Multisourcing

Multisourcing is the disciplined provisioning and blending of business and IT services from the optimal set of internal and external providers in the pursuit of business goals.^[1] It is also defined as a strategy that treats a given function, such as IT, as a portfolio of activities, some of which should be outsourced and others of which should be performed by internal staff.^[2]
Although the term may apply to any business area, it is most commonly used within the context of Information Technology.

Overview

Multisourcing, as a term, was first introduced by the market/technology research firm Gartner in 2005. Although it was recently defined, multisourcing has been practiced in the market since competitors started to produce alternatives to IBM’s datacenter products in the late 80’s.^[3]. Today there’s strong focus on multisourcing as a concept, it has been covered widely by research firms like Forrester Research and Gartner.^[4].

References

1. ^ Linda Cohen, Allie Young Gartner Inc., Multisourcing – Moving Beyond Outsourcing to Achieve Growth and Agility. Harvard Business School Press.pp. 3–4
2. ^ Mary Cecelia Lacity, Rudy Hirschheim, Beyond The Information Systems Outsourcing Bandwagon: The Insourcing Response. John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
3. ^ Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? Inside IBM's Historic Turnaround. Collins (November 12, 2002). pp. 76
4. ^ Outsourcing Providers Need A Strategy Rethink To Address Buyers' Shift To Multisourcing, http://www.forrester.com/Research/Document/Excerpt/0,7211,42569,00.html