Outsourcing As A Flattener

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Definition

According to Thomas L. Friedman, Ten World Flatteners are responsible for transitioning the world from Globalization 2.0 to Globalization 3.0. Globalization 2.0 shrank the world from "size medium to size small" and Globalization 3.0 shrank the world from "size small to size tiny", ultimately allowing individuals and small companies throughout the world to be apart of the Globalization movement. Due to Globalization people are able to work together, collaborate, and communicate more efficiently and on a larger scale. As stated in Thomas L. Friedman's article "It's a Flat World, After All", Outsourcing, moving back-office tasks to another company, is one of the Ten World Flatteners. The Ten World Flatteners are:

1. The Berlin Wall coming down

2. Netscape going public

3. Workflow

4. Outsourcing

5. Offshoring

6. Open-sourcing

7. Insourcing

8. Supply-chaining

9. In-forming

10. The Steroids

Overview

Outsourcing is a vital part of the 10 world flatteners and Globalization 2.0 and Globalization 3.0 because companies are now able to outsource business practices on a global scale. Outsourcing enables businesses to move back-office activities, such as call centers, business support operations, or accounting, to businesses in a different city, state, or country. Often business decide to outsource business tasks because it provides them with cheaper labor or smarter people working on the given task.

References

Friedman, Thomas L. New York Times Magazine; Apr 3, 2005; ProQuest National Newspapers Core pg. 32

Valacich, Joseph. and Schneider Christoph. Pearson Custom Business Resources: Information Systems Today. United States of America. Pearson Custom Publishing, 2009.