Analyzing Outsourcing: Reengineering Information and Communication Systems

These days more and more companies - including giants like Eastman Kodak and General Dynamics - are choosing outsourcing in order to focus internal resources on critical projects, and even realize an immediate 10 to 15 percent savings on annual data center operations. The corporate decision to outsource is increasingly linked with the movement toward client/server architectures, so that reengineering can occur at two levels: replace the mainframe with smaller systems, and have an outside company assume the responsibility of the computing tasks of the organization. With this up-to-the-minute book - the only one to target specific methodologies for benefit analysis - you'll learn how to apply outsourcing effectively in your own company. In Analyzing Outsourcing, Daniel Minoli gives you the tools you need to make a thorough, balanced assessment of outsourcing's pros and cons. He explains how to model IS environments to determine which areas can be outsourced profitably. He also demystifies the technical aspects of preparing outsourcing contracts and stipulating service metrics, and discusses choosing the right vendor and striking a solid deal. Plus, you'll find valuable material on international issues for multinational businesses. Complete with real-life case studies from a major outsourcing firm, this is the ultimate decision-maker's guide to effective information systems reengineering. It clearly demonstrates to all IS managers, network managers, and CIOs how to maximize the benefits and minimize the organizational costs of outsourcing.