Ely, England, 11 December, 2009 – With many businesses struggling to achieve the supposed benefits of IT outsourcing, two new books from IT Governance are showing how governance principles are the vital ingredients for success.
IT outsourcing has been widely embraced by business, as it offers the potential for efficient and responsive IT systems, while allowing companies to focus on their core strengths.
However, in his book Outsourcing IT: A governance guide, author Rupert Kendrick argues that seeing outsourcing as a panacea for all ills underestimates the complexity of the task. A business cannot put mission-critical functions in the hands of suppliers without meticulous planning. To avoid pitfalls, manage risks and tap potential benefits, Kendrick says, it is vital to put governance at the heart of any outsourcing programme.
Over 336 pages, Outsourcing IT: A governance guide gives practical advice on critical issues, including:
- how to make a better IT outsourcing decision based on a clear understanding of the advantages and disadvantages, and how to judge if outsourcing is the right approach for your business;
- how to identify and control the various associated risks, including those affecting business and financial performance, and legal and compliance matters;
- how to choose an outsourcing supplier and build an effective relationship based on a shared understanding of governance issues, such as data security, and;
- how to outsource in a way that supports, rather than hinders, your business goals.
IT Outsourcing Contracts: A Legal and Practical Guide is a complementary pocket guide by Jimmy Desai, a partner at a City law firm. This 106-page work offers guidance on the legal and contractual aspects of outsourcing, as well as practical illustrations of how other organisations have overcome challenges that typically arise. With additional perspectives on the analysis that must underlie an outsourcing decision, it is ideal as a companion title to Kendrick’s book or as a primer for anyone needing a concise overview.
Outsourcing IT: A governance guide (ISBN: 9781849280259) is priced at £47.95/$78.45/€56.00 and available in hard copy and downloadable formats at: http://www.itgovernance.co.uk/products/2795.
IT Outsourcing Contracts: A Legal and Practical Guide (ISBN: 9781849280297) is priced at £19.95/$32.64/€23.30 and available in hard copy and downloadable formats at: http://www.itgovernance.co.uk/products/2802.
Full details of all IT Governance’s services and products can be found at: www.itgovernance.co.uk.
