Designing and Controlling the Outsourced Supply Chain

Designing and Controlling the Outsourced Supply Chain takes an in-depth look at the role of outsourcing in taking a product from concept to market and then operating the resulting supply chain. This means examining the outsourcing of manufacturing, product design, materials procurement, and logistics. By presenting, interpreting, and extending the current knowledge, the author's prevailing goal is to shed light on the underlying economic and behavioral drivers, implementation challenges, and potential remedies. The analysis is highly attentive to the details of operational execution, particularly regarding how human resources take part in these decision processes and are affected by the choices made. The effects of offshoring are also highlighted in the discussion. Designing and Controlling the Outsourced Supply Chain examines outsourcing from a lifecycle perspective by following the entire process, from development of the idea to outsource, all the way to end of a chosen strategy. This monograph is intended for both scholars and practitioners alike -- for scholars by structuring a vast body of information, analyzing it using theoretical frameworks, and providing directions for future research, and for practitioners by providing a basis for managerial action. Supporting evidence comes from diverse industries and countries.