1. What is outsourcing? What are the benefits of outsourcing?
The author presents the process of outsourcing as the ability to take a specific and limited task or function performed within one company and having the same function performed by another company in a sort of complementarity. The outsourced task is then reintegrated back into the overall operation. Essentially outsourcing is a common way for many companies to hire efficient employees for a very profitable cost. This was one of consequences of the flattening of the world.
The author describes the example of how India became a major outsourcing destination for a range of high-skill jobs and tasks for American companies. Thanks to the high number of english speakers, world class educated computer science engineers and the bursts of fibre optic cable during the Y2K crisis, India was positioned to offer decisive services of a highly trained pool of labor to the American market at very inexpensive rates (compared to what it would cost to do the same job in the U.S.)
There are benefits that come from outsourcing if the subsequent objectives are wisely in mind. Industries have evolved to serve companies' outsourcing needs. Companies primarily outsource to avoid certain costs and business expenses (energy, labor, taxes). They increase efficiency in developping, researching, marketing and distributing giving competitive. Because eventually limited resources and time, outsourcing is also an element that can help business to shift its focus from peripheral activities toward work that serves the customer, and it can help managers set their priorities more clearly. Outsourcing also eliminates the bounds of time and geography.
3. Who is responsible for the HS Holding crisis? Develop a time line of events to help you answer this question.
In this case there is not really a single person responsible for the crisis. I would say that the system in general, the leadership was