Abstract
Offshore provision of information systems/information technology-related services has been growing rapidly in recent years and seems firmly set to continue. This trend is fueled by the many advantages of offshore service procurement; however, there are dangers in this practice. Furthermore, offshoring requires adaptation of the IS function and IS management. This in turn suggests modifications of IS curricula in order to prepare graduates for the new environment. The advantages of offshoring are those of outsourcing in general: allowing the organization to focus on its core activities and cost savings. The main dangers include loss of business intelligence and reliance on remote suppliers who may suffer a major failure. The loss of jobs due to offshoring also introduces political considerations. Offshore operations are generally supervised by an organization’s CIO. This management responsibility requires awareness of cultural and legal differences and of risks associated with offshoring and outsourcing in general. Offshoring has an effect on job opportunities for graduates of information systems programs. The number of some jobs will shrink, but new positions with new responsibilities are likely to emerge. Training students to function in an environment of offshored operations will introduce new IS specializations and require adaptation of IS curricula; a framework for considering modifications is suggested.
Recommended Citation
Davis, Gordon; Ein-Dor, Phillip; King, William; and Torkzadeh, Gholamreza, "Information Technology Offshoring: Prospects, Challenges, Educational Requirements, and Curriculum Implications" (2004). ICIS 2004 Proceedings. 81.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2004/81