Does Outsourcing by Multinational Companies Cost Jobs?

Outsourcing as a method of trade has been an increasing phenomenon throughout the last decade particularly by multinational companies of developed countries such as Europe to outsource their business operations to developing countries such as India, Bangladesh etc.

However, this outsourcing by multinational companies raise a question regarding cost jobs and lower wages in Europe. Moreover, the latest style enduring, and there is a shift also towards additional complicated and high end methods to be outsourced. One of the appearing market areas for multinational companies of Europe is India, which is attracting decisions of outsourcing and some extent becoming a reason of cost jobs and lower wages in Europe.

However, it is not justifiable to only say that outsourcing by multinational companies do cost jobs and lower wages in Europe, therefore it can also state that outsourcing by multinational companies of Europe have some advantages as well, therefore, there is also an explanation of ideas and present check-list for European trades, which are searching for chances to incorporate into markets of India.

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Introduction

The issues of globalization and the outsourcing of high-skilled jobs are central to the recent innovation policy debate (Farrell, 54-59).

Corporate decisions are increasingly being made with little regard to how it affects workers. In multinational companies of Europe outsourcing is not a new practice. However, outsourcing jobs are more or less new to people of Europe. Now days, in political debates it is a hot issues. According to different economist of European Union certain types of benefits to outsourcing by multinational companies and some jobs will be created in Europe by outsourcing.

On the other hand, many debates that due to outsourcing many people have lost their jobs and many small businesses have been closed. Overseas market is a place where many European jobs are being sent therefore, outsourcing by multinational companies cost jobs and lower wages in Europe (Farrell, 54-59). Many aspects jobs have been moved to overseas, for example shoe producers, telemarketing jobs, jean manufactures, Software Corporation etc. Many European multinational companies are outsourcing for their future financial system.

Through facilitating companies to save expenses, produce as well as possess entry to a great available group of capacity, outsourcing is basically protecting the steadiness of European multinational companies’ financial system through protecting the strength of European industries. Outsourcing has brought benefits to economical sector but on the other hand many employees have lost their jobs due to it.

Discussion

It is a considerable reality that in the contemporary competitive international business arena there is has been much concentration paid to international outsourcing and its impacts on various markets in the world.

Different contrasting views are there on the issue and this research will attempt to explain different hypes and demonstrate what the truths actually are. People have supported a protectionist manner to outsourcing and forcing corporations to keep jobs in Europe. Profits of business have led great businesses to outsource work to Asian countries and they have been great supporters of outsourcing and the competence it permits them. A large amount of researches are there on the issue of outsourcing and it is complicated to cover all the views surrounding it.

This research will define some of views and controversies surrounding outsourcing. The objective of this research is to present an in depth look at outsourcing to Asian countries particularly India which is attractive market for multinational companies of Europe. Especially the research will describe the requirement for European multinational companies outsourcing, outsourcing to developing Asian countries like India and the advantages and dangers such as cost jobs and lower wages in Europe connected with outsourcing. Outsourcing is just contracting out little work that was completed in house to an outside corporation.

This permits corporations to concentrate on one part of a difficult aim. The advocates of outsourcing describe that this specialization permits corporations to be additional competent. This method could be applied in different businesses where technology has created manufacturing very complicated. Automobiles and Electronics are two items which have different parts that could be produced in various nations and gathered wherever the corporation decides to. This suppleness permits corporations to manage with the increasing difficulty of present manufactured items. Outsourcing is a main issue in the world which is related to cost jobs and lower wages in Europe, moreover individuals are concerned with the works of white collar that are being outsourced by European multinational companies to developing nations” (Peter, 2006 pp 77-79).

Evolution of Outsourcing

Before 10 years people use to imagine video conference in their thoughts. Today everything has been changed, anyone who has Smartphone or even a PC can sit back in sofa and have meeting around the world (Ijioui, et al, 171-176). Through technology vast distance has been shorten and has lots of money on business travelling.

Outsourcing is shaped by two factors known as globalization and technology. Through advance technology outsourcing is most common thing for multinational companies of Europe (Contractor, et al, 67-72). Through electronic sending several jobs are performed at one place and reported to another place where it is needed. Many countries economics is affected tremendously through outsourcing. In late 1900s, through technology transportation revolution was driven, and the whole scenario of transporting good from place to place was changed. Raw material was transported through steamboats and trains.

Due to transportation revolution the whole businesses functions was changed and nations started importing and exporting of goods (Contractor, et al, 67-72). In similar way, today business is changed through the accessibility of high-speed data access and the internet. Now many employees are able to work from home through virtual office for some companies. The only necessary tools for this are telephone and a computer with Internet access. Through same technology now people have opportunities to work for countries (Ijioui, et al, 171-176).

Outsourcing is decision of multinational companies of Europe to employ an outside company to manage the computer operations of organization, operations of network, and IT function to a vendor for a particular time. This strategic move is decided by excellent administration when they identify that the managing of these performances through another group will decrease expenses and prices. The decision to outsource by European multinational companies should focus the important role of knowledge and methods in corporations.

If complete roll is to be outsourced, adequate terms must be created between the two companies to deal with the company's needs. Furthermore, focus must be presented to the possible requirement for modern solutions to be presented through the outsourcer, with the timing of these performances. India is the seventh-biggest nation through area of geography and situated in South Asia as well as presently it is considerably attractive by European multinational companies. It is the second most crowded nation in the world, and the biggest democratic country in the world. The financial system of India is the fourth biggest in the world as calculated through purchasing power parity (PPP), with an increasing trend of GDP (Adrian, 2008 pp 321-327)”. India has been increasing at a rate of 8 per cent since Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh took charge in early 2004. India has a wealthy and exclusive tradition of culture, and the different sub continental population that has controlled to keep the 5000 years older customs, where as absorbing traditions, ideas and traditions from local people, invaders and migrants.

Different practices of culture, monuments, languages and traditions are models of this combination over centuries. Great English speaking middle-class in India has participated to the development in outsourcing. “It is becoming a main part for European multinational companies for future focused study and improvement, comprising the likes of telecommunication companies, etc” (Adrian, 2008 pp 321-327), all this has supported the sector of services to enhance its portion of the market to about fifty percent. Developing countries like India is ongoing to move ahead with financial modifications of market-focused that started in 1991.

Current modifications contain liberalized overseas investment and regimes of exchange, decontrol of industry, and important decrease in charges and other business obstacles, modernization and modification of the fiscal sector, important adjustments in monetary and financial strategies of government, and securing intellectual rights of property. India's Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is growing at an exponential rate in the last decade. This form of revenue is greatly helping the Indian economy and it will continue in the future. There are many reasons for why India has the ideal situation for outsourcing.

First of all, basic salary in India for computer experts is one of the lowest in the entire world. Through having this low basic salary, India attracts different organizations from nations with a stronger dollar. A multinational company of Europe could achieve the similar project completed in India for 1/10th the cost it would cost in Europe. This translates to great income for multinational companies, which creates outsourcing extremely smart to them. Secondly, the cultural differences between India and the Europe are not as great compared to other countries like China.

If people look back to over 60 years ago, India was under British rule. Under British rule, learning English was mandatory in all schools across India. Today, English is still mandatory in most schools across India and as a result, the communication gap between India and the European world is much smaller than with countries like China, which also have equally qualified software professionals (Kobitzsch et al, 2001). Additionally, most educated people in India know English. This knowledge of the English language allows for western influence with respect to media such as movies, music and entertainment.

This social acclimation decreases the culture gap between India and the Western world as compared to China. Thirdly, as the Gulf of Persia has its resources in oil and South Africa in diamonds, natural resources of India depend in its rich technically expert workforce. India makes approximately 75, 500 software experts every year and these figures persist to enhance. Different nations do not have the workforce with the abilities that are required and have no option but to outsource to nations like India. India has had a lot of development in the field of IT.

There were about 6,800 staffs in the IT business in 1985-1986 and this figure increased to 522,000 staffs from 2001-2002 (Vincent, 2006 pp 22-24). International human resource management (IHRM) is gradually more being identified as a main determinant of achievement or disappointment in international trade (Michael, 2002 pp 459-471). Features of production like technology, capital, raw materials and knowledge can be simply copied, apart from for the individuals or human resources of the company, which is major source of aggressive benefit for different organizations.

Corporations must give close concentration to administration of its human resources in India. Presented the reality that it is mostly a flight development and training centre in India, it would produce logic to use a polycentric staffing method, where domestic supervisors - host nation supervisors; are employed to fill main positions in their personal nation. Human resources in India are the compulsory element because the operation, design and administration the other remaining resource of science and technology is a purpose of how excellent individuals do their work.

In the area of human resource improvement, which is important and has been getting main concern since the starting of improvement strategies, the nation has added a large number of supporting and encouraging staffs and has been capable to enhance rates of literacy of both women and men, with in the numbers of technology, science and research people. In spite of the enhancement in human resources, the nation has not been capable to successfully employ it due to the immigration of expert people to get works in developed nations. Benefit/Risk Analysis

Analysis of the benefits and risks of outsourcing customer service to India will entail analyzing customer service skills, appropriateness of online services of consumer support, infrastructure, and trust and security. Customer Service Skills The value of consumer service is extremely imperative to a multinational company of Europe. Consumer experts must be capable to manage a collection of troubles where as reducing irritation of consumer. India has a rich source of extremely aggressive universities and institutions of technology, with a concentration on trouble solving.

With this information, they are capable to manage with troubles in an efficient and appropriate approach. India is supposed to be the second biggest country with European that speaks English. Moreover to this, different great extent suppliers of consumer service in India instruct their staffs to speak English without pronunciation. Consumer service presenter 24/7 Customer. com in India presents staffs this knowledge in a two week course (Michael, 2002 pp 459-471). They also give training to identify the culture of Europe.

Although offshore outsourcers provide these types of training, some specialists believe that the European customer support specialists have a distinct inherent cultural benefit and the capability to become accustomed to alter more rapidly. As a result, they are able to more frequently relate to the customer, and provide empathy towards his or her needs (Bharat, 2007 pp 77-79). Appropriateness of Online Customer Support Services The appropriateness of online services of consumer support is extremely important since the customers understand technological capabilities and have higher expectations.

Currently, Jupiter Research has found that a little more than 50% of e-mails could be answered within a day (Ashlyn, 2005 pp 69-73). Research done by the same research group stated that outsourcing customer services to India is recommended for companies seeking to a response time of less than six hours. In addition to timely service, all customer support suppliers offer twenty-four hours of service, seven days a week. Outsourcing is becoming a heavy cost reducing system these days in order to endure with the tough periods in the financial system.

With outsourcing requirements, it permits the organization to emphasize on entire services and products. It also permits the outsourcers to keep durable connections with their consumers. India has become one of the most positive places for outsourcing. The major motives for this comprise cost efficacy, plenty of ability and timeliness of online services of consumer support. Additionally, India has excellent rate of literacy in English in the educated people contrasted to other nations. Dangers are concerned there when outsourcing to India.

Different features observed at were infrastructure, protection and trust. Every organization should do their individual researches to decide if outsourcing will advantage their organization, but additional so their consumers.

Possible Risks of Outsourcing

• Outsourcing with a vendor can also cut down the work rate of the employees
• The comfort level that the employees once had in the work place can decrease
• When the vendors are not going by the contract and getting the computers fixed in a timely manner, the forced labour will be put onto the IT team to get the job done.

Also the laid off process will increase that means more people without jobs. The ones that will be laid off are usual the ones that have the experience to do the job right, the first time. Risk mitigation strategy If the company is going to go with vendors the best policy is to make sure there are no loop holes and that the risk manager stays in control of any changes that may or may not happen. By doing this is to discuss and keep the communication line open. The contract is the source of everything that has to do with the vendor and company policy.

By reading over the contract and making sure that the company’s lawyers also look over it is the key to stopping the loop holes before they happen. Another method is to install trouble ticket software to monitor any changes to the system and to prevent any downtime when trying to tackle all those trouble tickets. Venders to provide network support Here are a few examples of the different support that can be provided from a vender when dealing with networks; patches, firewalls, routers, switches, Intrusion detection system and Intrusion prevention system.

Here is a risk example that can be involved when letting an outside vendor support the network within the company; The risk that someone that is not working for the company and that will have the access to the network through the admin login can have direct access to all the data in that network of systems. Also that you cannot ask any questions about their risk assessment methods. This can be a major risk that can cost the company a fortune if the vendor is not chosen the right way. Risk mitigation strategy If the company would install a service for the network security like for an example is DELL’s IPS iSensor.

So now one can estimate that how much saving will be done yearly (Contractor, et al, 67-72). No extra cost on employment: for traditional onshore employments there are usually extra costs involved but there are no extra costs for outsource staff. In many countries including Europe many employers have to pay some extra percentage to employees for superannuation, when they lease staff. But in outsource it is employers pay nothings to their overseas employees. Through this many employers save these amounts.

No need of extra equipment and office space: through outsourcing different employers have lavishing offices without increased staff. As their staff is busy in doing their work overseas and customers who walk in these office have good impression about the company. In this way employers save a lot of money on equipment and office space (Contractor, et al, 67-72). There are no extra electricity bills that employers have to pay.

Advantages of outsourcing

• Outsource employees are assemble much faster as there is already people with skills and there is no need of long interviews and it save lot of time. Employers can focus more on core business process by outsourcing all no-core activities.
• Business operations can be streamlined through outsourcing.
• Through outsourcing employers can encounter an improved power of their business.
• Capital expenditures can be saved by the organization through outsourcing.
• By outsourcing organizations get more profits and this end up in creating higher jobs in homeland.
• Through outsourcing companies save a lot of money, through which can develop more products.

Disadvantages of Outsourcing

• Delivery Problems: in outsourcing the first problem occurs is delivery consistency, most companies experience delivery problems due to a lot of reasons. Delivery overseas on time is usually affected due to material storage, weather problems, manufacturing delay etc. therefore customers are upset and companies have to invest extra on additional stock in order to compensate their customers (Neelankavil and Rai, 221-226). These extra stocks cost the saving money of the companies.
• Quality issues: usually the samples which companies receive overseas are of good quality. But when it comes to stock poor quality is witness by the companies on their order to different products. Due to outsourcing many companies’ hires poorly paid employees and they don’t seem to have knowledge regarding products. Due to this many organization fails to satisfy their customer overseas and end up in losing them (Neelankavil and Rai, 221-226).
• Jeopardy of revealing private information: outsourcing involves risk of revealing private information about company such as payroll, Human Resources and employment services to captive unit in other country.

Recommendations

In conclusion, it can say that outsourcing by multinational companies cost jobs and lower wages in Europe, but there is another aspect as well that is favourable. Therefore recommendation is here to use the outsourcing in appropriate manner. Many multinational companies and European businesses layoff their employees or have been closed due to outsourcing by them. Many jobs have been taken away from European employees and major sector which was highly affected by outsourcing is Information Technology. Due to outsourcing many college students of Europe has decreased in majors of engineering & computers.

These college students step back from majors in these subjects as they are afraid that after completing their education they would victim of cost jobs and lower wages in Europe and they believe that they would not be able to find jobs in respective fields due to sourcing. Outsourcing is no doubt beneficial for companies but what about the talent and skill people living in the country? Multinational companies of Europe should come out with a proper strategic plan in order to save the future of upcoming youth along with other talent people of world.

Multinational companies of Europe should outsource limited job and keep rest for European people. As this was the country who gave these companies ground to start and flourish their businesses, so first right goes to citizens of Europe. The objective of every business is to build a profit and grow and it should base for both i. e. company and people of the country. If outsourcing in Europe keep on growing rapidly as the way it is now a days by multinational companies, then future not far away when people will drop out from schools due to lower wages within Europe.

It’s high time for European government and successful multinational companies to understand that skillful and youth people of the Europe is losing hope in successful future and facing threat of cost jobs and lower wages in Europe. Europe’s multinational companies that use outsourcing correctly can take advantage of its benefits and return higher profits, meaning higher retained earnings. These earnings can then be pumped into other parts of the business for improvement, innovation and expansion. Expansion thus creates more jobs and a better national economy.

References

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