Outsource: meaning, definitions and examples
๐ผ
outsource
[ หaสtsษหs ]
business operations
To obtain goods or services from an outside supplier, especially in place of an internal source. Companies often outsource tasks such as customer service, IT support, and manufacturing to save costs or improve efficiency.
Synonyms
contract out, delegate, subcontract.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| outsource |
Commonly used in business when a company hires another company or individual to perform tasks, services, or functions that could be or were previously done in-house. Usually used when talking about tasks that are not the core functions of the business.
|
| contract out |
Typically used in formal or official contexts where a specific contract is made to transfer a particular task or job to an external party. Often involves legal agreements and specific terms.
|
| delegate |
Used when distributing tasks or responsibilities within a team or organization to others, particularly subordinates or team members. It involves assigning responsibility rather than hiring external help.
|
| subcontract |
Used primarily in construction and large projects where a main contractor assigns parts of the work to other specialized contractors. It suggests a hierarchical relationship between the main contractor and subcontractors.
|
Examples of usage
- The company decided to outsource their logistics department to a third-party provider.
- Many businesses outsource their payroll processing to specialized firms.
business
A practice used by companies to reduce costs or improve efficiency by transferring portions of work to outside suppliers rather than completing it internally.
Synonyms
contracting out, externalization, subcontracting.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| outsource |
General term for having tasks or projects done by external companies or individuals instead of in-house staff. Commonly used in business environments.
|
| contracting out |
Typically used to refer to the formal process of entering into a contractual agreement with an outside entity to perform specific services or tasks.
|
| subcontracting |
Refers to hiring another company or individual to complete specific parts of a larger project. Commonly used in construction and manufacturing.
|
| externalization |
A more formal and broader term often used in academic or strategic business discussions. It refers to moving internal functions to an external organization.
|
Examples of usage
- Outsourcing has become a common strategy for companies looking to streamline their operations.
- The outsourcing of manufacturing has led to increased global competition.
Translations
Translations of the word "outsource" in other languages:
๐ต๐น terceirizar
๐ฎ๐ณ เคเคเคเคธเฅเคฐเฅเคธ เคเคฐเคจเคพ
๐ฉ๐ช auslagern
๐ฎ๐ฉ alih daya
๐บ๐ฆ ะฐัััะพััะธัะธ
๐ต๐ฑ zlecaฤ na zewnฤ trz
๐ฏ๐ต ๅค้จๅง่จใใ
๐ซ๐ท externaliser
๐ช๐ธ subcontratar
๐น๐ท dฤฑล kaynak kullanฤฑmฤฑ
๐ฐ๐ท ์์์์ฑํ๋ค
๐ธ๐ฆ ุงูุงุณุชุนุงูุฉ ุจู ุตุงุฏุฑ ุฎุงุฑุฌูุฉ
๐จ๐ฟ outsourcovat
๐ธ๐ฐ outsourcovaลฅ
๐จ๐ณ ๅคๅ
๐ธ๐ฎ zunanje izvajanje
๐ฎ๐ธ รบtvistun
๐ฐ๐ฟ ะฐัััะพััะธะฝะณ
๐ฌ๐ช แแฃแแกแแ แกแแแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ autsorsinq
๐ฒ๐ฝ subcontratar
Etymology
The term 'outsource' was first coined in the 1980s, as companies began to explore the benefits of transferring certain business functions to external providers. This practice gained popularity in the following decades as globalization and technological advancements made it easier to connect with suppliers around the world. Today, outsourcing is a common strategy used by businesses of all sizes to stay competitive in the global marketplace.
See also: insourcing, sources, sourcing.