Outsourcing is rapidly evolving beyond the simple reengineering of support processes. For many companies, outsourcing partnerships are being used to achieve rapid, sustainable improvement in enterprise‐level performance. More specifically, in addition to the baseline value of reducing costs and offloading unimportant activities, partnership with an outsourcing vendor can be used to gain access to competitive skills, improve service levels, and increase the company’s ability to respond to changing business needs. To classify an outsourcing program as truly “business transformation”, it must change the way the client company works by using outsourcing to achieve a rapid, sustainable radical improvement in performance – as measured by dramatic growth, market repositioning or rapid diversification. The resulting performance improvement can be measured in dramatic gains in share price, market position and return on capital. In short, it is a comprehensive approach that seeks to create new capabilities and then use them to achieve a clear strategic objective. Business transformation outsourcing achieves results by integrating five essential process components: top‐level leadership, bold strategic agenda, innovative financial structure, outsourcing to transform critical processes, and focus on enterprise outcomes.
Article navigation
1 August 2002
Viewpoint|
August 01 2002
Business transformation through outsourcing
Jane C. Linder;
Jane C. Linder
Jane C. Linder, formerly a Harvard Business School professor and a supply chain executive, is a research director at the Accenture Institute for Strategic Change (jane.c.linder@accenture.com).
Search for other works by this author on:
Martin I. Cole;
Martin I. Cole
Martin I. Cole, a 21‐year‐veteran of consulting and outsourcing, is the global managing partner of Accenture Solutions Operations, the organization responsible for the strategic direction and delivery of the company’s outsourcing business (martin.i.cole@accenture.com).
Search for other works by this author on:
Alvin L. Jacobson
Alvin L. Jacobson
Alvin L. Jacobson is a research fellow at the Accenture Institute for Strategic Change located in Cambridge, Massachusetts (aljacobson@mediaone.net).
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Emerald Publishing
Online ISSN: 1758-9568
Print ISSN: 1087-8572
© MCB UP Limited
2002
Strategy & Leadership (2002) 30 (4): 23–28.
Citation
Linder JC, Cole MI, Jacobson AL (2002), "Business transformation through outsourcing". Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 30 No. 4 pp. 23–28, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/10878570210435342
Download citation file:
New and popular articles
Suggested Reading
Global sourcing: recent trends and issues
Information Technology & People (August,2009)
What's so different about outsourcing — is it a fad or something truly new and here to stay?
The Antidote (November,1997)
Weighing it up ‐ a literature review for the balanced scorecard
Journal of Management Development (November,1998)
Offshore BPO at large captive operations in India
Information Technology & People (August,2009)
A critique of BPR from a holistic perspective
Business Process Management Journal (October,2001)
Related Chapters
Managing Cultural Integration in Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions
Understanding National Culture and Ethics in Organizations: A Study of Eastern and Central Europe
Boundaries of Business Actors and Networks – Theoretical and Methodological Reflections
No Business is an Island: Making Sense of the Interactive Business World
Using a “Project Management Mindset” as an Administrative Approach to Creating Workplace Efficiencies & Building Employee Leadership Skills
Project Management in the Library Workplace
Recommended for you
These recommendations are informed by your reading behaviors and indicated interests.
