Title: A knowledge-based view of outsourcing

Authors: Michael H. Zack, Satyendra Singh

Addresses: Northeastern University College of Business Administration, 214 Hayden Hall – Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. ' Sprott School of Business, 710 Dunton Tower, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada

Abstract: Literature and practice have significantly underplayed the role of knowledge and learning in evaluating outsourcing decisions. We examine outsourcing from the Knowledge-Based View (KBV) and argue that activities that might seem appropriate for outsourcing from the perspectives of transaction cost economics or the resource-based view of the firm might not be from the KBV. We address the impact of outsourcing on knowledge and learning and consequently on a firm|s ability to compete.

Keywords: KBV; knowledge-based view; knowledge strategy; knowledge transfer; outsourcing; sourcing; learning; competition.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSCM.2010.032521

International Journal of Strategic Change Management, 2010 Vol.2 No.1, pp.32 - 53

Published online: 04 Apr 2010 *

Full-text access for editors Access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article