There comes the point when medium-sized and small businesses must decide to delegate functions to focus on others that will promote corporate growth.

In business practice, outsourcing has been around for centuries and is still used by companies today. It involves creating strategic partnerships and taking care of certain business processes for other companies to increase efficiency and save time, money, and resources.

In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into the history of outsourcing so you can better understand its origins, benefits, and how it affects businesses worldwide.

 

What Is Outsourcing?

Outsourcing is when a company assigns certain business processes to another company. The overall business strategy can include production, customer service, information technology, marketing, and other administrative tasks.

One of the main benefits of outsourcing is that it allows companies to focus on core competencies. At the same time, a team of foreign workers works in-house or through a third-party provider.

The Process of Outsourcing

The first step in outsourcing is for a business to choose an outsourcing partner.

After choosing the ideal outsource-based company, it’s time to identify the services you need help with and define the contract’s terms and conditions, timeline, and cost structure.

Types of Outsourcing

Usually, there are various outsourcing business models to choose from depending on the sort of service required. Some common types include:

IT Outsourcing

IT outsourcing is when a company contracts out certain IT services, such as software development; manufacturing outsourcing, where a company contracts out production operations. 

BPO (Business Process Outsourcing)

It involves contracting out back-office operations such as customer service, data entry, accounting, and other administrative services.

KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing)

It is when a company contracts out research or analytics to a third party.

R&D (Research & Development) Outsourcing

R&D involves contracting out research and development activities. 

Nearshoring and Offshoring

Nearshoring is a business contract with another company based in a nearby country. Offshoring is when a company contracts work to another company based in a distant land.

 

When Did Outsourcing Begin?

The concept of outsourcing dates back to the 16th century when wealthy British landowners began sending clothing production overseas to India to save money on raw materials and labor costs. 

Other nations soon followed those steps and began a system of outsourced manufacturing jobs.

Late in the 20th century, outsourcing gained popularity among multinational firms seeking to reduce expenses without sacrificing product or service quality.

 

How Did Outsourcing Come About?

Because of the growth of globalization during the industrial revolution in the latter half of the 20th and the first decade of the 21st century, businesses could considerably cut their labor expenditures without sacrificing product or service quality.

Additionally, technological advances, such as the internet, made it easier for companies to communicate with their remote workers and monitor project progress from anywhere in the world.

 

Where Was the Origin of Outsourcing?

The origin of outsourcing can be traced back to India, where early British landowners sent clothing production overseas to save money on labor costs.

This practice quickly spread throughout Europe and eventually became popular among large corporations seeking cost savings while still providing quality products and services. 

 

The Development of Outsourcing Until Today

Since its beginnings centuries ago, outsourcing has grown exponentially into one of the most relevant modern industries today, with millions of people in remote roles worldwide.

With more advancements expected in technology, such as AI (Artificial Intelligence) and virtual reality, we may see even more growth within this industry as businesses.

Some of the most common industries that benefit the most from outsourcing services today are call centers, software development, customer service, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and web design & development. 

If what brought you here was the need for a highly efficient outsourcing company, look no further than Novashore. We are the perfect partner regarding cost-efficiency, reliability, and quality. 

Contact us and benefit from our services.