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IT Management Slideshow:
What Your CFO Thinks About Outsourcing Now

By Dennis McCafferty on 2011-02-28


Just two years ago, outsourcing seemed to be the magic solution for CFOs looking to scale down operational costs within their organizations. This meant that many CIOs were suddenly confronted with the reality of offloading essential enterprise needs or project-related tasks to unfamiliar workers in distant lands. The results? In some cases, there were internal and external customer-service gaps due to cultural, language or time-zone differences. Now, a new survey from accounting and consulting firm BDO USA reveals that a clear majority of CFOs at tech companies are tuning out outsourcing as part of their big-picture strategies. “Outsourcing can be looked at as a bellwether of the economy,” says Don Jones, partner in the technology and life sciences practice at BDO USA. “Tech companies turned to outsourcing in 2009 in order to reduce operating costs and ride out the recession. Since then, we’ve seen a marked decrease [in outsourcing] as companies recover and look to create jobs and growth close to home.” The survey also examines CFO perspectives on federal regulatory proposals, demonstrating positive support for a major initiative from the Obama administration. One-hundred CFOs representing tech companies took part in the survey. Here are selected highlights:

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35 percent

35 percent of U.S. tech companies are currently outsourcing services or manufacturing to other nations— down from 62 percent in 2009.

38 percent

Among those U.S. tech companies that are currently not outsourcing, 38 percent say they wouldn't consider outsourcing beyond Canada, which they consider “their own backyard.”

20 percent

20 percent of those companies currently not outsourcing say they have no plans to outsource at all.

Respondents who currently outsource choose these locations (percent respondents)

China (35 percent)India (29 percent)Southeast Asia (24 percent)Western Europe (24 percent)Latin America (9 percent)

Top country for future outsourcing considerations (percent of all respondents):

India (24 percent).

31 percent

Nearly a third of respondents say uncertain business or political climates are the greatest challenges for international growth.

Other challenges for international growth include (percent respondents):

Global business/tax regulations (19 percent)Intellectual property risk and exploitation (19 percent)Training needs (17 percent)Currency risk (14 percent)

71 percent

More than seven in 10 respondents say the Obama administration’s proposal of permanent research and development tax credits would positively affect their organizations.

68 percent

More than two thirds of respondents say proposed regulations that allow organizations to quickly recognize revenue will positively impact their organizations.

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