Holmes Institute HI6008: Research on Business Function Outsourcing

This report is a comprehensive research study on the outsourcing of business functions. It begins with an introduction highlighting the significance of outsourcing in the contemporary business landscape, followed by an extensive literature review that explores various aspects of outsourcing, such as its impact on operational effectiveness, cost management, and risk factors. The research employs a survey methodology, utilizing questionnaires to gather data, which is then meticulously analyzed and interpreted. The report presents the findings through tables and charts, offering insights into the benefits, challenges, and overall implications of business function outsourcing. It concludes with a summary of the key findings and recommendations, providing a holistic view of the subject.

[Date]
Ruining Head: RESEARCH
Outsourcing of business functions
Student Id:

RESEARCH 1
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Literature review........................................................................................................................2
Research paradigm.....................................................................................................................4
Introduction............................................................................................................................4
Research Onion Framework...................................................................................................5
Survey through questionnaire...............................................................................................11
Data Interpretation...................................................................................................................13
Summary of findings................................................................................................................25
Conclusion................................................................................................................................26
References................................................................................................................................28
Table 1: Gender........................................................................................................................13
Table 2: age..............................................................................................................................14
Table 3: Experience..................................................................................................................15
Table 4: business function outsourcing is determined as the procedure of business wherein
corporation outsources their some function to the third party.................................................16
Table 5: organization could outsource their many activities such as housekeeping abilities of
the office building as well as janitorial services......................................................................17
Table 6: business function outsourcing is effective for the organization as it offers
possibilities to manage the time, money, and efforts on the specified task.............................18
Table 7: organization could use the outsourcing activities to deal with customer issues and
make decision activity..............................................................................................................19
Table 8: Cost saving is the key benefits of the business outsourcing functions......................20

RESEARCH 2
Table 9: Business-outsourcing functions could be effective in improving in the operational
effectiveness of the firm...........................................................................................................21
Table 10: Business outsourcing acts could directly impact on the overall productivity of the
firm by creating the risk in the business activity......................................................................22
Table 11: Business outsourcing manages the language barriers for the executives of the
company...................................................................................................................................23
Table 12: Security as well as compliance could be determined as the formal credentials......24
Chart 1: Gender........................................................................................................................14
Chart 2: age..............................................................................................................................15
Chart 3: Experience..................................................................................................................16
Chart 4: business function outsourcing is determined as the procedure of business wherein
corporation outsources their some function to the third party.................................................17
Chart 5: organization could outsource their many activities such as housekeeping abilities of
the office building as well as janitorial services......................................................................19
Chart 6: business function outsourcing is effective for the organization as it offers
possibilities to manage the time, money, and efforts on the specified task.............................19
Chart 7: organization could use the outsourcing activities to deal with customer issues and
make decision activity..............................................................................................................20
Chart 8: Cost saving is the key benefits of the business outsourcing functions......................21
Chart 9: Business-outsourcing functions could be effective in improving in the operational
effectiveness of the firm...........................................................................................................22
Chart 10: Business outsourcing acts could directly impact on the overall productivity of the
firm by creating the risk in the business activity......................................................................23

RESEARCH 3
Chart 11: Business outsourcing manages the language barriers for the executives of the
company...................................................................................................................................24
Chart 12: Security as well as compliance could be determined as the formal credentials.......25

RESEARCH 4
Introduction
In the business era, outsourcing of business functions could be effective to operate the
business and increase the competitiveness of the firm. Furthermore, cost management is
effective in the aspect of fair treatment and co-operation in business acts (Eva, Hindle, Paul,
Rollaston, & Tudor, 2014). It is stated that business outsources acts could be imperative for
operating business activities as well as make a decision effectively. This report discusses
critically evaluates the outsourcing of business functions. It also discusses the methodologies
that have been practiced to collect feasible information about business outsourcing. It
demonstrates data analysis as well as findings which aids to evaluate the collected data in
favor of research matter.
Literature review
According to Gilani & Jamshed (2016) core business function outsourcing is determined as
the procedure of business wherein corporation outsources their some function to the third
party due to managing each activity and make a decision accordingly. For example, most of
the organization has outsourced their telephonic section and managing the customer business
acts to the third party, which has the capability to run the business acts of the firm and make
the decision accordingly. It could be effective in outsourcing business activity. Moreover, it is
evaluated that business outsourcing being a larger industry that is identified as the BPO
(business process outsourcing) (Ahmed, Capretz, Sandhu, & Raza, 2014).
In support of this, Druck (2016) illustrated that the company could practice the outsourcing
activities to manage customer issues, which supports to get favourable decision activity.
Moreover, the consumer could care is not more acts of the business as the telecommunication
organization could outsource their business acts and works especially for managing the time
and cost of the business, which will be effective in sustaining the business in the current era.
The outsourcing chain is effective for the different industry segment to secure their cost as

RESEARCH 5
well as time. In the recent era, a huge number of the third-party firm that is engaged in acts as
the outsourcing acts as the diverse business activities could be outsourced.
Apart from this, Wuyts Rindfleisch & Citrin (2015) examined that business outsourcing
functions could be effective in improving the operational effectiveness of the firm. Moreover,
it offers the opportunity to the firm to obtain quality services from a vendor’s specialized
structure. Specialization enables higher effectiveness and facilitates to complete the prompt
time and cost. Moreover, it is also founded that ability of an individual could be improved by
considering different tools (Amanullah, Azhana, Ab Aziz, Hadi, Hanis, & Ibrahim, 2015).
Apart from this, Zhang Zhao & Xu (2016) stated that if the consumers could care about the
division then the bank could be accountable for managing the customer care services and
make a decision in the favor of the organizational functions. Consequently, it will enhance
the productivity of the firm. But if the organization outsourced their function in the minimum
cost then they could be capable to manage business accordingly and increase the possibilities
of getting the higher outcome. Hence, a bank should concentrate on its core acts of banking
and could make their higher efforts in increasing its consumers base. In the recent period,
outsourced vendors could manage the consumer care services of a firm which could offer an
opportunity to get the opportunity and make the decision accordingly (Dinu, 2015). It is
examined that an engaged group is a person who is accountable for offering customer
services and could give and reliable consumer services to the firm. However, these outsource
acts could be performed by effective or specialist human resources. Moreover, it is evaluated
that vendors could increase the consumer's services quality by delivering feedback to the
financial organization as well as enables the alternatives to increase customer care services
(Baraldi, Proença, Proença, & De Castro, 2014).
Hafeez & Andersen (2014) stated that the business outsourcing acts could directly impact on
the overall productivity of the firm by creating the risk in the business activity. For

RESEARCH 6
illustrations, if an organization could make a call and there is an issue in a specific part then
those part could be outsourced due to the defectiveness. The car holder could not take any
kind of burden for correcting the damaged parts and influence the overall image of the car.
The outsourcing activity could be a tool that assists the firm in managing their activity and
makes improve the overall process of the firm. The business procedure outsourcing is highly
influenced due to their language issues, which could be a major issue for the firm.
Furthermore, if the services of an organization are outsourced then there is a higher risk of
losing the confidentiality of information. It could also influence the overall outcome of the
study (Cavusgil, Knight, Riesenberger, Rammal, & Rose, 2014).
Apart from this, Ali & Khan (2014, August) stated that organizational knowledge could
create difficulties for the firm at the time of outsourcing of business functions and work
accordingly. It is also stated that outsourced employees have not the same knowledge and
passion for the passion of an organization as a permanent workforce. It is evaluated that
outsourced workforces could be hired on the agreement basis and them not highly skills and
knowledge towards with respect to their allocated work. Hence, it could directly impact on
the consumer experience.
Sharma Lindsay & Everton (2015) stated that the additional barrier at the time of
outsourcing the business functions is that it could create the language barrier for the firm as it
is being a major issue for the firm. It could create the conflict ta the workplace which will
influence the overall outcome of the firm. The business procedure outsourcing is highly
influenced due to their language issues, which could be a major issue for the firm.
Furthermore, if the services of an organization are outsourced then there is a higher risk of
losing the confidentiality of information. It could also influence the overall outcome of the
study.
Research paradigm

RESEARCH 7
Introduction
In the dissertation, research methodology is an essential aspect which facilitates to discoveres
for gaining their knowledge about many research methods to perform the research study
systematically. It also supports to get a reliable research outcome and accomplish the
specified goal and objectives of the investigation. Along with this, the selection of
appropriate research method for research study also leads to conduct the research in the least
time and cost (Anderson, 2015).
Certain approaches are considered in the research methodology section such as research
philosophy, data gathering tool, research approaches, and research design. It aids the
researcher to obtain proper data for resolving the research issues effectively. The main aim of
this research study is to evaluate the outsourcing of business functions (Li, & Wan, 2014). In
addition, in this investigation, different articles have used by the researcher for balancing the
link between accumulated data and research dilemma. Research scholar could exercise
various observation techniques to enhance the quality as well as trustworthiness of research
study (Scherrer-Rathje Deflorin & Anand, 2014).
Research Onion Framework
The scholar has practiced research onion framework for pooling the suitable data to achieve
the aim and objectives of the investigation. It also helps an investigator for comprehending
their knowledge towards the research tools and techniques. Consequently, it enables the
researcher to use many research techniques such as research approach, research strategies,
and research methods. In order to this, it is also evaluated that research onion work is created
by Saunders that supports to develop the appropriate knowledge of research techniques
(Mirchandani & Lederer, 2014). This framework could also be effective to enhance the
quality and reliability of research study in a systematic way.

RESEARCH 8
It facilitates the research scholar to assess the suitable research tools and techniques and also
helps to create understanding related to the research methods in an appropriate way. The
researcher has conducted this research study as per the research onion framework which is
described as below:
Research philosophy
Research philosophy helps the Researcher to get a detailed understanding with respect to
research matter. Research scholar has accumulated reliable data in the context of research
concern by selecting a suitable type of research philosophy. Along with this, appropriate
research philosophy also leads to accomplishing the study purpose.
It makes the researcher capable to determine the valid and reliable facts as per the statistical
data. There are three types of research philosophy that are used in the research study such as
positivism research philosophy, interpretivism research philosophy, and realism research
philosophy (Höglund & Sundvik, 2016). Under interpretivism research philosophy, research
scholar could gain a depth understanding of the research matter by gathering perceptions and
views of research candidates. In this research, the investigator has practiced interpretivism
research philosophy because it enables the research scholar to gather appropriate facts and
figures with respect to the outsourcing of business functions. Interpretivism research
philosophy also assists the investigator to make valid and reliable conclusion towards the

RESEARCH 9
research matter. Further, it is also analyzed that research scholar could accomplish the main
purpose of this research by using interpretivism philosophy. In addition, due to the subjective
nature of this research study more suitable result provided by the interpretivism research
philosophy (Klimovets, 2015).
Research approach
The research approaches supports the research scholar to determine the suitable method of
research for pooling the relevant data in the context of research concern and conducting the
investigation effectively. Further, it also facilitates the researcher to present the accumulated
data (Fontagné & Harrison, 2017). The research approach has categorized into two types
which are deductive research approach and inductive research approach. These research
approaches is imperative in obtaining the reliable data about the current research concern.
Deductive research approach gives a favorable result with positivism research philosophy but
at the same time, inductive research approach delivers more appropriate result with
interpretivism research philosophy. On the basis of the research issue researcher make
hypothesis under the deductive research approach and it also supports to achieve the specified
goal of the research study. In order to this, the investigator accepts or rejects the developed
hypothesis as per the assessment of gathered information. Apart from this, theoretical
data in the favour of business outsourcing as it can be possible by practicing the inductive
approach (Lacity & Willcocks, 2014).
For this research study, research scholar has exercised the inductive approach, as this
research approach is imperative for evaluating the outsourcing of business functions rather
than practicing the deductive research approach. This research approach also aids the
researcher to obtain the relevant information with respect to the current research concern.
Hence, it enables the investigator to improve the rationality as well as dependability of
upcoming result. A researcher could attain necessary information by using an inductive

RESEARCH 10
research approach in an appropriate way. On the other hand, deductive research approach
could be a reliable tool for performing the investigation in the case of the objective nature of
research study.
Research design
Research design supports discoverers to meet the research purpose of research result.
by using suitable research methods and techniques. Research design has categorized into
three parts which are causal research design, exploratory research design, and descriptive
research design. For this investigation, many research methods and techniques are exercised
by the research scholar to define the suitable tool of research design (Martínez-Noya &
García-Canal, 2014).
Further, descriptive research design leads the investigator to gain a detailed understanding of
the research study. Exploratory research design facilitates the investigator to attain the
targeted goal and objectives of the research issue by utilizing a hypothesis that is made by the
researcher.
Furthermore, the researcher has practiced a descriptive research design as it is an effective
technique in polling the theoretical information with respect to the outsourcing of business
functions. This research design also supports the researcher to get feasible information in the
context of the research dilemma. In this research, descriptive research design applied by the
research scholar to gain understanding about the unique characteristics of the group as well as
the individual. The researcher could accumulate the reliable beliefs and perception of
research participants by using this research design and it also supports to obtain the targeted
aim and objectives of investigation (Lynn, et al., 2014).
Research strategy
Research strategy plays a crucial role in the research study as it aids the investigator to attain
the reliable responses of research participants in a more appropriate way. Research scholar

RESEARCH 11
could evaluate the accumulated information, obtain background data and develop a reliable
conclusion of an investigation by practicing appropriate research strategy (Nyameboame &
Haddud, 2017). The researcher has implemented various research strategies to get the
objectives and goal of research study such as literature review, case study, focused group,
observation method, interview method, experiment method and survey through a
questionnaire. Research scholar has utilized interview method for this research as it helps to
achieve the aim and objectives of the research and also assist to obtain a reliable research
outcome. This strategy aids the investigator to get feasible data with respect to the research
dilemma and accomplish the aim of the investigation. The researcher has used a close-ended
questionnaire structure to conduct the interview on 40 employees of Vodafone, Australia.
In order to this, the researcher could accumulate feasible data about the business outsourcing
by practicing this tool and it also assists in improving the soundness and credibility of
obtained quality result. In contrast to this, research scholar could get reliable information by
conducting face to face interview with research participants. Interview method also aids the
researcher to achieve the appropriate data in the context of the research issue. This method is
a vital aspect for developing a valid and trustworthy conclusion in the least time and cost
(Yilmaz & Bedük, 2014).
Data collection method
This section of study is a vital aspect that aids to accumulate appropriate data towards the
s[specified research dilemma. Certain methods of data gathering could be used by the
investigator which is named as primary and secondary data gathering tool. A suitable type of
data collection tool assists the investigator to comprehend knowledge about the targeted
concern. It is an essential aspect in making a trustworthy conclusion because it is directly
connected with research matter (Solli-Sæther & Gottschalk, 2015). Under the primary
information gathering technique fresh and innovative data with respect to research issue is