Transformation from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age: Impact on Outsourcing

Abstract:     
The previous decades have seen the emergence of the Information Age, where the key focus was on knowledge acquisition and application. With the emergence of cross domain disciplines like outsourcing, we are witnessing a trend towards creative knowledge, rational application, and innovation. We are now progressing from an era that was information-dependent towards the era that revolves around "concept" development. This age, referred to as the Conceptual Age, will be dominated by six new senses - Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning - creating a need to diverge from the current reliance on linear and sequential algorithmic practices in outsourcing and to adopt cognition based engineering and management approaches. This paper lays the foundation for Offshore Engineering and Management (OEM) and discusses estimation issues in OEM that have their roots in software engineering. Also, this paper identifies the limitations of the current methodologies from an outsourcing point of view, and delineates how they can be deployed effectively for an outsourced environment.

Keywords: Information Age, Conceptual Age, Outsourcing, Outsourcing Engineering and Management (OEM), Cost Estimation, Evidence Based Software Engineering,

Working Paper Series