Global Outsourcing of IT Offshore Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Global Outsourcing of IT Offshore. Answer: Paper Reflection Oshri et al., (2007), in the article reflects on IT offshore outsourcing that helps an organization to manage resources and dispersed expertise at different sites. It can be found that through IT outsourcing, information technology businesses propose to achieve annual growth rate of over 20 percent either through captive company or through domestic supplier. The case organization in the article is Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and its eight diverse practices for managing expertise has been discussed. While TCS was engaged with ABN AMRO-TCS offshore outsourcing, it faced two major challenges, which were relationship challenge and organizational challenge. However, TCS was able to manage such dispersed expertise of outsourcing through implementation of organizational structure, implementation of knowledge transfer methodology, knowledge retention procedure, employee development and retention, expertise development, hiring new expertise, reuse methodology and measure reusable assets. TCS thought of creating a mirror image structure to that of client and therefore the identification of coupled counterpart worked in dispersed geographical area. TCS experienced three types of structures such as funnel, network and mirror, but the mirror structure was the most effective. In order to grip the outsourced system, TCS ensured knowledge transfer from client to onsite staff to remote staff, which was done using standardized templates. The information was later decoded by digitization group in Mumbai. Knowledge retention comprised of succession planning that incorporated both people and process dimensions. The successors were trained enough to replace managers at suitable times. The article reflects that TCS, unlike other local firms, depends on Centers of Excellences (CoEs) for monitoring expertise development. These centers focus on expertise in technological domain, finance, banking and BPO sectors. Later, TCS focused on continuous expertise development through groups such as Centers of Excellence, Quality Assurance and Digitization and Codification. Irrespective of size and location of outsourcing contract TCS ensured training provision at different levels. TCS in its ABN AMRO work understood that Google search engine does not collect information about evolutionary expertise and therefore it linked its search process with expertise sharing and development vehicles. Such process helped in creating expertise directory both at onsite and remote team projects. The article highlights that TCS made component-based global methodology for expertise development at different sites. Through high level of coordination in different sites, component interdependency was ensured that helped in exchanging market and product knowledge. Reusing component data through company level internet has helped TCS to understand the best candidate for specific projects. Finally, TCS uses matrices for assessing and measuring reusable asset contribution that operates at CMM level 5. In order to map the pool of expertise TCS had to manage expertise lens. Enterprise-wide expertise system has been the core solution for knowledgemanagement in TCS and even to develop or train the expertise. Considering the two challenges that were mentioned earlier, the case of TCS is quite relevant to entire IT offshore industry. Boundary-spanning mechanisms would help new offshore companies to organize and absorb knowledge for creating organizational structure. Transferring knowledge from onsite to remote providers would retain expertise for longer term. On the other hand, this article also deals with addressing the organizational challenge through four activities, which are measure, reuse, search and develop. Assessing new knowledge and expertise coordination would create a concrete relationship between client and providers. In future similar offshore companies need to ensure the eight diverse practices that TCS has developed to get best result. References Oshri, I., Kotlarsky, J., Willcocks, L. (2007). Managing dispersed expertise in IT offshore outsourcing: Lessons from Tata Consultancy Services.management MIS Quarterly Executive,6(2).