Is Outsourcing a Silver Bullet?
Problems with Outsourcing
The academic research points to several potential problems with outsourcing non-core services:
Don’t outsource a management problem. While organizations may outsource a function or business process because they lack the competencies to manage the service internally, the same skills are required to successfully outsource the service. In addition, skills in contract preparation and performance monitoring to maintain a successful outsourcing agreement will also be required. Simply put, organizations that lack the resources to manage a service internally are not likely to have the skills to manage a contract to acquire those same services.
Ray Chambers, CGCM, MBA, has invested over 30 years managing and directing printing plants, copy centers, mail centers and award-winning document management facilities in higher education and government.
Most recently, Chambers served as vice president and chief information officer at Juniata College. Chambers is currently a doctoral candidate studying Higher Education Administration at the Pennsylvania State University (PSU). His research interests include outsourcing in higher education and its impact on support services in higher education and managing support services. He also consults (Chambers Management Group) with leaders in both the public and private sectors to help them understand and improve in-plant printing and document services operations.
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