Offshoring Information Technology

'... there are some fascinating insights here for IT executives ... The superb content isn't surprising once you realize that co-author Erran Carmel ... was a leading expert on globally dispersed software teams long before CNN's Lou Dobbs ever heard of offshore outsourcing. ... As you'd expect, the book has country sketches and thoroughly covers subjects such as managing contractors, risks and legal issues. But for me, the richest sections deal with 'soft' topics like cross-cultural issues and overcoming the problems of distance, time zones and language. For example. there's a great danger of miscommunication with Indian IT workers if Americans use slang, business code words or too-subtle hints. An American who says, 'I was a bit disappointed that ...' may actually be upset, but the Indian may interpret that statement as 'It doesn't really matter'. And while American IT workers use the word contractor as a business term, in India, the term could mean one who cleans toilets. Don't fly to Bangalore without reading this book.' Computerworld