What we do
The Outsourcing Unit provides world class research, education and advice on 5 key drivers of effective outsourcing. These are managing risk, leveraging core capabilities, delivering effective sourcing strategies, streamlining cost and performance, and developing the innovation agenda. Our research and advisory work addresses each of these areas in specialised groups working with industrial partners to help them manage their outsourcing contracts better. That means making outsourcing less risky and demonstrably more cost-effective.
Each project is individual. The Unit works with managers to test their ideas, develop their skills and improve their performance while driving down costs.
Managing Risk
The Unit works with managers to identify and reduce the risks inherent in their approaches to outsourcing. We provide an external barometer of areas of high and low risk and help our partner companies to retain control in changing markets, while exploiting new opportunities.
Leveraging Core Capabilities
It is critical for all companies to develop and retain their management expertise in the face of global competition. Once outsourced, this capability becomes difficult to regain or expensive to access. Developing the appropriate framework for in-house development addresses this issue in a customized way.
Delivering Effective Sourcing Strategies
We help organizations develop the sourcing configuration most suitable for delivering their strategic business intent over the short, medium and long term. We help organizations plan their learning evolution, and help build principles and process for managing suppliers and outcomes across the outsourcing life-cycle.
Streamlining Cost and Performance
We have extensive experience of how to provide and show value for money in outsourcing contracts. Our approach uses proven techniques to extract value from existing contracts through cost reduction and enhancing client and supplier performance.
Developing The Innovation Agenda
The way in which companies manage their capacity to innovate often determines how fast they can exploit new opportunities. Our in-depth work on developing the outsourcing agenda focuses on Leadership, Collaboration, New Technology, Innovation, and Shifts in Global Sourcing for the next five years. Research in each area provides leading edge thinking and new processes for corporate capability.
Leslie Willcocks would be happy to discuss any of these issues with you. Please contact him at: l.p.willcocks@lse.ac.uk
