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From manufacturing to tech to critical minerals, can Latin America rival Asia for sourcing goods and services? Both the United States and global supply chains are still in the throes [...]

This study examines the role of project managers' (PM) practical intelligence (PI) in the performance of software 1 offshore outsourcing projects. Based on the extant literature, we conceptualize PI for [...]

Current access control models typically assume that resources are under the strict custody of a trusted party which monitors each access request to verify if it is compliant with the specified access control policy. There are many scenarios where this approach is becoming no longer adequate. Many clear trends in Web technology are creating a need for owners of sensitive information to manage access to it by legitimate users using the services of honest but curious third parties, that is, parties trusted with providing the required service but not authorized to read the actual data content. In this scenario, the data owner encrypts the data before outsourcing and stores them at the server. Only the data owner and users with knowledge of the key will be able to decrypt the data. Possible access authorizations are to be enforced by the owner. In this article, we address the problem of enforcing selective access on outsourced data without need of involving the owner in the access control process. The solution puts forward a novel approach that combines cryptography with authorizations, thus enforcing access control via selective encryption. The article presents a formal model for access control management and illustrates how an authorization policy can be translated into an equivalent encryption policy while minimizing the amount of keys and cryptographic tokens to be managed. The article also introduces a two-layer encryption approach that allows the data owner to outsource, besides the data, the complete management of the authorization policy itself, thus providing efficiency and scalability in dealing with policy updates. We also discuss experimental results showing that our approach is able to efficiently manage complex scenarios. Categories and Subject Descriptors: H.2.7 [Database Management]: Database Administration--Security, integrity, and protection; D.4.6 [Operating System]: Security and Protection-Access control; K.6.5 [Management of Computing and Information Systems]: Security and Protection General Terms: Security, Design, Management Additional Key Words and Phrases: Data outsourcing, encryption policy, privacy DOI = 10.1145/1735886.1735891

A study was conducted to examine inter-task interdependence, which is a significant operational determinant of inter-site interaction and communications in offshoring. Existing theories of interdependence are also analyzed to investigate the extent to which they provide guidance for understanding work segments that are offshored.

A fictitious outsourcing scenario is presented, with contributors offering advice. The suggestions address the ease or complexity of offshoring business creativity, along with challenges and benefits.

Information technology (IT) outsourcing vendor organizations contain isolated business units whose creation and sustenance greatly facilitate business operations. But they also introduce important challenges for organizational knowledge management (KM). In this paper, based on 7 months of intensive field-work at India Inc., a leading Indian IT firm, we looked at how members' identification with two organizations, their own and their client organization, influences their compliance with an organizational KM initiative. The findings show that members have difficulties in complying with the expectations of the organizational KM initiative owing to a stronger identification with their client organizations. At the same time, they comply readily with KM initiatives at the business unit level. The findings show that KM managers at India Inc. use the help of middle level managers in the business units in their efforts to improve members' compliance with organizational KM. Theoretical and managerial implications of the study are discussed. Keywords: Knowledge management (KM) implementation; Organizational identity; Identification; Case study, 1. Introduction As Ghoshal and Gratton [1] note, rapidly growing organizations are increasingly creating autonomous, decentralized business units and strengthening the competitiveness of such units. Further, such organizations are striving [...]

A fictitious outsourcing scenario is presented, with contributors providing advice. Discussion focuses on the loss of corporate image as a result of outsourcing. Comments emphasize the need for outsourcing, but also stress the importance of international production and people strategies to broaden the brand's appeal.

The metaphors-in-use between vendor and client and their necessity in mitigating many of the complications posed by culture, maturity and capability differences are explained in relation to inter-firm and offshore partnerships.

The article provides information on how to choose a country in which to locate an offshore center, especially since demand is significant for established nations such as India. Other potential locations include China, Russia, Turkey, the Philippines and Mexico.

A fictional outsourcing scenario is presented, with consultants providing advice on whether a company should maintain its relationship with an outsourcing contractor or manage outsourcing directly.

Feeny and Willcocks in the year 1998 provided a framework for use of information technology in outsourcing. A study examining this framework's superior effectiveness in terms of control of IT finance, effective working with business units, in three organizations, one a medium-size enterprise, second a multinational company, and third a bank with international interests, is presented.

Guidelines include ranking processes by value, identifying and managing risk, and selecting the proper organizational form.

An overview on outsourcing is presented. Topics include identifying areas for outsourcing, assessing capabilities, and measurements of success.

The good and bad thing about Management is that it is no science at all. In order to come up with a new theory in a 'real' science, such as [...]

Product outsourcing is recognized as a way to gain flexibility for competitive advantage. We formulate the outsourcing problem using real options. We develop a financial model to assess the option value of product outsourcing. Specifically, we consider a three state-variable problem and use Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the value of the option. This valuation gives decision makers a way to choose the appropriate outsourcing strategy based on an integrated view of the market dynamics. A case example from the apparel manufacturing industry is used to demonstrate the application of real options to value outsourcing flexibility. We show that the inability of classical net present value methods to address dynamics in the market condition leads to an undervaluing of the outsourcing strategy. Numerical results and sensitivity analysis show how the real options approach can be used to give a better view of the long-term value of outsourcing., INTRODUCTION Increased competition in the global market has caused organizations to realize that the most competitive way of survival is to be able to respond effectively to a dynamic environment. [...]

Last issue we showed you how to organize your billing department to increase collections, but sometimes you'd be better off farming out the back-office work altogether. That's what solo cardiologist [...]