Firms benefit from 'strategic' IT outsourcing

Businesses can deliver an improved financial performance by outsourcing IT infrastructure in a 'strategic' fashion, according to a new study.

Research conducted by technology analyst Freeform Dynamics suggests that firms should carefully analyse which elements of their IT operations have the scope for greater efficiency.

A statement from Freeform Dynamics said: "In this study we found a clear correlation between IT organisations that deliver services at a more strategic level to the business, and how businesses perceive their IT organisations.

"More importantly perhaps, there was also a correlation with stock market performance. It is a positive sign and adds considerable weight to the argument that IT can operate as more than just a cost centre."

Recent research by Gartner claimed that technological advances in developing economies will transform the global IT outsourcing sector into a 'borderless state' by 2015.

Firms are expected to pay less attention to nationality when sourcing infrastructure as they strive to take advantage of low-cost, highly skilled labour workforces.