Title: Human resource challenges of global offshoring

Authors: Fred K. Foulkes, Sushil Vachani, Jennifer Zaslow

Addresses: Human Resources Policy Institute, Organization Behavior Department, School of Management, Boston University, 595 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA. ' Strategy and Policy Department, School of Management, Boston University, 595 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA. ' Eduventures, Inc., Prudential Tower, 9th Floor, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199, USA

Abstract: Since the early 2000s, US and European human resource executives have been actively exploring opportunities to develop additional sources of talent overseas. This paper examines the human resource management challenges arising from the global sourcing of talent, commonly called |offshoring|. It presents analysis and lessons that company managers interested in setting up offshoring will find valuable. Using data gathered from 11 companies that have sourced talent in India, the study presents a framework for the drivers of companies| decisions to source talent globally, the configurations of offshore operations that arise from various strategic drivers and the HR implications that companies will, likely, experience by pursuing various strategies and operating structures.

Keywords: BPO; change; cross cultural; global; human resources; India; offshoring; sourcing; strategy; human resource management; HRM; business process outsourcing.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2008.019698

European Journal of International Management, 2008 Vol.2 No.3, pp.287 - 308

Published online: 22 Jul 2008 *

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