Thesis (D. Min.)--Phoenix Seminary, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 211-223).

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Given the ubiquity of information systems and their importance for the functioning of organisations; understanding information systems and their impact on organisations has become critical for organisational success. The ability to effectively use information systems plays an increasing role in the success of organisations. There are many facets to understanding information systems in organisations, this thesis will assess the relationship between outsourcing an information system, and the strategic processes which lead to and are impacted by the outsourcing decision. The aim of this thesis is to deepen the understanding of decision making in the Information System Outsourcing literature by reflecting on the state of the literature from a research point of view. This thesis therefore undertakes a meta-theoretic review of the Information System Outsourcing literature, using journal articles, to get a general picture of the literature which will then be assessed in terms of the breadth of decision making perspectives which have been researched and the depth to which each perspective has been explored. First, the extent to which the development of the field of information system outsourcing resembles the development of the Information System Theory in general will be determined. This will be done by examining the history and development of the Information System Theory field, and examining the consequences of the fields’ rapid development for the legitimacy of the field. Next, criticisms which have been raised against the Information System Outsourcing literature will be identified and discussed, the primary criticism being the charge that the Information System Outsourcing field is broad in scope but shallow in its depth of understanding of decision making in the outsourcing processes. These criticisms, which are shared with the field of Information System Theory, are argued to arise from the history of rapid development of Information System Outsourcing. The potential consequences of these criticisms for Information System Outsourcing practitioners and researchers will also be discussed in order to establish the importance of evaluating the theme of Information System Outsourcing. Thirdly, a framework with which to test the criticism against the Information System Outsourcing literature will be developed. This framework will combine insights from decision theory with those of organisation theory. Finally; the framework will be used to analyse the Information System Outsourcing literature in order to verify or disprove the allegation of a broad but shallow understanding of decision making in Information System Outsourcing. This allegation will be addressed primarily through an analysis of the information system outsourcing literature in order to evaluate its depth. The analysis shows that the literature on Information System Outsourcing, whilst showing positive development, is not yet mature. The danger of the theme of Information System Outsourcing falling into an identity crisis like that faced by its parent field of Information Systems Theory still exists. The analysis also shows the areas in which the literature must develop in order to avoid an identity crisis. On meta-theoretical level, the value of returning to fundamental issues in Information Systems Outsourcing is shown through the use of decision theory and organisation theory. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gegewe die alomteenwoordigheid van inligtingstelsels en hul belang vir die funksionering van organisasies, het insig in inligtingstelsels en hul impak op organisasies van kritieke belang geword vir organisatoriese sukses. Die vermoë om inligtingstelsels effektief te gebruik, speel derhalwe ’n toenemende rol in die sukses van organisasies. Daar is egter baie dimensies van inligtingstelsels in organisasies. Hierdie tesis assesseer die verhouding tussen die uitkontraktering van 'n inligtingstelsel en die strategiese prosesse wat lei tot, en wat beïnvloed word deur, die besluit van die uitkontraktering. Die doel van hierdie tesis is om insig in die veld van inligtingstelseluitkontraktering te verdiep deur besinning oor die toestand van die veld vanuit 'n navorsing-oogpunt. Hierdie tesis onderneem dus 'n meta-teoretiese oorsig van die veld van Inligtingstelseluitkontraktering deur gebruik te maak van joernaalartikels. Die doel is om daarmee ’n algemene beeld te kry van die literatuur. Die literatuur word dan beoordeel in terme van die omvang van die onderwerpe wat nagevors is en die diepte waarop elke onderwerp ondersoek is. Eerstens word die mate van ooreenstemming tussen die ontwikkeling van die gebied van die Inligtingstelseluitkontraktering en die van algemene Inligtingsisteem Teorie bepaal. Dit sal gedoen word deur die geskiedenis en ontwikkeling van die Inligtingsisteem Teorie veld te ondersoek. Daarmee saam word konsekwensies van die gebied se snelle ontwikkeling vir die legitimiteit van die veld, ondersoek. Hierna word kritiek wat geopper is op die veld van Inligtingstelseluitkontraktering geïdentifiseer en bespreek. Die belangrikste kritiek is die klag dat die Inligtingstelseluitkontraktering veld wyd in omvang, maar vlak in sy diepte van begrip is. Dit word aangevoer dat hierdie kritiek, wat ook geld vir die veld van Inligtingsisteemteorie, die resultaat is van die geskiedenis van die snelle ontwikkeling van die gebied van Inligtingsisteemuitkontraktering. Die moontlike gevolge van hierdie kritiek vir praktisyns en navorsers in Inligtingsisteemuitkontraktering sal ook bespreek word ten einde die belang van die volgehoue evaluasie van die gebied van Inligtingsisteemuitkontraktering te verduidelik. Derdens word 'n raamwerk ontwikkel waarmee die kritiek teen die Inligtingsisteemuitkontraktering veld getoets kan word. Hierdie raamwerk kombineer insigte uit besluitnemingteorie met dié van organisasieteorie. Ten slotte sal die raamwerk gebruik word om die Inligtingsisteemuitkontraktering literatuur te ontleed ten einde die bewering van die breë maar vlak karakter daarvan te verifieer of te weerlê. Hierdie bewering sal hoofsaaklik deur middel van 'n analise van die Inligtingsisteemuitkontraktering literatuur aangespreek word ten einde die diepte daarvan te evalueer. Die ontleding van die Inligtingsisteemuitkontraktering veld toon positiewe ontwikkeling, ofskoon nie volwassenheid nie. Die gevaar dat die veld in 'n identiteitskrisis val, soos dié van die breër veld van Informasiesisteemteorie, bestaan steeds. Die analise toon ook die gebiede aan waarin die veld moet ontwikkel ten einde 'n identiteitskrisis te vermy. Op meta-teoretiese vlak word die waarde van ʼn terugkeer na fundamentele kwessies in Inligtingsisteemuitkontraktering getoon deur die gebruik van die besluitnemingsteorie en organisasieteorie.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T16:53:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-01-26Bitstream added on 2015-05-14T16:59:22Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000822951.pdf: 712157 bytes, checksum: 5ab3f7e9f252e778a82be39d51373959 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A presente dissertação apresenta os resultados de uma pesquisa de mestrado cujo objetivo foi investigar os impactos objetivos e subjetivos da contratação terceirizada sobre o trabalhador submetido a esse regime contratual, a partir da análise da condição laboral de trabalhadores terceirizados que atuam no setor de limpeza de escolas estaduais do município de Marília-SP. Para tanto, esta pesquisa contou com um estudo teórico e empírico. No aspecto teórico, buscou-se compreender de que maneira o fenômeno da terceirização se expandiu no Brasil e no setor público e culminou na adoção sistemática dessas práticas nos anos 90. Analisaram-se também textos e cadernos oficiais para dimensionar de que maneira o setor público incorporou essas práticas. Foram realizados, ainda sob o aspecto teórico, estudos das obras de administradores de empresas e de sociólogos do trabalho e da visão sindical sobre esse fenômeno. Na dimensão empírica e qualitativa desta pesquisa, realizaram-se entrevistas não diretivas. Assim, foi possível concluir que essa forma de contratação reforça o caráter alienante e ideologicamente orientado do trabalho no modo de produção capitalista, e que os sujeitos cotidianamente submetidos a esse regime contratual desenvolvem respostas individuais que ampliam essa tendência. / The present dissertation aims to show the results of a master’s degree research whose objective was to investigate the subjective and objective impacts of outsourced hiring for workers under this contractual framework. This objective was investigated from the analysis of outsourced workers who work in the cleaning sector of State Schools in the district of Marília-SP. To achieve its objectives this research involved a theoretical and empirical study. In the theoretical aspect, we tried to understand the way the outsourcing phenomenon was spread in Brazil and in the public sector, analyzing thereby the historical context that culminated in the systematic adoption of these practices in the 90s, and also, analyzing texts and official notebooks to resize the way the public sector incorporated these practices. They were conducted, still under the theoretical aspects, studies of the companies’ administrators, sociologists of the work and syndical vision of that phenomenon. In the empirical and qualitative dimension of this research interviews took place through the support of the non-directing interviews. Therefore, it was possible to present that this kind of hiring reinforce the alienated and ideologically guided character of the work in the capitalist way of production, and that the people submitted daily to this contractual regime develop individual answers that enlarge that tendency.

Esta tese apresenta uma análise do compartilhamento do conhecimento, da capacidade absortiva e da inovação nos relacionamentos interorganizacionais do tipo terceirização de Tecnologia da Informação. Assim sendo, o objetivo desta tese é propor um framework que relacione o compartilhamento do conhecimento, a capacidade absortiva e a inovação nos relacionamentos interorganizacionais do tipo terceirização de tecnologia da informação. Para responder a seguinte questão de pesquisa: Como se caracteriza a relação entre o compartilhamento do conhecimento, a capacidade absortiva e a inovação nos relacionamentos interorganizacionais do tipo terceirização de tecnologia da informação. Esta pesquisa é exploratória, de natureza qualitativa e utilizando como estratégia o estudo de casos múltiplos, onde foram analisadas 12 empresas em ambientes de terceirização de TI, sendo 4 empresas fornecedoras de TI e 8 empresas clientes de TI. Os critérios para a seleção das empresas foram: em primeiro lugar, as empresas deveriam ter relacionamentos interorganizacionais do tipo terceirização de ERPs, em que os processos de compartilhamento do conhecimento estejam presentes. Outro critério para a seleção dos casos foi a diversidade de segmentos de atuação das empresas clientes de ERPs para, com isso, tentar evitar a contaminação pelas características especiais de cada segmento de atuação, ou seja, tentou-se reduzir algum viés relacionado aos segmentos de atuação das empresas. Associado a isso, o último critério utilizado para a seleção das empresas clientes de ERPs foi a existência de alguma dependência destas empresas em relação ao software ERP para a implementação de suas estratégias e operações. Os dados foram coletados através de entrevistas semiestruturadas, documentos e observação direta. Após a coleta dos dados, os casos foram analisados individualmente, e posteriormente comparados, buscando convergências e divergências, tentando estabelecer um perfil de comportamento quanto ao compartilhamento do conhecimento, a capacidade absortiva e a inovação nos relacionamentos interorganizacionais, para operacionalização do tratamento dos dados foi utilizado o software de análise qualitativa dos dados chamado MAXQDA® for Mac. Ainda, com a intenção de sanar eventuais problemas na realização da pesquisa, foram tomados alguns cuidados e procedimentos que aumentarão a validade e a confiabilidade da pesquisa. Foram utilizados os critérios de validade do constructo, validade externa e confiabilidade. Os principais resultados encontrados na pesquisa foram, a relação entre o compartilhamento do conhecimento e da capacidade absortiva mostrou estar relacionado positivamente para a existência de inovação no ambiente de terceirização de TI, dizendo de outra forma, quanto maior for a capacidade da empresa de absorver o conhecimento compartilhado através da terceirização de TI, maior a possibilidade de inovação neste ambiente. Outro achado, foi em relação à decisão da terceirização do ERP, ou seja, pôde-se perceber que os motivos das “empresas clientes” terceirizarem seus ERPs, podem estar relacionados com o compartilhamento do conhecimento, a capacidade absortiva e a inovação. Por fim, esta pesquisa fornece compreensões acerca dos fenômenos compartilhamento de conhecimento, capacidade absortiva e inovação em ambientes de terceirização da TI, pois estes fenômenos foram compreendidos a partir de uma nova perspectiva, ou seja, analisados em conjunto e num ambiente próprio, o da terceirização da TI. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2015-04-01T13:48:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Roberta Rodrigues Faoro.pdf: 2638943 bytes, checksum: f1c1fc15efd4e7aefb9530e52878c32c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-01T13:48:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Roberta Rodrigues Faoro.pdf: 2638943 bytes, checksum: f1c1fc15efd4e7aefb9530e52878c32c (MD5) / This thesis presents an analysis of the sharing of knowledge, absorptive capacity and innovation in the inter-relationships of the type outsourcing information technology. Therefore, the objective of this thesis is to propose a framework that links knowledge sharing, absorptive capacity and innovation in interorganizational relationships of the type of outsourcing information technology. To answer the following research question: How do you characterize the relationship between knowledge sharing, absorptive capacity and innovation in interorganizational relationships of the type of outsourcing information technology. This research is exploratory, qualitative and using as a strategy the multiple case study, where 12 companies were analyzed in IT outsourcing environments, 4 suppliers of IT and IT 8 client companies. The criteria for the selection of companies were: first, the companies should have inter-relationships of the type outsourcing ERP, in which knowledge sharing processes are present. Another criterion for the selection of cases was the diversity of business segments of ERP customers to companies, therefore, try to avoid contamination by the special characteristics of each business segment, ie, we attempted to reduce any bias related to the segments of performance of companies. Associated with this, the last criterion for the selection of ERP business customers was the existence of any dependency on these companies in relation to ERP software for the implementation of their strategies and operations. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, documents and direct observation. After collecting the data, the cases were analyzed individually and then compared, looking for similarities and differences, trying to establish a profile of behavior regarding the sharing of knowledge, absorptive capacity and innovation in interorganizational relationships, for operationalization of data treatment was used a software of analysis of data qualitative called MAXQDA® for Mac. Still, with the intention to re medy any problems conducting the survey, were taken some precautions and procedures that increase the validity and reliability of the research. We used the construct validity criteria, external validity and reliability. The main results found in the survey were, the relationship between knowledge sharing and absorptive capacity shown to be positively related existence of innovation in IT outsourcing environment, to put it another way, the greater is company ability to absorb knowledge shared by IT outsourcing, the greater the likelihood of innovation in this environment. Another finding was related to the ERP outsourcing decision, ie, we could realize that the reasons for the "client companies" outsource their ERPs, may be related to the sharing of knowledge, absorptive capacity and innovation. Finally, this research provides understandings about knowledge sharing phenomena, absorptive capacity and innovation in the IT outsourcing environments, as these phenomena are understood from a new perspective, that is, taken together and in own environment, the IT outsourcing.

Esse trabalho de pesquisa analisou os critérios considerados para a tomada de decisão quanto à terceirização em empresas com ambientes de produção do tipo sob encomenda. Dentro dessa análise foram considerados como referencial os modelos de terceirização aplicados a empresas com produção seriada, identificando as similaridades existentes dentro do ambiente de produção sob encomenda, i.e. de produtos customizados. Para tanto, foram definidas três dimensões de estudo com base nos modelos levantados na literatura: arranjos empresariais, competências essenciais e ambiente de terceirização. Tais dimensões foram decompostas em dezoito variáveis de estudo. Para avaliação da pesquisa utilizou-se a técnica de estudo de casos múltiplos onde, com base nas dimensões de estudo, um instrumento de pesquisa com vinte e oito questões abertas e fechadas, foi elaborado. Nove empresas pertencentes ao setor metal mecânico e que possuem um ambiente de produção sob encomenda foram abordadas. Os resultados revelaram, sob a perspectiva do contratante de serviços de terceiros, duas percepções quanto à terceirização: uma otimista e outra que usa a terceirização para resolução de problemas imediatos. Também foram evidenciados os seguintes critérios, quanto a decisão sobre a terceirização: focar na competência essencial da organização, criação de valor, resolução de um problema imediato, transformar custo fixo em variável e redução de custos. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2015-05-11T18:51:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Cleber Beal.pdf: 1854537 bytes, checksum: deda81f36255442262f8747f921a9b57 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-11T18:51:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Cleber Beal.pdf: 1854537 bytes, checksum: deda81f36255442262f8747f921a9b57 (MD5) / This study analyzed the decision making criteria used for outsourcing in companies with engineer to order production environment. In order to make this analysis were considered traditional outsourcing models applied to companies with serial production, identifying the similarities and particularities of the custom production environment, i.e. customized products. Thus, were defined three study dimensions based on the models found in literature: business arrangements, core competencies and outsourcing environment. These dimensions were broken down into eighteen study variables. This research has used the technique of multiple cases where, based on the study of dimensions, a questionnaire with twenty eight open and closed questions was prepared. Nine companies belonging to the mechanical metal sector and having an engineer to order production environment were addressed. The results showed, under the contractor's perspective of outsourced services, two perceptions regarding outsourcing: an optimistic and other that use outsourcing to solve immediate problems. Also the following criteria were highlighted, as the decision on outsourcing: focus on core competence of the organization, creating value, solving an immediate problem, transforming fixed costs into variable and cost reduction.

Buscando suprir a necessidade crescente do mercado por novos produtos e soluções, as empresas buscaram alternativas em terceiros para desenvolverem seus produtos e reduzir o seu time to market; ampliando, desta maneira, seu mix e agregando conhecimento e novas tecnologias não presentes em seus negócios. No entanto, nos modelos econômicos atuais, a terceirização está se tornando onerosa aos custos do produto sendo inviável seu repasse ao preço de venda. Como resultado, as empresas necessitam internar a fabricação de alguns destes produtos, porém esbarram na falta de informações relativas ao seu desenvolvimento. Este trabalho tem como objetivo principal avaliar quais são os aspectos da internalização em desenvolvimento de produtos terceirizados. A pesquisa objeto deste trabalho foi conduzida sob o formato de múltiplos estudos de caso por intermédio de um questionário de perguntas fechadas. Foram avaliadas quinze (15) empresas da região nordeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul que terceirizam o desenvolvimento de produtos. Dentre as quinze empresas entrevistadas, apenas três possuem um processo de desenvolvimento de produtos terceirizado consistente, garantindo a manutenção das informações relativas ao processo e perdas demasiadas de horas de desenvolvimento de produtos no momento da internalização deste desenvolvimento. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2015-08-12T18:08:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Estevan Cioato.pdf: 1338548 bytes, checksum: 6a8e080bdef506fc705088c89710f966 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-08-12T18:08:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Estevan Cioato.pdf: 1338548 bytes, checksum: 6a8e080bdef506fc705088c89710f966 (MD5) / Seeking to meet the growing market need for new products and solutions, companies have sought alternatives on third parties to develop their products and reduce their time to market; in order to widen their product mix, adding knowledge and new technologies not present in their business. In the current economic models, outsourcing has become an onerous cost for the product being unfeasible to transfer it to the selling price. As a result, companies need to intern the manufacturing of some of these products, though they have to face a lack of knowledge and information related to their development. This work aims to evaluate the aspects of internalization in outsourced product developments. The object of this research was conducted under the format of multiple case studies through a questionnaire of closed questions. Fifteen (15) companies that outsource product development in the northeastern region of Rio Grande do Sul state. Only three of those fifteen interviewed companies have a consistent outsourced product development process, ensuring the maintenance of information regarding the process, and avoiding too many losses of product development working hours at the moment this development is internalized.

Thesis (MTech (Retail Business Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / In an effort to remain competitive and maintain stable sales level and profitability, companies across the world have turned to global sourcing. This was a result of analysing the benefits of globalisation and advancement in technology which enabled this sourcing strategy to become very popular in many industries across the world. This was no different with the shoe retail industry in Cape Town. Shoe retailers have become dependent on international trade as it is synonymous with low costs and affordable shoes. However, despite these benefits, global sourcing is well known for being difficult to implement. For an industry so dependent on international trade, it was imperative to investigate how well shoe retailers have adopted global sourcing. This thesis aimed to investigate the implementation of global sourcing by shoe retailers in Cape Town, Western Province. Global sourcing is categorised into three main stages which include domestic sourcing, international procurement and global sourcing. These were the stages used to categorise the level of global sourcing adaptation by shoe retailers in the province. The challenges and improvements required were also examined and explored. A mixed-methods approach was implemented which involved adopting both quantitative and qualitative research. Eighty survey questionnaires were administered to retail buyers, logistics managers and executive management. This represented the quantitative research category, while twenty in-depth interviews represented the qualitative research phase which were conducted on global sourcing committee members in various shoe retail companies. The research outcomes unveiled that most shoe retailers in Cape Town source domestically through middlemen, known as sourcing intermediaries. The reasons for this included a lack of finance to support the global sourcing activities; the strategy is less risky as compared to global sourcing which is risk prone; a lack of adequate information to effectively execute global sourcing; and some retailers are too small in terms of business activity to fully implement global sourcing. The remaining retailers were split between international procurement and global sourcing. Fluctuation in exchange rates, internal communication problems, bad weather, and communication problems with manufacturers or suppliers were identified as challenges that retailers face. Areas highlighted by retailers which require improvement included internal communication between departments, increase in financial support towards global sourcing and quality control of shoes before shipment to Africa. In conclusion, global sourcing has yet to be fully adopted by most retailers in Cape Town, and sourcing intermediaries, wholesalers or agents are currently imperative for the existence of the shoe industry as they provide services which retailers cannot execute on their own

Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / The balance between the dependency on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and reducing costs has led to an increase in ICT outsourcing in many organisations. ICT outsourcing has benefits, but organisations have limited knowledge on information security and risks when outsourcing these functions. A lack of information security knowledge or a poor organisational risk culture carries the risk of project failure and security breaches. It is unclear how to manage information risks through the usage of ICT infrastructure risk management when outsourcing ICT projects, and this exposes organisations to ICT security risks. The aim of the study is to explore how a selected transport organisation can manage information risks through the usage of infrastructure risk management when outsourcing ICT projects. Two primary research questions are posed namely, “what information risks does the ICT department manage when outsourcing ICT projects?”, and “how can the ICT department protect their information through the usage of infrastructure risk management against ICT security threats when outsourcing ICT?” To answer these two questions, a study was conducted at a transport organisation in South Africa. A subjective ontological and interpretivist epistemological stance has been adopted and an inductive research approach was followed. The research strategy was a case study. Data for this study was gathered through interviews (17 in total) using semi-structured questionnaires. Data collected were transcribed, summarised, and categorised to provide a clear understanding of the data. For this study, forty findings and eight themes were identified. The themes are ICT outsourcing, information risks, costs, ICT vendor dependency, vendor access and management, risk management, user awareness, and frameworks. Guidelines are proposed, comprising six primary components. The results point to gaps that need to be addressed to ensure that information is protected when outsourcing ICT projects. Measures need to be put in place and communication has to be improved among operating divisions. The findings lead to questions such as, ““how does business create an ICT security culture to ensure that information is protected at all times”, and “does vendor access management really get the necessary attention it requires?” Further studies on human behaviour towards ICT security is needed to ensure the protection of organisations against security risks.

Esse trabalho de pesquisa analisou os critérios considerados para a tomada de decisão quanto à terceirização em empresas com ambientes de produção do tipo sob encomenda. Dentro dessa análise foram considerados como referencial os modelos de terceirização aplicados a empresas com produção seriada, identificando as similaridades existentes dentro do ambiente de produção sob encomenda, i.e. de produtos customizados. Para tanto, foram definidas três dimensões de estudo com base nos modelos levantados na literatura: arranjos empresariais, competências essenciais e ambiente de terceirização. Tais dimensões foram decompostas em dezoito variáveis de estudo. Para avaliação da pesquisa utilizou-se a técnica de estudo de casos múltiplos onde, com base nas dimensões de estudo, um instrumento de pesquisa com vinte e oito questões abertas e fechadas, foi elaborado. Nove empresas pertencentes ao setor metal mecânico e que possuem um ambiente de produção sob encomenda foram abordadas. Os resultados revelaram, sob a perspectiva do contratante de serviços de terceiros, duas percepções quanto à terceirização: uma otimista e outra que usa a terceirização para resolução de problemas imediatos. Também foram evidenciados os seguintes critérios, quanto a decisão sobre a terceirização: focar na competência essencial da organização, criação de valor, resolução de um problema imediato, transformar custo fixo em variável e redução de custos. / This study analyzed the decision making criteria used for outsourcing in companies with engineer to order production environment. In order to make this analysis were considered traditional outsourcing models applied to companies with serial production, identifying the similarities and particularities of the custom production environment, i.e. customized products. Thus, were defined three study dimensions based on the models found in literature: business arrangements, core competencies and outsourcing environment. These dimensions were broken down into eighteen study variables. This research has used the technique of multiple cases where, based on the study of dimensions, a questionnaire with twenty eight open and closed questions was prepared. Nine companies belonging to the mechanical metal sector and having an engineer to order production environment were addressed. The results showed, under the contractor's perspective of outsourced services, two perceptions regarding outsourcing: an optimistic and other that use outsourcing to solve immediate problems. Also the following criteria were highlighted, as the decision on outsourcing: focus on core competence of the organization, creating value, solving an immediate problem, transforming fixed costs into variable and cost reduction.

M.Com. (Business Management) / The opportunity to create a case where students can apply their knowledge and insight pose a number of challenges. The purpose of this study was to create a case study that encapsulates various management opportunities and dilemmas that businesses face on a daily basis and explore possible questions and solutions, as well as reflect on the output ofthe process. This mini-dissertation starts by orientating the reader regarding the objective of the study, method followed and academic overview. It includes an overview of the evaluation criteria required to test the use and applicability of the case study. The case study "SwisslT: New horizons in stormy waters" is presented with a number of critical questions. A facilitation manual follows the case study and provides a structured grouping of the questions, an overview of didactic principles and discusses possible answers. The dissertation concludes with an evaluation of the case study and the answers by summarising the input received from facilitators, practicing managers and a management consultant. The conclusion drawn from this study is that the utilisation ofcase studies and the case method is not limited to only being a teaching tool. The process ofcreating and evaluating a case has value in itself. It not only supports the constructivist approach to teaching, but it also creates a platform for the identification offuture research topics as incorporated at the end of this study.