But this highly partisan passion is not helpful. There are no absolute rights and wrongs when it comes to how to source IT.
“Sourcing is not a strategy in itself – it has to be the business strategy that drives the sourcing decision,” says Bob Carlson, former group head of IT and telecommunications at HSBC, with 25 years experience at the bank – a major user of outsourced IT.
"Business strategies can vary hugely – and therefore so will IT sourcing strategies. For example, a key part of HSBC’s business strategy is to acquire other companies, and integrate their customer base, which in turn requires integrated IT systems, whether those systems are sourced in-house or out, onshore or offshore,” says Carlson. “Contrast this with GE, whose business strategy is buying and selling businesses which they therefore do not want to integrate.”
