Abstract This paper addresses the processes and rationale for vendor selection in global sourcing. Many businesses are not equipped to handle all functions of the business. Apple computer is a successful industry leader in mobile communications and devices, and computers. Their success is contributed to the strategies for focusing on core competencies and innovation, and partnering with vendors to foster a competitive advantage. This paper provides an insight on the methodology used for the organization in selecting vendors, contracting process and the country risk assessment. Introduction Many organization manage their business strategies through sourcing various entities of their supply chain to other companies. Outsourcing is a commonly used practice for a global organization to focus on core competencies, and partner with other organization to execute functions more efficiently and with cost reductions (Arias-Aranda, Bustinza, & Barrales-Molina, 2011). The transactional costs theory is the idea of organizations using outsourcing as a tool. The reason they partake in acquisitions and utilize sourcing for industry expertise and cost savings of their business functions. Strategic planning is essential for outsourcing to mitigate the business risk. The challenges of business and the market require an organization to react to their needs based on the business environment. In addition, organization are able to restructure their business actions and foster a competitive
In general, the outsourcing is hiring the foreign workers/company to do a particular task, as opposed to hiring domestic workers/company. Besides the outsourcing, the international purchase is an essential activity of companies. In the trend of a booming global economy, a company only focuses on its core value and hire suppliers to supply the necessary product and service. The relationship between companies are complicated and interdependent.
Global sourcing is an important aspect to a global business, as this can significantly decrease cost as well as have access to resources, technology and expertise overseas while increasing efficiency. However, the reliance on the supplier and the quality control of the outsourcing partner is potentially a threat to the businesses reputation and ability to succeed.
In this paper I will summarize the article, discuss the purpose intended by the authors, and discuss how this situation relates to the supply chain management theory. I will also suggest areas in offshoring where research done since its publication will enhance the findings by the author and serve as additional options for improvement.
Outsourcing is a method used by many corporations in which their products are manufactured in foreign countries often for cheaper labor.This method method of productions has it’s pros and cons.
Outsourcing can be a means to perform the core functions of an organization effectively by having more time focused on the activities critical to the delivery of services to customer. The non-core activities are performed by the leaders in that area which will help to achieve better efficiencies. Outsourcing can substantially lower costs, help to access better technology and use innovative ideas etc.(Robert,2001). The advantages of outsourcing are: Cost savings:
25. What are the merits of outsourcing the performance of certain value chain activities as opposed to performing them in-house? Under what circumstances does outsourcing make good strategic sense?
To take on these competitive challenges, corporations are outsourcing to specialized companies that can use their capability to increase the efficiency of an outsourced function (Burt, 2010). Outsourcing has become so common that it is listed as one of the five basic forms of collaboration among supply chain participants (Bowersox, 2010). However, over the past several years there has been a surge of outsourcing taking place in the United States and abroad and this trend has added a new dimension to procurement (Burt, 2010). Today, procurement is used as a competitive weapon that differentiates successful, highly profitable companies from others within the same commerce. (Simchi, Kaminski, Simchi,
Office Supply Incorporated (OSI) is a company in crisis, with challenges in its cost structure and poor IT performance. Outsourcing to Technology Infrastructure Solutions (TIS) is an opportunity to both reduce costs and complexity for the firm, but first must consider whether outsourcing is a good strategic fit for OSI. Outsourcing is known as the practice of turning over responsibility of some or all of organizations information systems to a foreign firm in order to stay competitive. Outsourcing is not new to the business world, as it dominated the manufacturing sector the past couple of decades. There are various advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include lower costs, better quality, and downsizing to focus on the
Rafdahl (2014) believed that strategic sourcing is critical for a business to remain competitive. Apart from this, it is through sourcing plan that a company is able to sustain its future growth potential. Relative to this assertion, it is vital for Apple Inc. to align its procurement processes and supplier choices not only with the demands of its consumers but also the demands of business in general. Rafdahl (2014) provided 7 steps for a company to maximize its sourcing effort. Apple Inc. can consider this step by step process to meet future demands.
Because of the important relationship between insourcing/outsourcing and competitiveness, organizations must consider many variables when considering an insourcing/outsourcing decision. This may include a detailed examination of a firm’s competency and costs, along with quality, delivery, technology, responsiveness, and continuous improvement requirements. Because of
Here researchers examined the selected countries like India, china, Brazil and Russia. He mainly found that there is continuous rise in outsourcing revenue for global sourcing, and he found that the BPO will overtake ITO within five years. The latest trend is multi-sourcing. They also found that India is still holding the clear lead as the preferred destination for outsourced services both BPO and IPO. The dollar value of the Chinese industry itself is twice that of India’s (Carmel et al, 2008). The captive centers are wholly owned by subsidiaries located in offshore location that that perform work for parent companies. The captive center use the strategies to change the way of offshore assets are utilized. One of the strategy used by captive center is pursuing a hybrid strategy here the captive outsource units of work to a local service provider. These captive centers still work for the parent companies but they outsource their work or insource the work. By doing these the captive centers can focus on the value adding services and their core services by doing these reduction in the cost can be done. There is also risk associated with these type strategy like non completion of contract, reduction in quality of service or goods
Selecting and finding vendors can be a varied process depending on whether you are a large corporation like Kohl’s or a boutique that might be a small local shop. For this assignment, I identify the business as an independent boutique. One thing to keep in mind about the selection of vendors is that loyalty is key for both the wholesaler/vendor and the retailer. While there are a handful of different types of vendors, certain kinds work best for a boutique.
Many complex and more diverse decisions confront supply chain managers on a regular basis: what would be more efficient to manufacture in-house or to outsource; what new channels to implement that it would benefit their customers and suppliers, or how all new technologies, platforms, and practices have to be aligned to enable real-time supply chains. Current information technology reduced outsourcing transaction costs drastically, enabled companies to an increased supervision and control over offsite work, and outsourcing services can deliver faster and more convenient, but technology alone is not the solution. If a company decides to embrace changes in business processes and business culture, those changes can support a long way toward delivering a better product for less money. Complex sphere of activities in many countries is not relevant anymore because a massive number of activities outsourced became commonplace, a new normal.
Many factors shape and form the operations strategy of a corporation, for example, the ever increasing need for globalizing products and operations and thus reducing the unit cost, creating a technology leadership position, introducing new inventions, taking advantage of mass customization, using supplier partnering, and looking for strategic sourcing solutions. All of these factors require an external or market-based orientation; these are the changes that take place in the external environment of the company.
To understand Mukherjee’s Case study of BPO as an international strategy of outsourcing, context and requirement need to be realised. Offshore outsourcing, regardless of the macro or micro economics of the existing company, is historically conducted to gain knowledge and cost effective method within the business operation processes (Bunyaratavej, Doh, Hahn, Lewin, Massini 2011), ensuring business operation efficiency within the global economy (Lewin and Couto 2007). Yet it wasn’t until the late 20 the century, research and case studies perspectives involving different stakeholders primarily business industries (Corbett, 2004) and institutions (Drezner, 2004) that caused controversy. In principle, BPO as an outsourcing activity is a phenomena of procuring cost –effective operation process resource transnationally (Doh, Bunyaratavej, & Hahn, 2009), especially unique resources such as skilled labour, in order to reduce cost (Smith, Mitra, & Narasimhan, 1998), allowing effective appraisal of critical activities of supply chain (ed. Merchant & Verbeke 2012) whilst resolving potential bottleneck operations by decreasing non-critical activities for resource allocation. A 2004 industry presentation conducted for IVEY faculty found Indian