Best Practices for Outsourcing Effectively: Leading CTOs and CIOs on Evaluating Vendor Possibilities, Negotiating Terms, and Managing the Bottom Line (Inside the Minds)

Best Practices for Outsourcing Effectively is an authoritative, insider s perspective on the key advantages and disadvantages that outsourcing offers, and how to best leverage your outsourcing platform for optimum business efficacy. Featuring CTOs and CIOs representing some of the top companies in the nation, Best Practices for Outsourcing Effectively provides vital tips for IT executives at all levels of outsourcing. Recognizing that outsourcing is not a new business phenomenon, this book examines precisely what, when, and where to outsource and which functions you should consider keeping in-house. Driven by the demand to simultaneously cut costs and increase productivity by outsourcing various business functions, these authors discuss in detail the critical role that vendors play in the outsourcing process. From the initial stages of performing reference checks, conducting the RFP process, and selecting vendors to the later stages of establishing, evaluating, and maintaining good relationships with them, these authors underline the importance of developing deep vendor partnerships. This book provides valuable insight for those needing to refine and/or revamp their outsourcing approach by staying abreast of outsourcing trends, predicting impact, and clearly communicating outsourcing issues with the IT team. Highlighting the importance of enterprise speed in this rapidly changing business climate, the authors demonstrate how outsourcing and, more specifically, offshoring has improved output by allowing companies to work around the clock. The different niches presented and the breadth of perspectives represented enable readers to get inside some of the leading technology minds of today, as these insiders offer up their thoughts around the keys to effective outsourcing, a business enabler on which every company should be capitalizing.

Inside the Minds provides readers with proven business intelligence from C-Level executives (Chairman, CEO, CFO, CMO, Partner) from the world s most respected companies nationwide, rather than third-party accounts from unknown authors and analysts. Each chapter is comparable to an essay/thought leadership piece and is a future-oriented look at where an industry, profession or topic is headed and the most important issues for the future. Through an exhaustive selection process, each author was hand-picked by the Inside the Minds editorial board to author a chapter for this book.

Chapters include:

1. Bryan D. Garcia, Vice President, Technology, TALX Corporation, a Business Unit of Equifax - "Less Is More: Developing Deep Partnerships with Your Vendors"

2. Matthew Klyman, Vice President, Information Systems, Pro-Build Holdings Inc. - "Outsourcing to Focus on Customer Service and the Bottom Line"

3. Ray Lowrey, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Cengage Learning - "Managing Outsourcing as a Collaborative Effort"

4. Thomas J. Fontanetta, Senior Vice President, Systems Development, Warrantech Corporation - "To Outsource or Not to Outsource: a Guide to Considerations"

5. Donald J. Moss, Director, Information Systems, Coeur d Alene Mines - "Constant Communication: Critical to Effective Outsourcing"

6. George R. Popson, Senior Director, Information Technology, La Madeleine - "Researching Vendors to Develop Long-Term Partnerships"

7. Greg Baumgardner, Information Technology Director, Stimson Lumber Company - "Outsourcing: Learning as You Grow"

8. Shola Oyewole, Chief Information Officer, United Therapeutics Corporation - "Decision to Outsource: Near and Dear versus Peripheral"