How solid is your global sourcing foundation?

[#1]

When building for the long term, as we've all heard many times before (CIOs Who Want to Be Strategists Must First Get Operations in Order),  you need a solid foundation to create a lasting structure.  Outsourcing strategies and their associated delivery models are no different. 

In my last blog post (Is Best Shore a Destination?), I talked about how the HP global sourcing model, Best Shore, deals with much more than just location.  With the HP announcement today of its vision for the Instant-On Enterprise and how HP Hybrid Delivery is a cornerstone of this vision, I thought it pertinent to discuss how we are utilizing a unique approach to global delivery that is helping put a solid foundation in place.

We are changing the way you think about and approach worldwide delivery by establishing an industry leading Hub-based model that provides you scalable options to meet time zone, language and follow-the-sun requirements.  This model provides a flexible means for you to embrace the right mix of Best Shore resources that lets you quickly adapt to commercial demands.  I like to refer to this flexible mix approach as Best Shore Waves of Global Delivery.

• Wave 1 - Simple onsite and offshore (single location)
• Wave 2 - Onsite and multiple offshore locations
• Wave 3 - Onsite plus onshore / nearshore plus offshore locations
• Wave 4 - Onsite plus one or more Global Delivery Hubs plus other offshore and leveraged centers

Each wave in the model is more complex in nature, but also provides greater flexibility and scalability to meet your changing business needs.

Leading enterprises understand that there is no one-size fits all model of delivery that meets all core service needs, so having a flexible approach to sourcing your delivery resources is critical to establishing the solid foundation I mentioned at the beginning of this post.  So, how solid is your global sourcing foundation?

[#2]

Stu - Agree that organizations should move towards using multiple locations, particularly as they are building more scale. I think the big challenge is going beyond just having more locations - more locations by itself does not mean it is necessarily easier to re-balance work to meet changing needs. What are your views on how to complement a multi-location portfolio with operating disciplines which create flexibility to adjust? And what types/degree of adjustment is realistic?

Thnx