Beyond the Price of Labor: IT Outsourcers Shifting Focus 

The stereotypes commonly circulated about outsourcing are becoming increasingly farther from the truth. Western firms that outsource their information technology work are relying less on traditional markets in Southeast Asia to fulfill large chunks of services and more on providers in Central and Eastern Europe to do customized and compartmentalized tasks. Recent research indicates that IT outsourcers are seeking greater knowledge of and attention to specific products and services and that the successful labor providers are those that show adaptability and response to their clients in a variety of ways.

Results from the 2008 Black Book of Outsourcing survey of…