Outsource Magazine

As outsourcing moves into a further stage in its evolution from 'lets get someone else to do the hard and expensive stuff' to 'how can we engage the best practices into our business process to give us a competitive advantage?' so there will need to be  a greater emphasis on a well informed and professional approach to this emerging management discipline. Evidence that outsourcing is now into the arena of serious management discipline comes with the news that, from October 2010, students at the London School of Economics and Political Science will be able to take a new specialist course in 'Global Sourcing of Business and IT Services'.

The course, part of the Information Systems MSc offered by the Department of Management, will be taught by Professor Leslie Willcocks, Head of the Information Systems and Innovation Group and the leading international expert in global sourcing.  The course focuses on global sourcing strategies and practices of orporations and government agencies.  It examines these in Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific in the context of increasing globalization of organizational intent, capabilities and sources of service supply.

Professor Willcocks said: “Global sourcing is unusual in expanding fast in times of both economic recession and growth. It is an increasingly important area of business and this course provides students with the academic background to be able to take informed decisions and manage in this important area”.  Professor Saul Estrin, Head of the Department of Management said: “The introduction of this new course to the portfolio of options offered at LSE is an important step as we become one of the premier Management Departments in Europe competing with the top Schools in the U.S. in both teaching and research”.

As the architecture of business process delivery evolves to make best use of the best skills, wherever they may be found, there is likely to be a growing need for this type of programme.