(Under the direction of Michel Poitevin)

Outsourcing and subcontracting often appear to be synonyms: however, the two terms overlap distinct realities. Subcontracting refers to the modalities - economic or legal - of any form of delegation. Outsourcing refers to a business strategy and differs from outsourcing in that it has an essential managerial dimension: it involves not only the sale of a production activity as such, but also everything that motivates the decision to transfer responsibility for producing a good or providing a service to an external supplier. In other words, outsourcing includes a reflection on the desirability of outsourcing.

Does a company have to divest itself of part of its production? How much business should it transfer to the subcontractor? How can it optimize the choice of its partners? What types of contracts should it sign? These questions delineate the specific domain of outsourcing because, depending on the answers provided, a manager will or will not outsource the product or service for which he or she is responsible.

The texts presented in this book approach outsourcing from a dual management and economic perspective and shed new light on the phenomenon by presenting the theoretical arguments underlying outsourcing and illustrating these arguments with case studies.

This monograph is available from
Universe Book Distribution
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