Organizational matters

Once a rare and foreign subject for board members, information technology is a critical issue that is reshaping the board of director membership and structure.

Change can be difficult and even painful. It forces us out of our comfort zones and makes us adapt to new situations and confront stark realities that we would prefer to avoid. Our human tendency is to stick to tried-and-true practices that have served us well over time and hope that change passes us by.

Change can be difficult and even painful. It forces us out of our comfort zones and makes us adapt to new situations and confront stark realities that we would prefer to avoid. Our human tendency is to stick to tried-and-true practices that have served us well over time and hope that change passes us by.

Over the past decade, US and European firms have pursued lower software costs by using offshore vendors. These development organizations include large system integration firms with overseas operations and outsourcers in India and nations in Southeast Asia.

Over the past decade, US and European firms have pursued lower software costs by using offshore vendors. These development organizations include large system integration firms with overseas operations and outsourcers in India and nations in Southeast Asia.

I have worked in IT for nearly 25 years. I have written scientific software, tested software, deployed and maintained software, and managed other people doing these and other tasks. I enjoy working in IT, and I want to keep working in it. There are many IT professionals in the US who had this same desire but lost their job to overseas outsourcing.

I have worked in IT for nearly 25 years. I have written scientific software, tested software, deployed and maintained software, and managed other people doing these and other tasks. I enjoy working in IT, and I want to keep working in it. There are many IT professionals in the US who had this same desire but lost their job to overseas outsourcing.

Glancing over the brochures of offshore suppliers of software development services, clients often assume that offshoring development tasks will unfailingly result in phenomenal cost savings and software of the highest possible quality. While there certainly is the potential to reap significant benefits, these promotional materials hardly ever mention:

Glancing over the brochures of offshore suppliers of software development services, clients often assume that offshoring development tasks will unfailingly result in phenomenal cost savings and software of the highest possible quality. While there certainly is the potential to reap significant benefits, these promotional materials hardly ever mention:

When outsourcing is the subject of discussion, the issues that typically surface include concerns about employment for US engineers [4], lower salaries in developing countries, the adequacy of management, and communications problems.

When outsourcing is the subject of discussion, the issues that typically surface include concerns about employment for US engineers [4], lower salaries in developing countries, the adequacy of management, and communications problems.

Organizational matters

Once a rare and foreign subject for board members, information technology is a critical issue that is reshaping the board of director membership and structure.

Organizational matters

Once a rare and foreign subject for board members, information technology is a critical issue that is reshaping the board of director membership and structure.

Organizational matters

Once a rare and foreign subject for board members, information technology is a critical issue that is reshaping the board of director membership and structure.