This is hardly possible to find somebody who works in business, and is not familiar with the concept of outsourcing. Nonetheless, as this term has many various definitions, it may be understood in slightly different ways. So, for various companies outsourcing may mean something a bit different. Gnerally outsourcing is meant to the practice of transferring diffrent functions to a third party. Because of this, the firm is able to concentrate on its key business.

Nevertheless, as the outsourcing grows and develops, it is starting to be somewhat an umbrella term for different activities. It is the case specially in the field of IT, where outsourcing may be used for completely different purposes. For instance, IT outsourcing was initially used mainly for rather simple activities. If enterprise didn’t have its own IT department, then it was often useful to hire services of another specialized enterprise, that can solve IT problems. Lately, it became clear that even if enterprise actually has its own IT department, this may not be certainly the best solution. That was a moment when a lot of companies understood that it may be useful to focus on the core activities, when outsourcing the rest. Thanks to that, the company could be even more competitive.

A short time ago, as IT outsourcing had been developing, another thing became clear – that sometimes it may be difficult for the company to define by itself the preferred process and solution which could address the most important IT needs of the organization. IT outsourcing were a useful answer for that doubts. For instance, it was enough for the enterprise to describe problems they are facing, and IT outsourcing business would develop the complete and complex objectivity software, which would be the best answer for all previously discussed needs. As a result of this, the company can stay much ahead of all competitors.

At this moment, IT outsourcing seems to be much more than only delegating IT activities to a third company. At this moment it is more about predicting the new opportunities which IT solutions might offer and taking advantages of these changes. Occassionally it is even portrayed as quite new method in which business cooperate with modern technology.