Outsourcing: a managerial competency for the 21st century.

The widespread application of outsourcing has been fueled by the changing nature of the work contract between employers and employees. The large-scale corporate downsizing that began in the late 1980s inspired a trend away from employer loyalty. This fact, coupled with today's tight labor market, has created a "guerrilla" work force comprised of deal-hungry professionals conditioned to signing bonuses, stock options, and higher-than-scale salaries.