It will investigate the prevalence of outsourcing in the country and the kind […]
  • Schaeffer Co.’s Information Technology Outsourcing For instance, the consultant enabled Schaeffer Corporation to understand its IT strengths and to identify the exact services that the company needed to outsource.
  • Gulf Cooperation Council Firms’ Outsourcing Companies in major cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh have realized that one of the best ways of achieving success in the current competitive market is to outsource some of the activities from […]
  • Outsourcing and Software as a Service Outsourcing is the act of contracting an outside party to business to perform the business processes that could have been done by the outsourcing firm. The propensity of companies deciding to outsource is based on […]
  • Haircuts Company’s Outsourcing Benefits The business owner could also choose to contract the IT solution technology execution to an external business that has a competitive advantage in that area.
  • Global Outsourcing and Its Impacts on Organizations One of the major changes that organizations consider in the effort to gain competitive advantage is the adoption of cost-cutting strategies such as outsourcing.
  • Business Outsourcing in India, China and the Philippines The main reason while CEOs, managers, factory owners and business leaders are the primary audience for this particular topic is due to the fact that it is often these individuals who make the decision to […]
  • Cultural Factors of Outsourcing and Offshoring For instance, if a call center is outsourced to India, to establish an office where locals are working, it is essential to understand the culture of the place and get them accustomed to the culture […]
  • Outsourcing and Its Effects Opponents claim that outsourcing reduces the number of jobs that are available to Americans, reduces the competitive advantage of the country, and affects the economy adversely.
  • Process of Outsourcing Network Security However, a company’s network is supposed to be provided with a definitive filter in the form of a firewall. The latter can be a cumbersome task owing to the high level of risks involved.
  • Outsourcing and Its Benefits for US Economy The United States greatly depends on the importations and subcontracting of jobs to other states implying that it is included in the international marketplace.
  • Outsourcing U.S. Workers: Pros & Cons Benefits of outsourcing to the U.S.workers Outsourcing maintains the country’s economic status: America exports products to the rest of the world more than any other nation by taking advantage of the emerging markets of India […]
  • Outsourcing in Public and Private Entities To assess the factors leading to outsourcing, this study delves into the outsourcing strategy used by the University of Wisconsin, as well as the challenges they face in the implementation process.
  • Atelka, a Leader in Outsourcing Within Canada Based on the analysis of Beer, it was noted that employees often feel more motivated to stay and work for a company if they feel a degree of acknowledgment for their efforts.
  • The Seven Deadly Sins of Outsourcing It is important for management to strike a balance between outsourcing and the job security of its employees. The sixth sin that firms commit when it comes to outsourcing is overlooking the hidden costs of […]
  • Summation of Jeremy Barthelemy’s ‘The Seven Deadly Sins of Outsourcing’ On the other hand, a firm should allow part of its management team to work with the vendor company for the success of the activity.
  • Outsourcing and In-Sourcing It Service Component The Emirates Airways has made a lot of effort to ensure that it meets the expectation of the government and that of the customers.
  • Using Crowdsourcing instead of Outsourcing Outsourcing at TopCoder allows the company to maintain a small number of in-house technical staff and automate the customer solutions part of the business using the crowdsourcing platform.
  • Outsourcing: A Critical Analysis The objective of this endeavor is to reduce the overall cost of doing business in a given field. As already mentioned, outsourcing is associated with a reduction in the costs of production.
  • Outsourcing Seats to Turkey In this context, core refers to the activities that are performed internally, contribute directly to the bottom line, and determine the future of the company.
  • The U.S. Economy vs. Outsourcing in the Long Term The BusinessWeek’s study of the import price statistics disclose off shoring to low-priced nations is in reality generating “phantom GDP” accounts approximated at $66 billion thus negating any real domestic outputs as confirmed by the […]
  • Economic Considerations for Outsourcing to China From U.S. In addition, it will be capable to produce goods of higher quality and at a lower cost because of the many highly skilled engineers in China.
  • Change Management Process: Downsizing and Outsourcing in an Oil Refinery Managing change After defining the problem that needed to be addressed by the change to come, the management decided to appoint a steering committee of three people, including the engineering manager; the choice of the […]
  • General Electric Company: Globalization Impact on Business Strategies The developed private sector has been largely involved in the initiative to integrate the developing countries in the global economy. The developing infrastructure and improvements in the telecommunication which are impacts of globalization have enabled […]
  • Overview of Nike Based on Outsourcing While other companies may be outsourcing some of their labor functions to developing nations so as to reduce their overall expenses on labor, most of them are outsourcing their production as well as marketing centers […]
  • Why Food Services Are the Most Commonly Outsourced Function in the Business Community To start with, it is important to appreciate the fact that the preparation of food is a very involving task and if at all businesses are to provide their employees with nutritious and healthy meals, […]
  • The Effects of IT Outsourcing on Retail Companies The purpose of this research is to relate IT outsourcing to retail businesses in the UK and highlight the effects of outsourcing on retail businesses.
  • The Economics of Outsourcing Social capital theory approach to outsourcing Outsourcing relationship, can give forth to realization of social capital in the form of the actual and potential resources.
  • BHP Billiton Outsourcing: Canada and Pakistan The best solution for the issues that hinder the success of the company in the country is to make the outsourcing strategy to be more realistic.
  • Global Competitiveness and Outsourcing in Business In particular, the distribution of the benefits often raises the issue of equity and has the potential of resulting to conflicts.
  • Outsourcing and Due Diligence CSR is a way in which a company limits its actions in order to comply with certain ethical standards and principles, the goal of which is a positive impact on the local community and environment.
  • Outsourcing Desktop Management and Client Support Outsourcing has become a common strategy that many companies have adopted to reduce the cost of operations and the quality of services offered to the clients.
  • Information Systems and Outsourcing It is worth saying that the advances in the application of advanced IT infrastructure has motivated organizations to develop and adopt I formation Systems and IT strategies to facilitate the design of business strategies.
  • A Review of the Different Outsourcing Models Used By Different Companies The various factors that may be considered when choosing the model to utilize may include the location of the outsourcing facility, nature of the outsourcing organization, how close the competitiveness between the two parties involved […]
  • ReignCom’s Global Outsourcing This therefore forces the company to come up with a new business strategy and supply chain to enhance its activities. As far as supply chain management and business strategy is concerned, the company needs to […]
  • Literature Study on American Economy and Outsourcing 2011, www.globalresearch.ca/outsourcing-and-offshoring-in-the-global-economy-us-corporations-moving-to-offshore-tax-havens/26708.”The Truth Is Offshore” is an article by Bob Chapman who decries the incidence of the tax regime in the US that allows firms to defer remitting taxes and thus able to hide their […]
  • Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Outsourcing As such, there are a number of recommendations that modern leaders in the business milieu can take home from the discussions presented in this report on corporate ethics, corporate social responsibility, and global outsourcing.
  • The Economic Analysis: Outsourced (2006) Thus, the winners are the leaders and employees of the company located in the host country because they can declare the rules for the business’s development and decide what countries to choose for outsourcing.
  • Benefits/Advantages of Outsourcing and/or Off-Shore Outsourcing That Outweigh the Disadvantages In this essay, evidences to support that the benefits of outsourcing and/or “off-shore outsourcing” outweigh the disadvantages are discussed. Comprehensive research on the supplying institutions and the state of the condition in terms of operation […]
  • Mediation in IT Outsourcing According to Hale in most cases parties are in agreement as regards the ultimate formation of the outsourcing relationship but the cost and terms/ conditions of engagements usually bring in contention.
  • Management –Outsourcing and/or Off-Shoring Some of the reasons that have motivated firms to adopt outsourcing include an increase in the intensity of competition and the emergence of a dynamic business environment.
  • Is There Evidence to Support That the Benefits of Outsourcing and/or Off-Shore Outsourcing Outweigh the Disadvantages? The first part of the paper discusses outsourcing and offshore outsourcing in general while the second part presents a critical evaluations and discussion about the potential benefits, risks, and disadvantages of OOBP.
  • The Benefits of Outsourcing
  • Evidence to Support that the Benefits of Outsourcing Outweigh the Disadvantages
  • International Logistics and Supply Chain Outsourcing
  • Outsourcing Popularity in Companies
  • Maintaining Employees vs. Outsourcing
  • Outsourcing of Facilities Management
  • Outsourcing Intrusion Detection System for Health Organization
  • Challenge in Internationalization and Outsourcing
  • Outsourcing’s Benefits in Management
  • Outsourcing’s Benefits and Negative Aspects
  • India, Known for Outsourcing, Expands in Industry
  • When Outsourcing Content Writing Is Wrong
  • Maintenance Issues, including Outsourcing and Fatigue
  • Outsourcing’s Negative Effects
  • Offshore Outsourcing: What’s Good?
  • Offshore Outsourcing by American Corporations, Companies, and Firms
  • Change in Management, Outsourcing, Competitive Advantage
  • Importance of Outsourcing in Purchasing
  • Under What Situations Might Outsourcing of EC Services Not Be Desirable?
  • Outsourcing: History, Trends, Pro and Cons, Real Cost Savings to Companies and Bottom Line Impact and Perceptions
  • Outsourcing Food Services in the Business Community
  • Tegan Company: Outsourcing Alternative in Communication System Development
  • Effective Outsourcing Allows Organizations to Focus on Their Core Business
  • Importance of Outsourcing in Businesses
  • Outsourcing: Reducing Cost Without Sacrificing Growth
  • Outsourcing Issues in European and American Organizations
  • Outsourcing Call Centers in India
  • Virtualization Essay Titles
  • Employee Benefits Paper Topics
  • Procurement Research Ideas
  • Employee Motivation Questions
  • Recruitment Paper Topics
  • Employment Law Paper Topics
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IvyPanda. (2024, March 2). 174 Outsourcing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/outsourcing-essay-topics/

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79 Outsourcing Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on outsourcing, ✍️ outsourcing essay topics for college, 👍 good outsourcing research topics & essay examples, 🎓 most interesting outsourcing research titles.

  • General Motors – Outsourcing and Success Metrics
  • Barriers to International Outsourcing in Sysco
  • The Economist: Report on Outsourcing and Offshoring
  • Outsourcing at a Glance: A Theoretical Framework
  • Bharti Airtel Limited: Strategic Outsourcing
  • EBay Customer Support Outsourcing and Dalton’s Model
  • Dell and Wal-Mart: Supply Chain Optimization and Outsourcing
  • Apple Inc.’s Outsourcing Practice in China Outsourcing is a requested practice in the modern economy. This paper shows that Apple also benefited from this phenomenon when it moved its iPod production facilities to China.
  • Outsourcing in the Pharmaceutical Industry Technology is the powerful force that now drives the world toward a single converging commonality. No place and nobody is insulated from the alluring attractions of modernity.
  • Outsourcing Human Resource Functions Organizations prefer to outsource HR functions to gain a competitive edge and improve efficiency in an era of globalization and heightened competition.
  • Benefits of Outsourcing Catering Services Outsourcing is the transfer of any activity from one company to another for a long period of time, and all business processes can be the subject of outsourcing.
  • Companies Outsourcing in Developing Countries The purpose of this paper is to analyze the factors that motivate or stop companies from outsourcing their production in developing countries.
  • Information Technology Outsourcing for UK Retailers This work seeks to address instances in which there is successful IT outsourcing as well as instances of IT outsourcing failures within the retail industry of the UK.
  • Accounting Information in Evaluating Outsourcing Decision In the provided scenario, the product manager of the Xtreme snowboards is faced with the problem of a drop in sales of this product.
  • Outsourcing and Globalization as Driving Force The major driving forces behind outsourcing include the force of globalization, cost of production, labor issues, and the problem of unionization.
  • Outsourcing in Supply Chain Management Outsourcing is a strategy used in supply chain management in order to reduce the overall running costs of a firm.
  • Strategic Planning and Outsourcing Strategic planning defines a strategy or approach that would be use in a certain situation or while solving a certain problem.
  • Outsourcing, Its Importance, Pros and Cons The paper defines outsourcing, highlights the importance of outsourcing to organizations, provides examples of outsourcing companies, lists the pros and cons of outsourcing.
  • Deciding on In-House Production and Outsourcing Cost Companies consider different types of expenses involved in creating a product and service, including monitoring, transactional, labor, and waste disposal.
  • Aspects of Offshore Outsourcing Companies need to consider many factors when offshore outsourcing for their programming needs. The project’s size and budget are top concerns.
  • Logistics Outsourcing Impact on Business Performance The research aims to investigate the influence of logistics capability and outsourcing on organizational performance.
  • The Role of Strategic Outsourcing Strategic outsourcing is delegating functions by a company to service providers for management. Bharti Airtel used it to achieve risk reduction.
  • Importance of Outsourcing the War on Terror The paper discusses the benefits, disadvantages, and the necessity of the usage of private security and military companies in the War on Terror.
  • Outsourcing & Women’s Discrimination in the Workplace The article presents the issues of women’s discrimination in the workplace. The author argues that the pervasive in-work poverty is the primary challenge in the Philippines.
  • The Business Process: Description of Outsourcing Business Process Reengineering helps firms to improve their operations so that they can be in line with the strategic direction, missions, and visions of the firms.
  • International Logistics and Supply Chain Outsourcing International logistics deals with firms found in different countries that interact in different capacities to facilitate the flow and distribution of goods and services.
  • Sergo Games Outsourcing Analysis The piece of information that company outsourcing is so widespread points out that in numerous cases, the rewards of outsourcing prevail over the shortcomings.
  • Legal Services Outsourcing: Analysis Outsourcing legal services such as drafting, research, and review allows a company to focus on the core competencies instead of easily delegated administrative tasks.
  • Outsourcing as a New Trend in Business Functioning The opinion paper deals and discusses the new age phenomenon, outsourcing, and aims to bring out the advantages and role of this particular task in the contemporary scenario.
  • Outsourcing to Low Labor-Cost Countries Outsourcing is widely practiced by a range of companies of different sizes and types, which includes trade-offs between certain inputs, such as labor, materials, and supplies.
  • Wonderful Widget: Procurement Outsourcing Strategies The paper indulges on various approaches that Wonderful Widget Company can use in the manufacturing stage and recommends the appropriate strategy for the firm.
  • Business Outsourcing and Contracting This report provides an insight into the fundamental differences that exist between business outsourcing and contracting.
  • When Outsourcing Goes Bad The proponents of outsourcing have favorably viewed outsourcing by labeling it the latest evolution of international trade.
  • CPA Firm: Outsourcing the Basic Tax Revenues Outsourcing the company using basic tax returns affects the effectiveness and efficiency of the company, since the prices of services raise and increase income and investments.
  • Computer Systems: Insourcing and Outsourcing The purchase of a new computer system or any other technology is a very crucial step in the growth of a company.
  • ‘Cost of Quality’ Implementation in Outsourced Customer Service The article discusses the “quality price” approach in calculating costs and improving quality assurance processes in manufacturing companies.
  • The Risks of Outsourcing The costs may include the cost of hiring new employees, operation costs, wages and the extra benefits that are offered to employees.
  • Outsourcing of E-Business Services In this paper, we intend to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this method especially in comparison with its opposite, in-sourcing.
  • Outsourcing in the UK: Influence and Impact The quantum of outsourcing has greatly increased in recent years. The UK and the USA are the two countries that outsource a vast amount of business.
  • Outsourcing: Advantages and Disadvantages Outsourcing can be viewed in terms of a subcontracting process whereby Human resources, manufacturing or even product is given to third party company
  • Economics & Human Resource Management: Outsourcing Outsourcing involves the subcontracting of a process of either a product design, manufacturing or a third party company to an external service provider.
  • Outsourcings Effects on Our Economy Outsourcing as a phenomenon has positive effects on the US economy as well as undesirable effects in terms of job losses.
  • Impact of Outsourcing Analysis Outsourcing is a process whereby a third-party company is hired to do some work for an organization and work that would have otherwise been done within.
  • Outsourcing in India: Cheap and Reliable. Outsourcing entails constricting through erstwhile establishments to carry out business dealings that are deemed “non-revenue” producing in the direction of the business dealing.
  • Global Production, Outsourcing and Logistics: Hot Topic This paper is about the recent news article that appeared in Fox Business, titled ‘Mitsubishi Motors Announces Production, Sales and Export Figures for January 2008’.
  • Opportunities in Logistics Outsourcing Today, many enterprises involved in the manufacturing industry transfer the authority to perform their key logistics functions to outsourcing firms.
  • Outsourcing Payroll Function: Benefits and Dangers I was asked to compile evidence on the benefits and dangers of outsourcing the payroll function of Sony Canada Inc. as a part of the budget review this year.
  • The Benefits of Outsourcing Operations: ADPC and Teraji Case In this study, it was proposed that the functions of ADPC’s procurement department should be outsourced to Teraji. It was found that outsourcing is essential in reducing operational costs.
  • Writing Freelancers and Outsource Market Shifts Freelance writing will become a more hostile environment in the foreseeable future. Available jobs and opportunities for stability and advancement will be harder to secure.
  • Outsourcing and Offshoring: Risks and Advantages Outsourcing typically presupposes buying certain services from a different company, whereas offshoring means shifting the services of a company to a different location.
  • Call Center Outsourcing and Quality in India This strategy has made it easier for firms to trim business costs especially in the current global economic climate.
  • Outsourcing’s Functions and Risks Most organizations choose to outsource to reduce costs and reduce the time taken for marketing. This paper looks at some of the considerations and risks involved in outsourcing.
  • Outsourcing from China and India When it comes to defining the benefits of outsourcing from countries like India and China, one must admit that a comparatively low cost is the most obvious benefit.
  • Outsourcing of Jobs and Services Outsourcing is the process through which one business contracts with another business to offer services that can be undertaken by employees in-house.
  • Outsourcing Advantages and Disadvantages in the USA Outsourcing can be regarded as one of the byproducts of globalization. Many early movers benefited from this strategy especially when it comes to the production of the products.
  • Open Mobile Company’s Outsourcing Services According to the article “Open Mobile Moves its PR Call Center to DR,” many foreign companies have decided to outsource their services.
  • Harmful Outsourcing of United States Jobs This paper argues that outsourcing of United States jobs to foreigners is detrimental to the well being of US employees and the US economy.
  • Concept of Outsourcing and Risks Associated With Outsourcing The notions that outsourcing reduces capital expenses make many companies fail to take care of many hidden costs.
  • Market Concentration and International Outsourcing
  • Global Trade and the Effects of Outsourcing
  • Call Center Outsourcing: Coordinating Staffing Level and Service Quality
  • Outsourcing and the Provision of Welfare-Related Services to Unemployed Youth in New Zealand
  • Partial Outsourcing, Monitoring Cost, and Market Structure
  • Outsourcing and Low-Skilled Workers in the UK
  • Rural Health Care and Employee Training Outsourcing
  • Currency Devaluation and Global Outsourcing
  • Globalization: Outsourcing and Offshoring Software
  • Cross-Border Outsourcing and Boundaries of Japanese Firms
  • Positive and Negative Aspects of Outsourcing
  • Evaluating US Manufacturing Outsourcing to China
  • Outsourcing and Firm Productivity in Irish Manufacturing
  • Information Technology Outsourcing: Risks and Benefits
  • Business and Political Implications of Outsourcing
  • Economic and Social Impact of Outsourcing and Offshoring Work
  • Outsourcing and Its Implications for the Information Technology Sector
  • The Adoption and Success of Private Sector Outsourcing in Australia
  • Credibility and Monitoring: Outsourcing as a Commitment Device
  • International Outsourcing and Labour Demand: Evidence From Finnish Firm-Level Data
  • Outsourcing and Its Implications on the Economy

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StudyCorgi. (2022, January 16). 79 Outsourcing Essay Topics. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/outsourcing-essay-topics/

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StudyCorgi . 2022. "79 Outsourcing Essay Topics." January 16, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/outsourcing-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Outsourcing were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 8, 2024 .

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outsourcing research topics

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Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, setting the outsourcing research agenda: the top‐10 most urgent outsourcing areas.

Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal

ISSN : 1753-8297

Article publication date: 19 September 2008

To close the inaugural volume of Strategic Outsourcing, an International Journal (SOIJ), this paper's objective is to suggest a research agenda for outsourcing related studies, aiming to identify a limited number of key and most urgent research areas in need of scientifically valid research.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw on their personal experience and knowledge as well as the content of the first volume of SOIJ, to identify key seminal studies in the field, observe gaps in current knowledge, and provide suggestions for future research.

The major outcome of the paper is our suggestion for the top‐10 most urgent outsourcing research areas. Also interesting are the other three top‐10s we propose: the top‐10 theories underpinning current outsourcing research; the top‐10 research areas investigated by past research on outsourcing; and the top‐10 research questions that have emerged this year.

Research limitations/implications

Considering the methodology we chose for this article, we are aware, and indeed so should you be, that this research is biased and subjective by our own admission. Hence its categorisation as a viewpoint. Nonetheless, considering the large amount of information we have used and the very narrow focus we have kept in identifying only the most urgent gaps, we believe the article has relevant implications in terms of clarifying a short‐term roadmap for research in the field.

Practical implications

From a practical perspective, as with all research agendas, the longer‐term implications are much more important and visible than the shorter‐term ones. The extremely fast pace at which outsourcing practice develops, coupled with the slower pace at which theoretical formulation and education move, are leaving outsourcing practitioners short of the proper “tools of trade”. A clear and focused research agenda can help generate knowledge supporting a drastic reduction in the confusion surrounding this practice and hence increase practitioners’ ability to develop the proper skills, learn from and apply validated theories and, in turn, more successfully manage their outsourced operations or contracts.

Originality/value

That outsourcing related research is going to increase over the next few years, is undisputed. The key question is how we can maximise current and future efforts to shorten the development time. Being part of the editorial team of SOIJ puts us in the privileged position to have visibility over most current research being undertaken in the field of outsourcing. Complementing this with our own experience as researchers and practitioners in the field, we can provide relevant suggestions to those researchers who share an interest in developing this field into a fully‐fledged scientific discipline.

  • Outsourcing

Busi, M. and McIvor, R. (2008), "Setting the outsourcing research agenda: the top‐10 most urgent outsourcing areas", Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal , Vol. 1 No. 3, pp. 185-197. https://doi.org/10.1108/17538290810915263

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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When Is It Time for Outsourcing Research?

Summary: the time for outsourcing research is often connected to opportunity cost, research team's skills, and internal credibility..

7 minutes to read. By author Michaela Mora on February 9, 2022 Topics: Business Strategy , Market Research

When it is time for outsourcing

We often have to decide what to outsource and what to do ourselves. Should we call the plumber to fix that leak, or can we do it ourselves armed with a few tools and a DIY tutorial from YouTube? Can we find the problem with that car noise that comes on and off and fix it based on our 20+ years of experience as drivers, or should we call the mechanic?

 These days, we can find this decision-making dimension from Do-It-Yourself (DIY) to Do it-for-Me (DFM) segments in almost any product category, in B2C and B2B alike.

Slashed budgets, tight corporate resources, and growing confidence that technology and an autodidact attitude are the answers to this state of scarcity are cementing a corporate culture to do more with less. Cheaper and faster (and hopefully better) is the mantra we hear everywhere, but especially in the insights industry, which encompasses market research , data analytics/science, UX research , and other specialties tasked with data analysis to support business decisions.

Whether to go DIY vs. outsourcing is always in research clients’ minds. I hear it often in the form of a pervasive question: Why should we pay you to conduct research when we can do it ourselves using a software tool at a much lower cost?

The truth is that sometimes they don’t need our services. But, sometimes, they do.

What to Consider in Research Outsourcing Decisions?

To determine when companies should hire professionals like us, they need to consider a few things first:

  • The opportunity cost of the time not spent doing other types of research that could be more valuable.
  • The hidden cost in the forms of salaries paid to research team members vs. the value they add.
  • The level of complexity of the research under consideration.
  • The research skills and experience of the research team.
  • The research team’s credibility among internal stakeholders.

Opportunity Costs

Thinking in counterfactuals is a strenuous mental exercise but is needed to gauge where we should allocate time and resources.

Every minute an internal researcher spends in the research design and implementation of a project is a minute they could spend in a different research project that may add more value to the company. That doesn’t negate the need for the initial project, but the cost of outsourcing it could be lower than the value of having the team dedicated to something else.

The reverse can also apply. The value of outsourcing could be higher and worthy than doing it internally given current constraints in time and limited team skills risking mistakes that could render the research results useless or misleading.

Furthermore, companies can rarely understand the cost of not gaining insights from doing certain types of research because they don’t have staff with the necessary skills.

In my experience, in most companies, research teams tend to use the same type of research all the time, driven by internal expectations, the team’s skillset, and the tools available to them. Companies with low research function maturity often don’t know what other types of research could be done to add more value to the business.

Hidden Costs

When companies only consider the cost of tools needed to do research (e.g., survey tools, data visualization, etc.) as the total cost of research, they often fail to factor in the salaries of the people using the tools and allocate the associated cost of their time. Then, there is the cost of staff training, so their skills are up to date.

Clients who question the value of hiring an external research supplier are often thinking about the many online tools available to capture quantitative and qualitative data at affordable prices.

In this calculation, they often leave out employee salaries as part of the cost of research. Research team members’ salaries act as invisible “free money,” as they fall outside the research budget by accounting metrics.

Research Complexity

Many simple research projects don’t require the support of a full-service research agency like ours. With so many user-friendly research tools out there, it is easy to set up short and quick studies by staff with limited or no experience in research when directional or qualitative data is needed. These studies usually take the form of “quick and dirty” online surveys.

However, research complexity is likely to grow beyond “quick and dirty” online surveys when business decisions with cost implications are on the horizon. Here, we should follow research standards and hold onto the research fundamentals. Quick and dirty research tends to yield incomplete or wrong data resulting in misleading insights when necessary rigor is absent.

Research Team’s Skillset and Experience

Companies that believe that technology is the answer to their research needs often don’t consider that individuals using the technology should be proficient in research design, quantitative methods (e.g., questionnaire development, sampling design, statistical analysis, etc.), and qualitative techniques (e.g., in-depth interview discussion guide design, qualitative analysis). We needed knowledge of the full gamut of methodologies to select fit-for-purpose research approaches and provide relevant insights (no pun intended).

For example, survey tools will NOT:

  • Tell if a survey is the right method to capture the data you need to solve the business problem at hand.
  • Design the survey for you.
  • Indicate the most appropriate question formats for the analysis you plan to conduct.
  • Flag problematic question formulations (e.g., leading questions, compound questions, etc.).
  • Show how to design the sample to represent the target audience you need to include in the study.
  • Do the proper data cleaning, processing, and analysis for you, even if it may have some data cleaning and reporting capabilities.

The correct answers are more likely to come from people who know how to select fit-for-purpose methods for the research problems we face.

The market research and insights field includes a wide variety of specialties with different complementary approaches and tools. Companies need experienced researchers to select suitable research designs, implement research methods, and translate the insights into business implications. Technology alone is not the answer.

The challenge is becoming aware and honest about what we don’t know. I have seen research teams taking on tasks they didn’t know how to do and making costly mistakes because they didn’t want to admit their lack of experience and knowledge to do them.

I recently was called to save a very long and complicated online survey project. Missing data due to programming errors and a glitchy online survey tool have led to thousands of dollars wasted on incentives paid to respondents who missed entire survey sections. Others didn’t qualify but still could enter the survey due to faulty programming logic. The client thought they could do it themselves even though the team assigned to the project has never designed, programmed, or fielded an online survey.

Research Team’s Credibility

It is not uncommon that some internal stakeholders and external investors receive research conducted by internal research teams with some skepticism due to various reasons (e.g., perceived low expertise, internal politics, corporate culture, etc.)

Outsourcing a research project or parts of the research process to a neutral third-party experienced research vendor can lend credibility to the research results since research suppliers don’t have a vested interest in the research outcomes. 

Companies often hire research suppliers for their expertise and neutral position to help internal research teams champion innovative research approaches that have been validated. This often builds trust in the research results and makes internal stakeholders more receptive to the derived insights.

When To Outsource Research?

The focus on lower research costs and fast research processes are the main drivers of the current DIY trend in market research and UX research. However, in some cases, companies may get the opposite.

As explained above, research can be costly and take more time if companies don’t consider the opportunity costs of research not conducted, the level of experience and expertise of the internal research team to handle research complexities, and the team’s credibility to support decision making.

A company should outsource research when:

  • There is a high likelihood of not gaining valuable insights by not conducting certain types of research because the internal team is dedicated to something else (opportunity cost).
  • The business problem requires a research approach that the internal team can’t design or implement based on their experience, expertise, or tools available.
  • The internal team lacks credibility among internal stakeholders, or an impartial third party is needed to avoid the introduction of biases driven by the vested interests of internal stakeholders.

If none of these issues are present, then Do-It-Yourself research is a great option to conduct research at a lower cost and a faster speed and find solutions to particular business problems.

Time for Outsourcing Research - Do-it-Yourself vs. Do-it-for-me

In my own experience, a hybrid model based on a partnership between the internal research team and external research suppliers is the most beneficial for both the business and the research team. In such a model, the internal research team manages some research projects, and research suppliers manage other projects or provide partial support to projects managed by the internal research team.

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Articles on Outsourcing

Displaying 1 - 20 of 39 articles.

outsourcing research topics

Post Office Horizon scandal: four reasons why the government’s model for outsourcing is broken

Alice Moore , University of Birmingham

outsourcing research topics

Return of the ‘consultocracy’ – how cutting public service jobs to save costs usually backfires

Barbara Allen , Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington ; Karl Lofgren , Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington , and Michael Macaulay , Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

outsourcing research topics

Long hours and low wages: the human labour powering AI’s development

Ben Lee Taylor , McMaster University

outsourcing research topics

High Court ruling vindicates sacked Qantas workers but doesn’t stop the outsourcing of jobs in the future

Shae McCrystal , University of Sydney

outsourcing research topics

Blame capitalism? Why hundreds of decades-old yet vital drugs are nearly impossible to find

Geoffrey Joyce , University of Southern California

outsourcing research topics

Two in five children in care are placed outside their local authority – here’s why that’s a problem

Anders Bach-Mortensen , University of Oxford ; Benjamin Goodair , University of Oxford , and Jane Barlow , University of Oxford

outsourcing research topics

How reliance on consultancy firms like PwC undermines the capacity of governments

Helen Dickinson , UNSW Sydney

outsourcing research topics

Four in five of the children’s homes in England are run for profit – here’s why that is a problem

outsourcing research topics

Qantas fights on against court ruling it unlawfully sacked 2,000 workers

Anthony Forsyth , RMIT University

outsourcing research topics

A year after the Victoria hotel quarantine inquiry, one significant question remains unanswered

Kristen Rundle , The University of Melbourne

outsourcing research topics

Hospitals often outsource important services to companies that prioritize profit over patients

Leonard L. Berry , Texas A&M University and Paul Barach , Thomas Jefferson University

outsourcing research topics

Huawei’s ability to eavesdrop on Dutch mobile users is a wake-up call for the telecoms industry

Greig Paul , University of Strathclyde

outsourcing research topics

Outsourcing has not improved conditions for domestic workers in South Africa

David du Toit , University of Johannesburg

outsourcing research topics

You better hope your work cleaner is one of the few who has time to do a thorough job

Shelley Marshall , RMIT University and Carla Chan Unger , RMIT University

outsourcing research topics

Train services are very efficient for shareholders – less so for customers

Daniel Fisher , City, University of London

outsourcing research topics

Shocking yet not surprising: wage theft has become a culturally accepted part of business

Sarah Kaine , University of Technology Sydney and Emmanuel Josserand , University of Technology Sydney

outsourcing research topics

What’s the school cleaner’s name? How kids, not just cleaners, are paying the price of outsourcing

Frances Flanagan , University of Sydney

outsourcing research topics

First rail, now probation: why it’s time to reassess when public sector outsourcing goes wrong

Robert Jupe , University of Kent

outsourcing research topics

Australians worry more about losing jobs overseas than to robots

Nicholas Biddle , Australian National University ; Jill Sheppard , Australian National University , and Matthew Gray , Australian National University

outsourcing research topics

Charities left out of pocket by probation scheme for  ex-offenders

Rob Macmillan , Sheffield Hallam University ; James Rees , The Open University , and Vita Terry , The Open University

Related Topics

  • Future of work
  • IT outsourcing
  • Privatisation
  • Public services
  • UK social care

Top contributors

outsourcing research topics

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Oxford

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Senior Postdoctoral Researcher in Social Policy, University of Oxford

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Professor of Evidence Based Intervention and Policy Evaluation, University of Oxford

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Professor of Public Management, The University of Melbourne

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Professor, Public Service Research, UNSW Sydney

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Professor of Economics and Public Policy, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

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Professor, RMIT University

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Professor of Enterprise and Competitiveness, University of Birmingham

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Distinguished Professor of Workplace Law, RMIT University

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Associate Professor of Public Policy, Public Services International Research Unit, University of Greenwich

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Associate Professor UTS Centre for Business and Social Innovation, University of Technology Sydney

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Research Fellow in Organisational Improvement, University of Birmingham

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ANZSOG Adjunct Research Fellow, Curtin University

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Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Work, Royal Holloway University of London

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Associate Professor, College of Arts, Victoria University

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30 insightful outsourcing articles you’ll want to bookmark

outsourcing articles

Outsourcing can be a tricky business practice to get right. 

With different countries’ changing regulations and industry-specific requirements, it can be challenging to know where to begin! 

Fortunately, there are tons of outsourcing articles that can help you understand the ins and outs of outsourcing. 

But how do you find the right ones?  

No worries, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of some of the best outsourcing articles on the internet. 

Whether you want to know which business process to outsource, what you should include in your outsourcing contract, or how your company culture impacts your outsourced employees, you’ll find the answer in these articles. 

This article includes: 

(Jump to a specific section using the below links)

  • Understanding Outsourcing  
  • Outsourcing Individual Tasks and Departments  
  • Outsourcing to Specific Countries or Companies  
  • Outsourcing Software Development and Testing  
  • Outsourcing Customer Service  
  • The Role of Virtual Assistants  
  • Tips, Agreements, and Alternatives  
  • 5 Other Useful Outsourcing Articles  

Let’s dive in. 

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Top 25 outsourcing articles for successful outsourcing 

We’ve put together this list of outsourcing articles to help entrepreneurs and managers navigate the outsourcing terrain with ease. 

1. Understanding outsourcing

Before diving into the details, let’s set the foundation and understand the basics of outsourcing . 

HR Outsourcing

A) What is outsourcing and is it right for your business in 2021?

Explore what outsourcing is and how it can help lower costs and improve business continuity.

B) The 4 types of outsourcing explained and compared

There are four major types of outsourcing — professional, project, manufacturing, and information technology outsourcing. We delve deep into each type and its pros and cons. 

C) Offshoring vs. outsourcing: What’s right for your business?

Examine the differences between offshoring and outsourcing to determine which is best for your needs.  

D) The pros and cons of outsourcing

Outsourcing has its benefits and drawbacks. Find out what these are so you know what to expect from an outsourcing arrangement and when to pull the plug.  

E) Outsourcing examples: Companies that outsourced to fuel growth

Discover how companies like Google, Slack, and Whatsapp gained a competitive advantage by outsourcing specific business operations. 

2. Outsourcing individual tasks and departments

IT Outsourcing

Once you know what outsourcing is, you may have an idea about what tasks to outsource . Here are some examples that may help you out.

A) The clear & complete guide to IT outsourcing (2021)

If you’re looking to outsource anything related to your IT (Information Technology) department, you must read our guide! 

B) Business process outsourcing (2021 guide + 7 BPO trends)

BPO covers many core business areas and departments. So here’s a guide on everything about the BPO outsourcing industry. 

C) HR outsourcing: Everything you need to know

While we recommend keeping certain HR processes in-house, outsourcing a few like benefits administration, talent acquisition, and payroll processing can help you comply with different labor laws. 

3. Outsourcing to specific countries or companies 

The following articles can help you make educated outsourcing decisions regarding where to outsource.

top countries for outsourcing

A) Outsourcing to China: Pros, cons & best practices for 2021 

China is a popular outsourcing destination due to its low labor costs. Explore its pros, cons, and how to find a suitable Chinese service provider. 

B) Outsourcing to Latin America: Pros, cons, top destinations 

An American company may choose to outsource to Latin America as it’s in a similar time zone. But other regions can also outsource to Latin America for rapid growth opportunities.  

C) Top 13 outsourcing companies (2021 guide)

Due to globalization, many companies offer outsourcing services in multiple countries. 

Choose a vetted outsourcing provider from our top 13 list. 

4. Outsourcing software development and testing  

With your customer expecting better and faster apps than ever before, explore how software development and testing outsourcing services can help you stay ahead of the competition . 

outsource software development

A) The 2021 guide to offshore outsourcing software development  

Software development can be complicated and time-consuming. Ensure you get it right by outsourcing it to the experts. 

B) Software testing outsourcing: Top services, benefits, risks

As an important part of software development, software testing outsourcing allows you to hire an objective professional who can catch bugs before your product is released. 

C) How to choose an offshore software development company (2021)

Developing software is expensive, so outsourcing is a logical option. Read how to choose the right outsourcing company for your software development needs. 

5. Outsourcing customer service 

Understand how outsourcing your customer service can help you provide excellent customer support. 

call center outsourcing

A) Call center outsourcing: The clear and complete guide for 2021  

A commonly outsourced task, customer service can make or break your business. Call center outsourcing can help you get the most out of it.

B) Call center outsourcing services: Costs, pros, cons, & more

Learn which call center services you can outsource, to whom, and how much it will cost. Make the right decision using our practical pros and cons list. 

C) How to outsource customer service the right way  

Discover the secrets to flawlessly outsourcing your customer service to improve your customer satisfaction, engagement, and retention scores. 

6. The role of virtual assistants 

Virtual assistants these days can take over tasks ranging from scheduling meetings to web development. Explore how they can help your company grow .  

virtual assistant training

A) Virtual assistants: What they do & how to hire (2021 update)

Understand what a virtual assistant (VA) is, what they do, and what tasks you can outsource to one to improve your overall operational performance.  

B) 100 tasks you can outsource to virtual assistant services  

Read this detailed breakdown of the wide range of tasks a full-time VA can handle — from general administration to project management and more. 

C) 10 best virtual assistant countries for finding excellent VAs

Learn which countries can provide vetted VAs for the tasks you’re looking to outsource. For instance, you may only know the Philipines as a customer support hub, but it also excels at digital marketing.  

7. Tips, agreements, and alternatives 

Finally, read about what goes into an outsourcing contract , managing a remote team, and even common alternatives to outsourcing.  

Outsourcing Agreement

A) 15 essential outsourcing tips for better decision making

If you’ve decided to outsource any business function, then follow the 15 tips we’ve outlined to ensure your outsourcing relationship goes smoothly. 

B) Managing offshore teams In 2021 (challenges, solutions, tools) 

Learn how to manage your outsourced team and reap the benefits of outsourcing, including cost reduction, using employee management tools like Time Doctor .

C) 15 key points you must include in your outsourcing agreement  

Before you draft an agreement with your outsourcing partner, ensure it has the key points to protect you, the outsourcer, and your intellectual property. 

D) What goes into a BPO agreement: 12 points to include

Understand what typically goes into a BPO agreement – such as defined service levels, metrics, and benchmarks – so you can have a fruitful outsourcing relationship with your service provider. 

E) 7 popular alternatives to outsourcing (2021 guide)  

Not sure if the outsourcing model is for you? Explore seven alternatives you can use instead! 

Let’s now look at some other important outsourcing articles in the blogosphere that have caught our attention. 

5 other useful outsourcing articles 

We rely on various sources to bring you the most topical information available. 

Some of these are listed below. 

A) How smart small business owners think about outsourcing

Explore how outsourcing your HR (Human Resource) and payroll departments to an outside vendor can reduce your operating costs as a small business owner. 

B) 2020 global outsourcing survey

Analyzing how the COVID pandemic affected the outsourcing market, Deloitte’s 2020 survey takes a more intimate look at how managers and employees coped. 

C) IT outsourcing to surge in 2021

When everything moved online during the pandemic, many companies turned to an IT outsourcing company to deal with the increased demand for IT services.

D) Farewell offshoring, outsourcing. pandemic rewrites CEO playbook  

Global supply chain issues have made CEOs favor reliable yet expensive insourcing measures over a cost saving outsourcing service – at least in the short term. 

E) How outsourcing strategies are changing over time

Learn how businesses have utilized automation and adapted their outsourcing strategy to meet consumer demands over the decades. 

Wrapping up 

Whether you manage small businesses or run a large company, outsourcing can free up time and resources to focus on your core competencies.  

However, you can’t just dive into it without doing solid research.

The articles mentioned above provide a great starting point. You can also check out the Time Doctor blog to stay updated on other significant developments and future research into the outsourcing industry.

View a free demo of Time Doctor

help managers focus on what matters most

20+ productivity articles to hit the ground running this year

How to extend zoom meeting time (step-by-step guide + faqs), related posts, 11 awesome call center software for small business needs, the ultimate offshore call center guide, the top 5 virtual assistant companies in the usa, kpo industry in india: pros/cons & top outsourcing services, kpo philippines: top services, benefits, service providers, kpo directory: 13 top global knowledge service providers.

Business process outsourcing studies: a critical review and research directions

  • Research Article
  • Published: 27 September 2011
  • Volume 26 , pages 221–258, ( 2011 )

Cite this article

outsourcing research topics

  • Mary C Lacity 1 ,
  • Stan Solomon 1 ,
  • Aihua Yan 1 &
  • Leslie P Willcocks 2  

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Organizations are increasingly sourcing their business processes through external service providers, a practice known as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). Worldwide, the current BPO market could be as much as $279 billion and is predicted to continue growing at 25% annually. Academic researchers have been studying this market for about 15 years and have produced findings relevant to practice. The entire body of BPO research has never been reviewed, and this paper fills that gap. We filtered the total studies and reviewed 87 empirically robust BPO articles published between 1996 and 2011 in 67 journals to answer three research questions: What has the empirical academic literature found about BPO decisions and outcomes? How do BPO findings compare with Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) empirical research? What are the gaps in knowledge to consider in future BPO research? Employing a proven method that Lacity et al. (2010) used to review the empirical ITO literature, we encapsulated this empirical literature on BPO in a way that is concise, meaningful, and helpful to researchers. We coded 43 dependent variables, 152 independent variables, and 615 relationships between independent and dependent variables. By extracting the best evidence, we developed two models of BPO: one model addresses BPO decisions and one model addresses BPO outcomes. The model of BPO decisions includes independent variables associated with motives to outsource, transaction attributes, and client firm characteristics. The model of BPO outcomes includes independent variables associated with contractual and relational governance, country characteristics, and client and supplier capabilities. Overall, BPO researchers have a broad and deep understanding of BPO. However, the field continues to evolve as clients and suppliers on every inhabited continent participate actively in the global sourcing community. There is still much research yet to be done. We propose nine future paths of research pertaining to innovation effects, retained capabilities, environmental influences, global destinations, supplier capabilities, pricing models, business analytics, emerging models, and grounded theory development.

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A review of 50 years of research since knickerbocker (1973): competitive dynamics in international business.

http://www.strategy-business.com/media/file/Outsourcing_for_Virtuosos-webinar.pdf

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Master codes

Absorptive capacity – Client : A client organization's ability to scan, acquire, assimilate, and exploit valuable knowledge (e.g., Grimpe and Kaiser, 2010 ; Reitzig and Wagner, 2010 ).

Absorptive capacity – Supplier: A supplier organization's ability to scan, acquire, assimilate, and exploit valuable knowledge (e.g., Luo et al., 2010 ).

Access to expertise/skills: A client organization's desire or need to access supplier skills/expertise (e.g., Currie et al., 2008 ; Lam and Chua, 2009 ).

Access to global markets: A client organization's desire or need to gain access to global markets by outsourcing to suppliers in those markets (e.g., Van Gorp et al., 2007 ).

Adaptability: The extent to which a party is able to adapt a business process to meet changes in the environment (e.g., Sia et al., 2008 ).

Asset specificity : The degree to which an asset can be redeployed to alternative uses and by alternative users without sacrifice of productive value ( Williamson, 1976 ; Sia et al., 2008 ).

Business process management capability – Client : The ability of a client organization to efficiently and effectively manage a business process using in-house resources (e.g., McIvor et al., 2009 ).

Business process management capability – Supplier : The ability of a supplier organization to efficiently and effectively manage a business process (e.g. Saxena and Bharadwaj, 2009 ).

Business process performance improvement : A client organization's desire or need to engage a supplier to help improve a client's business, processes, or capabilities (e.g., Gewald and Dibbern, 2009 ).

Business strategic type : An organization's strategy to address three fundamental business problems – entrepreneurial, engineering, and administrative. Categorized under the Miles and Snow typology as Defenders, Prospectors, Analyzers, and Reactors ( Miles and Snow, 1978 ; Shih et al., 2005 ; Kenyon and Meixell, 2011 ).

Career development of employees: A client organization's desire or need to provide better career opportunities for employees (e.g., Lacity et al., 2004 ).

Centralization of department: The degree to which the department's decision-making is concentrated within a particular group or location (e.g., Delmotte and Sels, 2008).

CEO personality: The attributes of a CEO's personality, including conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness, extraversion, and openness to experience (e.g., Nadkarni and Herrmann, 2010 ).

Change catalyst : A client organization's desire or need to use outsourcing to bring about large scale changes in the organization (e.g., Gospel and Sako, 2010 ).

Change management capability : The extent to which a client organization effectively manages change (e.g., Lacity et al., 2004 ).

City size: The size of a city in which a client or supplier is located (e.g., Rajeev and Vani, 2009 ).

Client age : The age of a client organization in years (e.g., Delmotte and Sels, 2008).

Client dependency : The degree to which a supplier depends on a client (e.g., Gainey and Klaas, 2003 ).

Client experience with outsourcing: A client organization's level of experience with outsourcing or offshoring (e.g., Mani et al., 2010 ).

Client experience with multiple governance modes: A client organization's level of experience with multiple governance modes, such as captive centers, offshore outsourcing, etc. (e.g., Hutzschenreuter et al., 2011 ).

Client management capability : The extent to which a supplier organization is able to effectively manage client relationships (e.g., Howells et al., 2008 ).

Client outsourcing readiness : The extent to which a client organization is prepared to engage an outsourcing supplier by having realistic expectations and a clear understanding of internal costs and services compared to outsourced costs and services (e.g., McIvor et al., 2009 ).

Client size : The size of a client organization usually measured as total assets, sales, and/or number of employees (e.g., Wahrenburg et al., 2006 ).

Client/supplier alignment : The degree to which client and supplier incentives, motives, interests, and or goals are aligned (e.g., Sen and Shiel, 2006 ).

Client-specific knowledge required : The degree to which a unit of work requires a significant amount of understanding/knowledge about unique client systems, processes, or procedures (e.g., McKenna and Walker, 2008 ).

Client-supplier interface design : The planned structure on where, when, and how client and supplier employees work, interact, and communicate (e.g., Sen and Shiel, 2006 ).

Coalition : A strategy in which an agent enlists the aid or endorsement of other people to influence a target to do what the agent wants (e.g., Bignoux, 2011 ).

Commitment : The degree to which partners pledge to continue the relationship (e.g., Levina and Su, 2008 ).

Communication : The degree to which parties are willing to openly discuss their expectations, directions for the future, their capabilities, and/or their strengths and weaknesses (e.g., Gainey and Klaas, 2003 ).

Concern for security/intellectual property : A client organization's concerns about security of information, transborder data flow issues, and protection of intellectual property (e.g., Wüllenweber et al., 2008a , 2008b ).

Concern for regulatory requirements: A client organization's concerns about complying with regulations (e.g. Howells et al., 2008 ).

Configurational approach – The client firm matches multiple factors in configurations that maximize their chances of BPO success. For example, matching strategic intent with contractual governance, matching transaction attributes with contractual governance (e.g., Sen and Shiel, 2006 ; Saxena and Bharadwaj, 2009 ).

Conflict resolution : The degree to which clients and suppliers quickly, fairly, and meaningfully resolve disputes (e.g., Wüllenweber et al., 2008a , 2008b ).

Contract detail : The number or degree of detailed clauses in the outsourcing contract, such as clauses that specify prices, service levels, key process indicators, benchmarking, warranties, and penalties for non-performance (e.g., Luo et al., 2010 ; Handley and Benton, 2009 ).

Contract duration : The duration of the contract in terms of time (e.g., Willcocks et al., 2004 ).

Contract flexibility : The degree to which a contract specifies contingencies and enables parties to change contractual terms (e.g., Sia et al., 2008 ).

Contract management capability : The extent to which a client organization is able to effectively manage contracts with suppliers, including the ability to track service levels and verify invoices (e.g., Sanders et al., 2007 ).

Contract size : The size of the outsourcing contract usually measured as the total value of the contract in monetary terms (e.g., Gewald and Gellrich, 2007 ).

Control mechanisms : Certain means or devices a controller uses to promote desired behavior by the controlee (e.g., Daityari et al., 2008 ).

Convenience : A client organization's desire to select a sourcing option based on ease of use, convenience, and less frustration (e.g., McKenna and Walker, 2008 ).

Cooperation : The degree to which client and supplier employees are willing to work together in common pursuit (e.g., Wüllenweber et al., 2008a and 2008b ).

Corporate social responsibility capability-supplier – A supplier organization's ability to behave in a socially responsible way, such as promoting environmental responsibility and promoting fair labor practices (e.g., Brown, 2008 ).

Cost reduction : A client organization's need or desire to use outsourcing to reduce or control costs (e.g., Borman, 2006 ).

Country: Outsourcing outcomes – Success – Offshore : A client organization's general perceptions of success and satisfaction with offshore outsourcing (e.g., Vivek et al., 2008 ).

Partnership view : A client organization's consideration of suppliers as trusted partners rather than as opportunistic vendors (e.g., Willcocks et al., 2004 ; Sen and Shiel, 2006 ).

Persistence of expectatio ns: ‘The tendency for prior beliefs and expectations to persevere, even in the face of new data or when the data that generated those beliefs are no longer valid’ (e.g., Lewin and Peeters, 2006 ).

Political reasons/influences : A client stakeholder's desire or need to use an outsourcing decision to promote personal agendas (e.g., Maelah et al., 2010 ).

Prior client/supplier working relationship : The situation in which the client and supplier organizations have worked together in the past (e.g., Mani et al., 2010 ).

Prior firm performance – Client : Client firm performance usually measured as net profits, return on assets, expenses, earnings per share, number of patents, and/or stock price prior to an outsourcing decision (e.g., Dunbar and Phillips, 2001 ; Gilley et al., 2004 ).

Prior firm performance – Supplier : Supplier firm performance usually measured as net profits, return on assets, expenses, earnings per share, and/or stock price prior to an outsourcing decision. (e.g., Gewald and Gellrich, 2007 ; Nadkarni and Herrmann, 2010 ).

Proactive sensemaking : The extent to which executives proactively create awareness and understanding in situations of high complexity or uncertainty in order to make decisions (e.g., Sia et al., 2008 ).

Process complexity : The degree to which a task requires compound steps, the control of many variables, and/or where cause and effect are subtle and dynamic (e.g., Ventovuori and Lehtonen, 2006 ; Penfold, 2009 ).

Process integration : The degree to which clients and suppliers are able to integrate processes (e.g. Sen and Shiel, 2006 ).

Process interdependence : The level of integration and coupling among tasks; processes that are highly integrated are tightly coupled and difficult to detach (e.g., Sanders et al., 2007 ).

Process interoperability : The extent to which a business process can operate on many supplier platforms (e.g., Sia et al., 2008 ).

Process standardization : The degree to which a process is standard (e.g., Tate and Ellram, 2009 ).

Public perceptions of outsourcing : The degree to which the public has a negative perception of outsourcing or offshoring (e.g., Sen and Shiel, 2006 ).

Public awareness : The degree to which there is publicly available information about outsourcing or offshoring (e.g., Hutzschenreuter et al., 2011 ).

R&D spend : The amount of money an organization spends on R&D (e.g., Calantone and Stanko, 2007 ; Grimpe and Kaiser, 2010 ).

Rapid delivery : A client organization's desire or need to engage in outsourcing in order to speed up delivery (e.g., Bandyopadhyay and Hall, 2009 ; Lam and Chua, 2009 ).

Relational governance : The unwritten, worker-based mechanisms designed to influence inter-organizational behavior ( Macneil, 1980 ; e.g., Kim, 2008 ).

Relationship quality : The quality of the relationship between a client and supplier (e.g., Sia et al., 2008 ; Saxena and Bharadwaj, 2009 ).

Relationship-specific investment : Specific investments made over time, which discourage opportunism, reinforce signals of the client firms, and create extendedness of the relationships (e.g., Tate and Ellram, 2009 ).

Risk management capability – Client : A client organization's practice of identifying, rating, and mitigating potential risks associated with outsourcing (e.g., Borman, 2006 ).

Risk management capability – Supplier : A supplier organization's practice of identifying, rating, and mitigating potential risks associated with outsourcing (e.g., Borman, 2006 ).

Risk – The extent to which a transaction exposes clients to a chance of loss or damage (e.g., Wüllenweber et al., 2008a , 2008b ).

Scalability : The ability to scale volume of service up or down based on demand (e.g., Currie et al., 2008 ; Redondo-Cano and Canet-Giner, 2010 ).

Security, privacy, and confidentiality capability – Supplier: The proven ability of a supplier to protect client data through investments in technology, training, process controls, audits, and other management practices (e.g., Sen and Shiel, 2006 ).

Senior leadership: The extent to which the senior executives of an organization are effective leaders (e.g., Lacity et al., 2004 ).

Service quality : The quality of a service, frequently measured as a client's perception of a satisfactory service performance by the supplier (e.g., Lewin and Peeters, 2006 ).

Social capital: Cognitive dimension: Social capital arising from the sharing representations, interpretations, and systems of meaning among parties ( Nahapiet and Ghoshal, 1998 ; e.g., Willcocks et al., 2004 ).

Social capital: Relational dimension: Social capital arising from personal relationships people have developed with each other through a history of interactions ( Nahapiet and Ghoshal, 1998 ; e.g., Willcocks et al., 2004 ).

Social capital: Structural dimension : Social capital arising from the patterns of linkages between people or units including network ties, network configuration, and network appropriability ( Nahapiet and Ghoshal, 1998 ; e.g., Willcocks et al., 2004 ).

Social norms : An individual's perceptions of the social pressures put on him or her to perform or not to perform the behavior in question .’ ( Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980 ; e.g., Raman et al., 2007 ).

Sourcing capability – Supplier : Expertise in procurement and the ability to leverage aggregate purchasing power (e.g., Lacity et al., 2004 ).

Stakeholder buy-in : Gaining commitment and support from all parties involved in outsourcing related decisions (e.g., Tate and Ellram, 2009 ).

Stakeholder resistance : The degree to which stakeholders oppose an outsourcing decision (e.g., Ventovuori and Lehtonen, 2006 ).

Strategic flexibility : An organization's ability to precipitate strategic changes and adapt to substantial, uncertain, and rapidly occurring environmental changes (e.g., Nadkarni and Herrmann, 2010 ).

Strategic intent : A client organization's desire or need to outsource for strategic reasons, such as developing new capabilities that can be leveraged in the marketplace (e.g., Sanders et al., 2007 ).

Subcontracting : The practice when the primary supplier engages another supplier for contracted work, either with or without the client's knowledge or approval (e.g., Kuruvilla and Ranganathan, 2010 ; Luo et al., 2010 ).

Supplier age : The age of a supplier firm in years (e.g., Lahiri and Kedia, 2009 ).

Supplier business growth: A supplier increases revenues by extending services to existing clients, obtaining new clients, or through mergers and acquisitions (e.g., Saxena and Bharadwaj, 2009 ).

Supplier competition : The presence of multiple, reputable, and trustworthy service providers, which can provide a range of choices for the clients (e.g., Levina and Su).

Supplier dependency : The degree to which a client depends on a supplier (e.g., Borman, 2006 ).

Supplier employee performance : The client's perception of the performance of individual supplier employees (e.g., Daityari et al., 2008 ; Lam and Chua, 2009 ).

Supplier employee turnover : The percentage of the workers that are replaced in a given time period (e.g., Budhwar et al., 2006 ).

Supplier management capability : The extent to which a client organization is able to effectively manage outsourcing suppliers (e.g., Sanders et al., 2007 ).

Supplier ownership : The supplier's ownership structure; private, public, jointly owned with primary client (e.g., Kuruvilla and Ranganathan, 2010 ).

Supplier reputation : The public's perception of a supplier's capabilities based on past performance and financial status (e.g., Gewald and Gellrich, 2007 ).

Supplier size : The size of a supplier organization usually measured as total assets, sales, and/or number of employees (e.g., Nadkarni and Herrmann, 2010 ).

Switching costs : The costs incurred when a client organization changes from one supplier or marketplace to another (e.g., Wahrenburg et al., 2006 ).

Task structure : The degree of clarity and structure pertaining to tasks (e.g., Daityari et al., 2008 ).

Technical and methodological capability – Client : A client organization's level of maturity in terms of technical or process related standards, and best practices such as component reuse (e.g., Bardhan et al., 2007 ).

Technical and methodological capability – Supplier : A supplier organization's level of maturity in terms of technical or process related and best practices such as component reuse (e.g., Sia et al., 2008 ; Bharadwaj and Saxena, 2009 ).

Time zone differences : The difference in local times between two locations as measured in hours (e.g., Mehta et al., 2006 ).

Top management commitment/support : The extent to which senior executives provide leadership, support, and commitment to outsourcing (e.g., Tate and Ellram, 2009 ).

Training : The nature or extent of supplier employee training by either the client or supplier organization (e.g., Raman et al., 2007 ; Malik, 2009 ).

Transaction costs : The effort, time, and costs incurred in searching, creating, negotiating, monitoring, and enforcing a service contract between buyers and suppliers ( Williamson, 1991 ; e.g., Levina and Su, 2008 ).

Transaction frequency : The number of times a client organization initiates a transaction, typically categorized as either occasional or frequent (e.g., Wahrenburg et al., 2006 ).

Transaction size : The size of a transaction in terms of dollar value or effort (e.g., Luo et al., 2010 ).

Transition management capability – Client : The extent to which a client organization effectively transitions services to outsourcing suppliers or integrates client services with supplier services (e.g., Luo et al., 2010 ).

Transition management capability – Supplier : The extent to which a supplier organization effectively transitions services from a client organization to the supplier or integrates client services with supplier services (e.g., Saxena and Bharadwaj, 2009 ).

Trust : The confidence in the other party's benevolence (e.g., Gainey and Klaas, 2003 ).

Uncertainty : The degree of unpredictability or volatility of future states as it relates to the definition of requirements, emerging technologies, and/or environmental factors ( Williamson, 1991 ; e.g., Mani et al., 2010 ).

Upward appeals : The tactic of invoking the authority and power of higher management; for example suppliers may bypass client liaisons by appealing to client management (e.g., Bignoux, 2011 ).

Virtual teaming: The extent to which the service provider and the client perceive and behave as part of the same team (e.g., Saxena and Bharadwaj, 2009 ).

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Dear [AUTHOR],

We hope this email finds you well. We coded the entire body of empirical (both quantitative and qualitative) Business Process Outsourcing literature from 1996 to 2011. To ensure the accuracy of our codes, we are randomly selecting a subset of the 87 articles we coded for review by authors. You were selected! We are hoping that you will validate how we coded some or all of the relationships in your paper:

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We have a master coding list of over 160 variables used in BPO research. We mapped the variables you used in your paper to our master coding list so we could more easily summarize findings across studies. We were hoping you would indicate the extent to which you think our coding of your study is reasonable.

We also coded the findings between independent and dependent variables. The coding scheme assigns four possible values to the relationship between independent and dependent variables: ‘+1,’ ‘−1,’ ‘0,’ and ‘M.’ We coded a ‘+1’ for positive relationships, ‘−1’ for negative relationships, an ‘M’ for a relationship mattered, and ‘0’ for relationships that were studied but not empirically significant. A more thorough explanation of the codes is included below.

Below you will find what we have coded for your paper at a high level and the relevant descriptions of our master variables below the table. Please tell us the extent to which you agree with our coding for each of the findings from your study listed in the table. Please use the 7-point Likert Scale on the right hand column of the table.

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Our descriptions of our master variable names : [HERE DESCRIPITIONS OF RELEVANT INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES FOR A STUDY WERE PROVIDED] (see Table B1 ).

[Explanation of codes followed]

This appendix shows the relationships between independent variables and the three categories of dependent variables (BPO Decisions, BPO Outcomes, Miscellaneous). For each relationship, a ‘1’ indicates a positive and significant relationship; ‘−1’ indicates a negative and significant relationship; ‘0’ indicates a not-significant relationship; ‘M’ indicates the independent variable mattered when operationalized as a categorical variable (see Table 3 for detailed explanations). The relationships that were examined at least five times are boxed. The relationships that were examined at least five times and met the criteria for consistent results as described in the text are marked with ‘++,’ ‘+,’ ‘−−,’ ‘−,’ and ‘0’

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Lacity, M., Solomon, S., Yan, A. et al. Business process outsourcing studies: a critical review and research directions. J Inf Technol 26 , 221–258 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1057/jit.2011.25

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Published : 27 September 2011

Issue Date : 01 December 2011

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1057/jit.2011.25

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Rethinking Pharma and Biotech Outsourcing

A call for data security and supply chain resilience

By Lee Cronin, PhD

In the realm of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, the Biosecure Act looms large, casting a shadow of uncertainty and urgency over the sector. 1 This proposed legislation, introduced in both the Senate (S.3558) in December and the House of Representatives (H.R.7085) in January, aims to restrict U.S. companies from relying on certain contract research organizations and contract development and manufacturing organizations located in China, including the prominent WuXi AppTec, as well as BGI Group, MGI Tech, and Complete Genomics.

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As a recent news story in Nature Biotechnology noted, the ban could extend to institutions that receive funding from the NIH or other U.S. government agencies, which would include almost all universities, research centers, hospitals, and life sciences companies. 2 The potential ramifications of such a measure are profound, with the potential to disrupt supply chains and derail drug discovery and development efforts on a national scale within the current outsourcing landscape.

Supply chain implications

The reality is stark: many pharma and biotech companies have turned to contract research organizations and contract development and manufacturing organizations located in China for efficiency and affordability, often outsourcing critical aspects of their operations. However, recent allegations of intellectual property leaks have sounded a clarion call, underscoring the vulnerabilities inherent in this dependence on such entities in certain jurisdictions for crucial research and development functions.

The specter of supply chain disruption, as exemplified by the logistical challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, also looms large in the minds of industry stakeholders. The concentration of manufacturing and research activities in distant locales poses inherent risks, leaving companies vulnerable to unforeseen disruptions.

The Biosecure Act serves as a poignant reminder that safeguarding intellectual property and data security must be paramount considerations in any outsourcing strategy.

Development implications

One potential solution is to go the way of many other industries: digital and encrypted. How would this work for drug development and manufacturing?

Forward-thinking digital chemists have been crafting the printing press for molecules and chemicals, a word processor, and autocorrect in order to bring the archaic, manual field of chemistry up to date. By introducing a chemical coding language and secure online data repository, the molecule design and manufacturing process could move away from traditional laboratory environments toward a fully digital, highly reproducible model.

In such a system, a chemical description language could tell a computer compatible with any batch chemistry robot how to synthesize a drug—similar to how HTML gives instructions to the browser in your laptop. Rather than relying on scant supplies of high-demand, hard-to-access drugs, those in developing countries would be able to access a “recipe” to produce the molecules needed at the push of a button.

This dream is already a reality in a specific and limited capacity. As governments around the world were scrambling to secure supplies of the COVID-19 treatment remdesivir, for example, digital instructions for whipping up a batch of the nearly 400-atom molecule were available on the open source repository Github, freely available to anyone with the hardware needed to execute the chemical program.

The wider adaptation of this approach—in individual labs and/or larger-scale manufacturing facilities in key biotech centers—could foster collaboration, accelerate the pace of discovery, and enhance precision and efficiency across the entire chemical development process. Importantly, it would also enable greater agility in response to evolving market dynamics and address the vulnerabilities associated with far-flung outsourcing.

By embracing digitalization, prioritizing data security, and reimagining traditional paradigms, the drug development and manufacturing industry could face a future defined by resilience, agility, and unparalleled scientific discovery.

Lee Cronin is Founder and CEO of Chemify , a U.K.-based deep tech chemical science company combining chemistry, robotics and AI at scale to digitally design, discover and make new molecules, and Regius Professor of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow. He has published over 450 papers, given over 600 lectures and has written extensively on all aspects of science from the origin of life to artificial intelligence.

1. US bill targets Chinese biotechs . Nature Biotechnol. 2024; 42(3): 353. DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02191-6. 2. Debevoise National Security and Life Sciences Update: The BIOSECURE Act. Published: May 22, 2024. Accessed: July 10, 2024. 

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Seven research topics on the emerging technologies disrupting the world of science.

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The link between science, innovation, and technology is crucial: rapid technological advances create new opportunities for scientific progress in healthcare, communication, energy production, and more, essential for society's progress.

In an impactful partnership, Frontiers joined the World Economic Forum to identify the top 10 emerging technologies in 2024 . The result is a report that highlights tech advancements with the potential to revolutionize how we connect, tackle climate change, and propel scientific discovery forward.

Frederick Fenter, Frontiers' Chief Executive Editor, emphasizes how the report draws on the expertise of a global network of field editors to offer deep insights into breakthrough technology and its transformative potential for improving societies, economies, and individual lives.

Inspired by this collaboration, we’ve curated seven Research Topics harnessing the power of transformative technologies. From AI-powered plant disease detection to the future of digital health and big data in medicine, these research communities are tackling critical worldwide challenges across diverse fields.

All articles are openly available to view and download.

1 | Recent Advances in Big Data, Machine, and Deep Learning for Precision Agriculture

128,000 views | 22 articles

This Research Topic explores how big data, machine, and deep learning algorithms are being applied to precision agriculture and plant health. It also investigates how these tools can be used and improved in the future to aid food security, mainly involving the integration of state-of-the-art technologies.

This topic brings together researchers from diverse fields and specializations, such as plant bioinformatics, computer engineering, computer science, agricultural engineering, environmental engineering, food engineering, information technology, and mathematics.

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2 | Artificial Intelligence and Bioinformatics Applications for Omics and Multi-Omics Studies

30,000 views | 13 articles

Researchers present new bioinformatics tools and computational approaches to the analysis of omics data, or the application of existing tools, toward a more complete interpretation of biological phenomena, with applications in personalized medicine and biotechnology.

The omics sciences have revolutionized research in areas such as biology, biotechnology, medicine, and agri-food sciences. At the same time, the production of large-scale data has led to strong demand for appropriate computational tools for their management, analysis, and interpretation. All these factors make this Research Topic highly relevant for omics and multi-omics studies.

3 | Remote Sensing for Field-based Crop Phenotyping

32,100 views | 18 articles

This Research Topic studies field-based crop phenotyping through different remote sensing platforms and sensors coupled with diversified algorithms. The topic investigates achievements for determining multi-sensor integration methods, image processing ways, and retrieval modeling algorithms to improve the accuracy and robustness of crop phenotype assessment, which can be used for accelerating crop research, breeding efficiency, and precise agricultural management.

The development of crop science requires more rapid and accurate access to field-based crop phenotypes. Remote sensing provides a novel solution to quantify crop structural and functional traits in a timely, rapid, non-invasive, and efficient manner.

4 | AI Empowered Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering

43,000 views | 18 articles

This Research Topic highlights significant advancements in AI applications for cerebrovascular and cardiovascular healthcare. It also showcases how AI technology can enhance diagnosis, treatment, risk prediction, and rehabilitation for these diseases through extensive data analysis.

Cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases remain major global health challenges, significantly contributing to disabilities and mortality. Advances in machine learning, deep learning, computational power, and algorithms have made swift dataset analysis possible. Consequently, AI integration into healthcare is gaining significant attention, with physicians increasingly relying on AI tools for improved diagnosis, intervention guidance, and therapy monitoring.

5 | Current Advances in Genomics and Gene Editing Tools for Crop Improvement in a Changing Climate Scenario

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A Research Topic demonstrating the use of cutting-edge plant genomics and gene editing technologies to tackle a specific problem, such as improving a trait. Advances in plant genomics and gene editing technologies have revolutionized breeding programs globally and are taking agriculture to new heights.

Feeding the burgeoning population and ensuring global food security in a changing climate scenario have prompted scientists to explore adoption of the latest tools and technologies (genomics and gene editing) to increase food production.

6 | Perspectives in Digital Health and Big Data in Medicine: Current Trends, Professional Challenges, and Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications

89,900 views | 24 articles

This Research Topic provides a comprehensive overview of the current trends, scientific potential, regulatory and professional challenges, and ethical and social implications of digital health and big data in medicine, including prevention, clinical care, research, management, regulation, and health policy perspectives.

It gathers multi- and transdisciplinary contributions, particularly from the family medicine, primary health care, and regulatory science communities, including physicians, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, and health policy professionals.

7 | Advanced AI Methods for Plant Disease and Pest Recognition

30,000 views | 22 articles

This Research Topic explores advanced AI methods for plant disease and pest recognition for real-world applications. Plant diseases and pests cause significant losses to farmers and threaten food security worldwide.

Monitoring the growing conditions of crops and detecting plant diseases is critical for sustainable agriculture. However, this activity is prone to errors, leading to possible incorrect decisions. In this context, deep learning has played a key role in solving complicated applications with increasing accuracy over time. Recent interest in this type of technology has encouraged its potential application to address complex problems in agriculture, such as plant disease and pest recognition.

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The secret digital behaviors of Gen Z

Google studied Gen Z's actions online. What they found is alarming.

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Gen Z has come of age swimming in a gloppy stew of digital content. Every day they navigate memes, photos, social media, chats with their friends, flashes of video, influencers influencing , news articles from a zillion places across the net. How do America's teens and youngest adults sort through all that digitized gunk to determine what's important, or useful, or true?

A lot of folks would love to know. Social networks want young users . Media outlets want subscribers . Politicians want votes . Professors want to know why their students won't read books . Everyone, it seems, has a stake in understanding Kids These Days.

Over the past couple of years, researchers at Jigsaw, a Google subsidiary that focuses on online politics and polarization, have been studying how Gen Zers digest and metabolize what they see online. The researchers were hoping that their work would provide one of the first in-depth, ethnographic studies of Gen Z's "information literacy." But the minute they started, their most fundamental assumption about the nature of digital information came crashing down.

"Within a week of actual research, we just threw out the term information literacy ," says Yasmin Green, Jigsaw's CEO. Gen Zers, it turns out, are "not on a linear journey to evaluate the veracity of anything." Instead, they're engaged in what the researchers call "information sensibility" — a "socially informed" practice that relies on "folk heuristics of credibility." In other words, Gen Zers know the difference between rock-solid news and AI-generated memes. They just don't care .

Jigsaw's findings offer a revealing glimpse into the digital mindset of Gen Z . Where older generations are out there struggling to fact-check information and cite sources, Gen Zers don't even bother. They just read the headlines and then speed-scroll to the comments, to see what everyone else says. They're outsourcing the determination of truth and importance to like-minded, trusted influencers. And if an article's too long, they just skip it. They don't want to see stuff that might force them to think too hard, or that upsets them emotionally. If they have a goal, Jigsaw found, it's to learn what they need to know to remain cool and conversant in their chosen social groups.

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"The old guard is like: 'Yeah, but you have to care ultimately about the truth,'" Green says. "The Gen Z take is: 'You can tell me your truth and what you think is important.'" What establishes the relevance of a claim isn't some established notion of authority. It's the social signals they get from their peers.

Jigsaw's research doesn't purport to be statistically significant. They didn't poll a large group of Gen Z users about their digital habits. Instead, they relied on intense interviews with a handful of 13- to 24-year-olds from a representative range of demographics, classes, and genders. They were doing what anthropologists do in the field — looking for qualitative depth rather than quantitative data.

What they heard surprised them. Young folks basically say they see no difference between going online for news versus for social interaction. Gen Zers approach most of their digital experience in what the researchers call "timepass" mode, just looking to not be bored. If they want to answer a question or learn something new, they might turn to a search engine, but they're acquiring new information mainly via their social feeds, which are algorithmically pruned to reflect what they care about and who they trust. In short, they've created their own filters to process an onslaught of digitized information. Only the important stuff shows up, and if something shows up, it must be important.

They don't read long articles. And they don't trust anything with ads, or paywalls, or pop-ups asking for donations or subscriptions. "If you're making clickbait, you have zero faith in your content," one subject told the researchers. "And news sources — even CNN and The New York Times — do clickbait. I throw those articles away immediately."

For Gen Z, the online world resembles the stratified, cliquish lunchroom of a 1980s teen movie. Instead of listening to stuffy old teachers, like CNN and the Times, they take their cues from online influencers — the queen bees and quarterback bros at the top of the social hierarchy. The influencers' personal experience makes them authentic, and they speak Gen Z's language.

"Gen Zers will have a favorite influencer or set of influencers who they essentially outsource their trust to, and then they're incredibly loyal to everything that influencer is saying," says Beth Goldberg, Jigsaw's head of research. "It becomes extremely costly to fall out of that influencer's group, because they're getting all their information from them."

None of this means that Gen Z is any less intelligent or diligent than other generations. They know how to research something more deeply. It's just that, usually, they don't wanna. "They tap into those critical literacy skills in a really small proportion of the time they spend online," Goldberg says. If they're prepping for an argument they know they're going to have, or when they have to make big life decisions about schools or investments, they're willing to deal with the drudgery of factfinding. "But the vast majority of the time, they're spending their time mindlessly in timepass mode. Veracity was not only not top of mind, it actually wasn't important to them at all."

When one subject shared a fake image of Donald Trump running from the NYPD, the researchers challenged them on it. "They kind of shrugged," Goldberg says. From the subject's perspective, they were using their critical thinking and media-literacy skills. After all, Trump was, at the time, headed for a criminal trial in New York . It could have been true.

And when it comes to things like diet or wellness, Gen Zers will just try it on their own bodies and see if it works. They perceive that as a safe way to do their own research, mostly because it's not hurting anyone else. If that new diet or exercise regimen "works" on their body, that's more believable than data showing its effects on a whole population.

If facty-sounding stuff does manage to sneak into Gen Z's feeds — claims about what constitutes a healthy diet, or what Trump would do as president, or whether Ukraine or Russia is to blame for Russia's invasion of Ukraine — they're likely to head straight for the comments . That's partly because they know the digital hoi polloi will quickly unmask any fake news. But it's also because they're concerned about whether the news — or a particular reaction to it — might prove to be a cancelable take.

"Cancel culture came to be a thing as they were growing up. They were trained and attend to how to perform, and not perform, to avoid that," says Goldberg. "They're getting trusted information from closed group chats or followers with private feeds, so they're able to perform that they're part of an in-group and can perform specific social signals." For Gen Z, checking what other people are saying in the comments isn't shallow. It's a matter of social life or death.

If this sounds like a generation that will believe any flimflam they encounter and never subscribe to a newspaper, well, the researchers at Jigsaw worry about that too. But the good news is, Gen Zers aren't seeing as much intentional falsehood as you might think. Research shows that most mis- and disinformation is being made and consumed by a dwindling minority of users who seek it out, not sprayed algorithmically into the eyeballs of credulous, internet-surfing teens. "Casual consumption of silly TikToks is very unlikely to lead someone into a dark corner of hate or misinformation," says David Rothschild, an economist at Microsoft Research who studies online behavior. "It is highly likely that if they get there, they chose to get there."

All of us are consuming less formal news content these days, like TV or newspapers. And like Gen Z, we're all relying more and more on our social networks to tell us what's going on. A recent study from the Pew Research Center found that most users on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok encounter news frequently. On X, it most often comes from the media outlets and journalists who actually produced the news. On Facebook and Instagram, it comes via family and friends whose viewpoints, for better or worse, you already know. But on TikTok — with its disproportionately younger user base — the source is usually influencers. They aggregate, meta-analyze, and pre-digest what other sources are saying. Maybe that's why users on TikTok, compared with other platforms, say they're unlikely to be "worn out" by the news they see. Someone else already did the hard work; they're getting the executive summary.

As clickbait-avoidant Gen Zers might suspect, Jigsaw's interest in their online behavior isn't purely academic. The Google subsidiary makes software called Perspective that lots of news outlets — including The New York Times — use to moderate their comment sections. The new iteration of Perspective incorporates Jigsaw's latest findings, elevating comments that contain warm and fuzzy "bridging" sentiments , like curiosity and reasonableness, to the top of the section. The aim is to reach Gen Z readers where they live — scrolling through the comments — and turn them into subscribers. By studying Gen Z in the wild, Jigsaw can lay better traps for them in their native habitat .

As a Gen Xer, I'm inherently skeptical of broad pronouncements about the up-and-coming generation. You should have heard some of the stuff boomers said about us. (Not that we cared. Like, whatever.) But I'll confess that I worried about the idea that Gen Z checks the comments to decide what to believe. So, after a therapeutic clutch at my pearls, I figured I'd better check it out. To evaluate Jigsaw's research, I performed a scientific gut check: I looked at Google Scholar to see how many other researchers had cited the study. That's a standard metric for how much a field values any given journal article.

And then I realized: I was basically checking the comments. We all do it — we look for lots of links, for 5-star reviews, for what the replies say. These are all valid ways to surf the modern social-informational ecosystem. The kids are all right, and all right .

Still, I wondered what Gen Zers themselves might make of Jigsaw's research. Conveniently, two of them live in my house and call me Dad. So I texted them the findings, along with a question-mark emoji.

"Yeah, seems right," the younger one replied. "But you know not all of us do that."

I counted myself lucky — that was more of a response than Goldberg got. "We always share the final results with respondents," she says. But when Goldberg asked her subjects what they thought of her research, true to her findings, all she heard back was the gravid silence of teenagers looking at their phones. "I'm not sure how many of our Gen Zers read our papers," she concluded ruefully. No comment section, no comment.

Adam Rogers is a senior correspondent at Business Insider.

About Discourse Stories

Through our Discourse journalism, Business Insider seeks to explore and illuminate the day’s most fascinating issues and ideas. Our writers provide thought-provoking perspectives, informed by analysis, reporting, and expertise. Read more Discourse stories here .

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NEA’s Staff Union Is on Strike—Halting NEA’s Biggest Annual Gathering

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Corrected : This story has been corrected to reflect that the strike began July 5, and that NEA President Becky Pringle asked delegates to suspend the rules on July 4.

Tensions between the nation’s largest teachers’ union and its staff reached a boiling point July 5, as staff members went on strike—halting the four-day representative assembly where thousands of delegates from across the country vote on the union’s budget and priorities.

Union delegates were sent back to their hotels. NEA said it would not cross its staffers’ own picket line.

A work stoppage at the NEA’s core event appears to be unprecedented, and effectively ends the assembly. The representative assembly continued virtually for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to an in-person event in 2022.

Noel Candelaria, a special education teacher and secretary-treasurer of the National Education Association, addresses delegates on Thursday, July 4 at the annual NEA representative assembly in Philadelphia. Candelaria served as chairman of a task force that developed a policy statement on the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms. Delegates voted Thursday to approve the policy statement.

Held this year in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, the strike also throws a wrench into the political aims of the union as its leadership works to rally members in support of their choice in the November presidential election, President Joe Biden.

Biden, facing scrutiny in and out of his own party after a troubling debate performance last week, is expected in Philadelphia as part of campaigning efforts. He was planning to address the delegates on Sunday, but campaign staff said he would no longer attend.

“President Biden is a fierce supporter of unions and he won’t cross a picket line,” a spokesperson told EdWeek via email.

The staff organization for the National Education Association strikes on Friday, July 5, outside of the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The work stoppage, expected to continue through Sunday, effectively halts the representative assembly, which brings together more than 6,000 delegates from across the country to vote on the union’s priorities and budget for the upcoming year. Staff members accuse NEA management of unfair labor practices, including denying holiday pay as the staff works over the Fourth of July to run the annual representative assembly.

Striking staff members created a line in front of the Pennsylvania Convention Center before the second day of the assembly was to get underway, holding picket signs that they were “on strike to uphold union values.” They plan to continue through the remaining days of the assembly, which will run through Sunday.

Delegates say they were warned by NEA leadership that a strike could occur, and asked delegates to “travel to the RA as usual but keep an eye on your email.”

The NEA said it “remained fully committed to a fair bargaining process” and said the staff organization was mischaracterizing the contract negotiations.

A spokesperson for the NEA said it has “maintained a generous package of benefits, a competitive salary, a pension plan that provides a secure retirement for all staff and accessible, high-quality healthcare for staff and their families, making NEA a standout among employers across the country.”

“We have crafted in good faith a proposal for our NEASO staff to address their expressed interests while ensuring the longer-term health of our organization and the needs of our members,” the spokesperson said. “We will respect our staff’s picket lines. In the end, we are confident there will be an agreement that ensures we continue to serve our mission and support our members.”

Staff members allege their access to work cell phones and accounts were cut, and that their return travel and hotel rooms were also canceled.

The staff organization’s contract expired at the end of May, which has upped tensions among union management and staff. NEA union staff walked off the job for the first time in 50 years in June over what they said were unfair labor practices.

The staff organization for the NEA accuses NEA management of denying holiday pay, as staff work over the Fourth of July holiday for the assembly. Staff claim that the NEA is making “unilateral changes” to policies to retaliate against staff members.

The staff organization for the National Education Association strikes on Friday, July 5, outside of the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The work stoppage, expected to continue through Sunday, effectively halts the representative assembly, which brings together more than 6,000 delegates from across the country to vote on the union’s priorities and budget for the upcoming year. Staff members accuse NEA management of unfair labor practices, including denying holiday pay as the staff works over the Fourth of July to run the annual representative assembly.

Staff members also say the NEA is outsourcing millions of dollars of employee work to contractors, and gave vent to some highly personal claims: Among the millions spent on contractors, they said, “is a receipt of $8,500 for three days of hairstyling for the NEA president—all paid for by hard-earned NEA dues dollars.”

The staff organization said it has filed additional charges with the National Labor Relations Board, which they say are the reason behind the strike.

“We have witnessed excessive, even exorbitant, spending on just the NEA president’s physical appearance. Their failure to provide basic details about outsourcing makes us wonder what else the National Education Association is hiding,” NEA Staff Organization President Robin McLean said in a prepared statement. “For a public-service union that purports to oppose outsourcing members’ work, it is unconscionable that NEA would spend hundreds of millions of NEA member dues on contractors while union-busting and shrinking its staff unions.”

NEA President Becky Pringle had asked the delegates to suspend the rules on the evening of July 4 in anticipation of a work stoppage. Delegates affirmed the suspension, which allows them to vote on certain matters—elections, constitution and bylaw amendments, the strategic plan, and budget—by mail-in ballot if the assembly does not continue.

“We are continuing to negotiate in good faith,” Pringle told the delegates after the vote, advising them to check their emails for updates. She received rousing applause.

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National Education Association representatives attend the annual assembly in Orlando, Fla., on July 4, 2023. Delegates are gathering in Philadelphia July 4 to 7, 2024, to vote on key education concerns.

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Keensight Capital supports CatSci for ownership of specialist chromatography provider Reach Separations

04-Jul-2024 - Last updated on 04-Jul-2024 at 11:00 GMT

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The deal was supported by Keensight Capital, a private equity manager focusing on pan-European investments in the technology and healthcare sectors.

Headquartered in the UK, and with facilities in the UK and France, Reach Separations provides state-of-the-art chromatography services for the analysis and purification of therapeutics. The company makes use of supercritical fluid chromatography (SLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipment to accelerate discovery programs, specialising in the analysis and purification of small molecules.

The acquisition will allow CatSci to offer its partners access to chromatography services from discovery to manufacturing of small molecules, oligonucleotides and other synthetic therapeutics.

“We are excited to welcome Reach Separations into the CatSci Group. The need for solving complex analytical problems while meeting the ever-evolving regulatory demands is growing alongside the development of new modalities, such as oligonucleotides, TACs (Targeting Chimeras), and glues,” said Ross Burn, CEO of CatSci.

“Joining forces with Reach gives our customers access to end-to-end coverage of the analytical development lifecycle, taking them from discovery through to GMP manufacture, and ultimately enabling them to help patients in need.’’

The news of the acquisition follows the announcement in November last year of a partnership between CatSci and Reach Separations to offer end-to-end analytical support in screening, method development, and GMP method validation.

For CatSci, the acquisition of Reach Separations marks a major milestone in its growth strategy to enhance its capabilities in chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC). Last year, CatSci expanded its facilities in Nottingham  to create a laboratory dedicated to large-scale purification as a response to an increase in the demand for large-scale chiral purification from clients across the UK and Europe.

“Becoming part of the CatSci Group will enhance and strengthen Reach Separations’ ability to deliver excellence in chromatography. Integrating our technologies and expertise across the discovery and development landscape will provide a one-stop-shop for analysis and purification, giving the client a variety of options to progress the journey of their asset,” said Peter Ridgway, Business Development Director at Reach Separations.

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