To read this content please select one of the options below:

Quo vadis outsourcing? A view from practice

Heiko Gewald (Center for Research on Service Sciences, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences, Neu-Ulm, Germany)
Leonie Schäfer (Center for Research on Service Sciences, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences, Neu-Ulm, Germany)

Journal of Global Operations and Strategic Sourcing

ISSN: 2398-5364

Article publication date: 20 February 2017

711

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to derive a prioritized list of the present and future topics that sourcing managers in large companies are mostly concerned with using a rigorous methodological approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The Delphi method was chosen to derive the list. An initial list of topics was compiled based on a literature review combined with the results of an expert panel. This input was prioritized and extended by sourcing managers over three iterations.

Findings

The findings indicate that outsourcing remains a hot topic, even after almost 25 years of academic research. The authors identified four clusters where outsourcing scholars who are interested to provide insights and guidance for practitioners should focus their attention: managerial decisions (selection of the right partner and ability of the company to outsource parts of their business), managing the service provider (governance issues and relationship management and alignment), managerial responsibilities (integrated risk management and adherence to regulation and compliance) and increased flexibility (cloud computing and multi-vendor arrangements).

Research limitations/implications

The findings are only directly transferrable to large companies using experienced sourcing managers in Germany.

Originality/value

The findings may serve as input in formulating a research agenda which helps to align scholars’ focus and practitioners’ problems.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research would not have been possible without the continuous support of the practitioners in the field. The authors are grateful for everyone who found time in their busy schedule to help the authors conduct this research through all three iterations.

Citation

Gewald, H. and Schäfer, L. (2017), "Quo vadis outsourcing? A view from practice", Journal of Global Operations and Strategic Sourcing, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 2-17. https://doi.org/10.1108/JGOSS-10-2016-0031

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles