As part of the globalization trend, “outsourcing” became yet another tool in the entrepreneur’s pocket. A tool that could save money, hire talent when there was a shortage, lower health insurance costs, etc. Many found out it was not good for all situations, though. For example, Indians could program code cheap, but they only programed *exactly* as told. Nuances and other creative or user-friendly elements were lost in translation. Some managers ended up hiring more people to manage the outsourced staff or project than had originally been hired to simply work the project directly. So, “outsourcing” is a tool… it has its uses…and its drawbacks.

When our economy is not blasting ahead full-speed (i.e. the 90′s), it was (and I would argue *is*) standard practice to become a bit protectionist for a while. After all, India’s import-export laws rigidly protect their burgeoning IT economy, as well as their massive manual labor classes. This is true of many other emerging and established national economies. I would argue that “standard practice” is to modulate national economic policies (open vs. protectionist) based on the current status of the national economy. There is nothing wrong with this. Such policies that are implemented are usually not implemented forever. Nor are they meant to be THE solution. If they are, then we have lost our vision and we are in trouble. Such protectionist policies are implemented in the short term, until such time as the economy turns around, or until such time as other steps can be implemented to re-train large groups of people and change the educational systems.

I would argue that the current debates about “Outsourcing” are almost purely political (not economic) in nature. They are make people angry. Everyone knows someone who has lost a job and who feels this loss was due to “outsourcing”. It is easy to drum up ‘paranoia’ on this subject (like so many others). It seems like a subject that one can have a black and white opinion on. One to divide the candidates, perhaps.

I argue that both political parties are using this and other “hot topics” to shy away from other more complex issues they wish to avoid.

“Outsourcing” itself if very complex. Much of our economy would fall apart completely if it weren’t for migrant workers, which is like the other side of the coin of “outsourcing”. Or, in another flip, aren’t many of our USA companies or industries the “source” used by the rest of the world. If the rest of the world stopped outsourcing to us for consultation services, education, architechture, military, Coke, Procter & Gamble, banking, etc., what of our economy then?

Finally,

There is little else more democratic than a free market. We vote everytime we buy something or use the service of a multinational company.

It is not a transition that is gently letting our college students know to study somthing outside of Computer Sciences…these college kids are graduating finding their job is already owned by a Filipino in Manila (or even a Filipino on a work visa in California).

I think the model is effective if it is held on a timeline. BUt it isn’t. ANd even if it was, the question regarding the top-end line remains. You may be able to explain away what engineers are supposed to do…but how far up do you go with the explanation?

It’s a fickle issue, that honestly doesn’t sit well with my Libertarian leanings…

I don’t think we can simply say globalization is good, though, for individual citizens of the US. I’m not sure your backgfround, sir, but I’m from a family of engineers. THe 1990′s, while everyone was celebrating dotcoms or whatever, were not terribly keen to the engineers of the defense industry (granted, there were post-cold war cuts. But most didn’t realize the ecnonmic effects of defense/aviation industry drops because everyone was fascinated by the internet and dotcoms…). TOday, as then as well, real computer programmers (as my mother) aren’t doing so hot either (actual programmers were largely unaffected by the dotcom bubble…the dotcoms’ contributions, contrary to pupular belief, was not in hiring programmers, but hiring webmasters, designers, secretaries, janitors, caterers…). I think folks would be surprised how much is offshored even in the historically foreign-shy defense industry now.

Outsourcing Labor jobs? Heck, we killed those a long time ago. It’s a relative non-issue. Offshoring tech support jobs? that’s arguably a problem to some, though still largely “explained” away. But when you get to full-on engineers and computer programers, one must start to wonder: where is the line drawn?