The development of an outsourcing process model

International Outsourcing: a process approach to the apparel industry

“…From this review, key factors to be considered in outsourcing decisions were identified and grouped into four stages of the decision-making process. At each stage, based on the empirical evidence provided by several studies and previous frameworks proposed by Bolumole et al (2007), Embleton andWright (1998), Fill andVisser (2000), Franceschini et al (2003), Gulla andGupta (2011), Incognito (2001), Jennings (1997), Lonsdale (1999), Marshall et al (2005), McIvor (2000), Tate andEllman (2009), Vining andGloberman (1999) and Zhu et al (2001), we identified and characterized the main activities and their sub-activities. These were captured in a preliminary framework, which was discussed and iteratively modified five times as a result of the input received from interviews with academics and an in-company case study (which includes several interviews with senior managers).…”

“…Actually, as we explored in the literature review, only four frameworks included the same phases (Embleton and Wright, 1998;Marshall et al, 2005;Tate and Ellman, 2009;Zhu et al, 2001) but they didn't detail the several activities and relationships in each stage in a so deep way, and particularly to the apparel sector.…”

“…This frustration resulted both from weak management decision capacity and the lack of outsourcing methodologies. Indeed, the absence of methodologies, tools and guidelines to support outsourcing decisions is often referred to in literature -since the 1990s, several efforts have been made to provide outsourcing guidelines and frameworks to support the outsourcing process in companies (e.g., Bolumole, Frankel, & Naslund, 2007;Cánez, Platts, & Probert, 2000;Fill & Visser, 2000;Franceschini, Galetto, Pignatelli, & Varetto, 2003;Jennings, 1997;Marshall, Lamming, Fynnes, & Búrca, 2005;McIvor, 2000;Tate & Ellman, 2009;Vining & Globerman, 1999).…”

“…To monitor and evaluate outsourcing contracts and suppliers, the buyer company should ensure an in-house outsourcing management structure. According to Marshall et al (2005), previous attempts to develop outsourcing process frameworks (e.g., Zhu et al, 2001) had several gaps: a static perspective of the outsourcing process, which ignored organizational and environmental factors and did not detail activities in each stage. Tate and Ellman (2009) highlighted that there are few theoretical insights to guide managers in the purchase of services.…”

“…International Outsourcing: a process approach to the apparel industry Considering these four stages, only four frameworks seemed appropriate: Embleton and Wright (1998), Marshall et al (2005), and Tate andEllman (2009), Zhu et al (2001), since they are the only ones which refer to the implementation stage. Table 1 presents an overview of these frameworks according to the main frame we are using.…”