Strategic Intent for IT Outsourcing

Currently more and more companies outsourcing the functions of their information service departments at unprecedented rates. Senior executives of large corporations worldwide mention three kinds of strategic intents driving the decision to outsource.

  1. Companies seeking to enhance their IS also long for cost reduction, top performance of core IT resources, and the integration of innovative technical skills and competencies.
  2. Outsourcing for business effect concentrates on deployment of IT to improve determinant aspects of business performance.
  3. Outsourcing for commercial exploitation sets its purpose to leverage technology-related assets via the implementation and marketing of new products and services.

With respect to the strategic intent one must consider different approaches and tactics in the sphere of types of contracting, measurement of performance and assessment scheme, and issues of property rights. As the risks and returns for each type of intent are different, the control instruments should be different as well. In any case customer’s relationship with the vendor must ground on strategic intent.

If the strategic intent is quite clear and the crucial points are carefully highlighted, the per cent for successful completion significantly increases. While assessing IT outsourcing opportunities and outlining the structure of relationships, executives must pay real attention to the outsourcing contract for it to reflect and reinforce all strategic intent pursued; ensure that their company and the vendor have the right combination of competencies and knowledgebase; ensure that their cultures and operation habits are compatible; and foresee the prolongation of contracts, stipulating changes to the contract and relations.