Towards a Smart Outsourcing Governance

How can managing an outsourcing venture be enhanced with an appropriate software-based solution? The simple approach involving a generic tool selection process and weighing the tool features with the organizational requirements has not been successful due to a number of complexities to be considered in outsourcing. This article deals with several issues on how to identify an appropriate software solution for governing outsourcing ventures. It deals with the problems of a generic tool selection process and describes an alternative approach on how to compare outsourcing tools to get a first glimpse of the market. It also gives recommendations to practitioners how to approach and speed up the tool selection process. Software developers will get possible directions on future development of outsourcing systems. While this paper will not give a detailed comparison on particular outsourcing management modules with their specific functionality, it can provide a profound comparison on a holistic governance perspective.