The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 4 (of 5)

Outsourcing "Own Goals"

My apologies, but outsourcing does seem a somewhat "popular" topic on this board.

This is an excellent article:

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=15291

David B. Wildgoose
Tuesday, April 13, 2004

Excellent article. IT highlights something that I've heard a lot lately: If we outsource our lower level tasks (like customer service/tech support) we lose that group as a breeding ground for talented workers.

So, that top 1% that starts in tech support and ends up owning the company will never "graduate" to a higher level in your company. They'll stay at the outsourced company.

Mr. Analogy
Tuesday, April 13, 2004

> So, that top 1% that starts in tech support and ends up
> owning the company will never "graduate" to a higher
> level in your company. They'll stay at the outsource [service]
> company.

And in the outsource service country as well.

Worried American Dot
Tuesday, April 13, 2004

> If we outsource our lower level tasks (like customer service/tech support)

Actually, Mr Analogy, when IT industry lobbyists and journalists make that claim, they usually mean that software development is "low-skill." (Their own work, of course, is high skill.)

Do they know what they're talking about? No.

Me And The View Out The Window
Tuesday, April 13, 2004