Beyond The Information Systems Outsourcing Bandwagon: The Insourcing Response [Hardcover]

Mary C. Lacity (Author), Rudy Hirschheim (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471958220 | ISBN-13: 978-0471958222 | Publication Date: September 14, 1995 | Edition: 1

Ever since Eastman Kodak announced that it was outsourcing its information systems (IS) function in 1988 to IBM, DEC and Businessland, large companies have found it acceptable or even fashionable to transfer their IS assets, leases and staff the third-party vendors. In view of the changes in the sourcing, the key question now is not "should we outsource IS?", but rather "where and how can we take advantage of the rapidly developing market of IS services providers?". This book seeks to provide answers to this question.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A common practice involving enormous sums of money, outsourcing is paying a third party to take control of one of a company's functions and then "sell" the service back to it. Prominent IS community members warn of the dangers in surrendering complete management control of their strategic assets. The key question is not "should we outsource IS?" but "where and how can we take advantage of the rapidly developing market of IS service providers?" This book provides answers to the question based on extremely detailed studies of six successful insourcing companies.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 262 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (September 14, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471958220
• ISBN-13: 978-0471958222
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,562,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A practical review of the insourcing decision., March 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Beyond The Information Systems Outsourcing Bandwagon: The Insourcing Response (Hardcover)

Lacity and Hirschheim are the leading lights in looking at the outsourcing phenomenom. Unlike many who blindly push a point of view, they balance their advice through rigorous research and real case studies. This book demonstrates their immense understanding of the issues involved with the insourcing / outsourcing decision and gives page after page of practical advice on how to approach such a decision. The advice is easy to apply and works. I recommend this to information system managers and researchers who wish to review an exemplary approach to honest case studies.

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but out of date and very repetitive, December 7, 2003

By 

"randy92" (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond The Information Systems Outsourcing Bandwagon: The Insourcing Response (Hardcover)

The book has some interesting insights, for example it says that in many cases insourcing can be just as efficient as outsourcing, but overall however the book is very out of date. Almost all the case studies involve possible outsourcing of datacenters running main frames. It discusses cost cutting measures involving automating tape loading and batch printing of reports! It only once mentions in passing today's style of outsourcing which is to countries like India and China. I also found very annoying the constant repetitions of the same arguments and quotes from people the authors had interviewed.