Instructor: Randy S. Weinberg
Office: Porter Hall 223G
Phone: 412-268-3228
Email: rweinberg@cmu.edu
Office Hours: TBA
Course Meetings: Tuesdays, 6:30pm - 9:20pm, Baker Hall A53
Required Readings: Articles
and Cases (links will be provided to Harvard case studies)
Recommended Readings:
The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century by Thomas
L. Friedman
Offshoring Information Technology : Sourcing and Outsourcing to a Global
Workforce by Erran Carmel and Paul Tjia
There are many good sources on the internet. Check the CMU libraries online for ACM, IEEE and other journal sources. Check ComputerWorld, Information Week, CIO.com for news, reports, cases, links.
Course Overview
Outsourcing of software services is a now a mainstay of business practice. The decision to outsource software services to providers in distant places has many risks and careful management of critical success factors is essential. Increasingly, students majoring in information systems, business and computer science will be involved as managers or technologists in projects engaging multiple providers and development teams in diverse locations. Management of outsourcing relationships will be an increasingly important skill for students expecting to fully participate in the emerging IT marketplace of the 21st century.
This course introduces the business context and mechanics of outsourcing including offshore outsourcing. Students will learn how outsourcing works in practice and will study the economic, social, political and practical aspects of outsourcing.
Classes will typically consist of lectures, guest speakers, class discussions, and presentations of case studies.
A combination of weekly readings, short writing assignments and a team "business case" project will be required.
At the end of the course,
students will have a basic understanding of the following:
1. Emerging global business environment and conducting business globally
2. Concepts and models of outsourcing
3. Business Value of Outsourcing
4. Enablers and Inhibitors of Global Delivery systems
5. Social, Political and Economic impacts of outsourcing; Cultural considerations
6. Mechanics of outsourcing IT Enabled Services
Course Expectations and Course Grades
To complete the course successfully, students will be expected to complete the following activities. Weights indicate the contribution to the final course grade.
From week 2 through week 6 there will be a short in-class writing assignment (a paragraph or two) based on the assigned reading material for the week. You cannot make up any in class writing assignment you miss either through absence or lateness. These writing assignments will be given promptly at 6:30pm. If you arrive late, do not expect to make up any missed assignment.
Other factors, such as class participation and punctual, regular attendance may be used, at the instructor's option, to make adjustments to final grades in borderline cases. The instructor will assume that you are well prepared for class each week and will feel free to call upon you.
Tentative Course Outline:
| Week/Date |
Coverage, Readings, Assignments, etc. |
| Week 1: Aug. 29st |
Outsourcing Primer References:
Thomas Friedman at
the Fitzgerald Theater (mp3) in-class listening Globalization
and Offshoring of Software: Executive Summary and Findings Report
of the Association for Computing Machinery |
| Week 2: Sep. 5th |
Globalization and the Strategic Value of Outsourcing References:
Global 3.0 (mp3)
American RadioWorks, American Public Media; in-class listening Required Readings: |
| Week 3: Sep. 12th |
Outsourcer and Outsourcee Perspectives Guests: Ms. Christine O'Brien (Senior VP, Mellon Financial Corp.) and Mr. Anbu G.Muppidathi (Director and Client Partner, Cognizant Technology Solutions) Readings: |
| Week 4: Sep. 19th |
Lessons Learned Guest: Mr. Ron Glickman (Cognizant Technology Solutions) Offshoring: What Can Go Wrong IEEE IT Professional When Outsoucing Goes Awry (HBS Case Study) Keys to Successful Software Project Outsourcing Construx White Paper Project Deliverable
#1 Due |
| Week 5: Sep. 26th |
Outsourceability,
Portfolio Assessment, Project Feasibility, Cultural Issues Guest: Professor
Andreea Deciu Ritivoi, Carnegie Mellon University, Department of English |
| Week 6: Oct. 3rd |
Engagement, Program and Project Management Guest: Dr. Bill Hefley (Associate Director,
IT Services Qualification Center, CMU) |
| Week 7: Oct. 10th |
Summary and Presentation by Students Project Deliverable
#2 Due |