Outsourcing A practice used by different companies to reduce costs by transferring portions of work to outside suppliers rather than completing it internally. Investopedia Says: Outsourcing is an effective cost-saving strategy when used properly. It is sometimes more affordable to purchase a good from companies with comparative advantages than it is to produce the good internally. An example of a manufacturing company outsourcing would be Dell buying some of its computer components from another manufacturer in order to save on production costs. Alternatively, businesses may decide to outsource book-keeping duties to independent accounting firms, as it may be cheaper than retaining an in-house accountant. Related Terms: Explicit Cost Implicit Cost In-House Opportunity Cost Outlay Cost Paraplanning |