Outsourcing: 'Functional', 'fashionable', or 'foolish'?

Abstract

The growth in popularity of the outsourcing phenomenon is obvious, yet questions remain as to the rationale for its adoption. Is it a 'blinkered' decision made by managers looking for a 'quick fix' solution in order to meet performance objectives set by their masters; or a decision reached through critical analysis of all the dimensions encompassed by the outsourcing process? An examination of current management practice and research suggests that managers are ill prepared to undertake the critical assessment required to folly comprehend the dimensions of outsourcing. This paper discusses these issues and their implications, urging caution in the unquestioning adoption of management fads that are short on critical thought and long on ideological rhetoric.