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The purpose of this paper is to explore sourcing strategies for facilities management services using core-competency theory of outsourcing. The aim is to develop a screening framework for deciding the suitability of outsourcing versus in-house delivery for these services based on three levels of managerial functions prevalent in a typical commercial organization.

A questionnaire survey was administered for facilities managers in Sri Lanka to investigate the relative importance of these managerial functions for facilities management services and obtain their opinions on the best delivery mode. The managerial functions were derived from a literature review and verified using three semi-structured interviews prior to the questionnaire survey design.

The findings showed that facilities management services that are aligned to strategic functions are suitable for in-house delivery, while those that are aligned to tactical and operational functions for outsourcing.

Further studies should be conducted and extended to other types of organizations beyond commercial ones. Secondly, the quantitative study employed a smaller sample (n = 40), and the survey items were based on the review of literature which was verified using a very small number of interviews (n = 3).

The proposed framework can be utilized when choosing the best facilities management approach for commercial organizations in developing countries such as Sri Lanka.

This study contributes to the body of knowledge on the subject of facilities management by exploring the context in Sri Lankan which has not previously been done.

This paper aims to address the often fragmented approach to performance issues to maximise services quality and returns. With the increased emphasis on corporate reforms, the research presents a model framework as logic to strategy viability and competitive advantage for better outsourcing services delivery and excellence. The global change requires models with logic and variability to practically see the reality and challenges of all times.

Based on comprehensive literature search on performance research, nine influence factors were deduced as models for performance measure. This model is used to evaluate the performance of outsourcing firms in Malaysia. Over 200 questionnaires were sent out to outsourcing services delivery firms in Malaysia by post or personal visits; 68 of them responded. The study applied multivariate analysis to ascertain strategy capability and perception about factors that influence performance in the firms.

The outsourcing strategy performance revealed by the principal component analysis has given the strategy capability of the firms to be above-average, however not in a state to guarantee achievement of sustaining quality and excellence in services delivery. Conversely, to remain at the edge requires strategy that is flexible, integrated and sustainable, which most firms do not have. The results have also shown that more than half of the sampled population opted for a high-performance delivery goal; however, this vision was not supported adequately by a viable strategy. This inflexibility in strategy by most firms gives rise to usurpation and sub-optimality, which failed to take the facilities management (FM) profession beyond the reactive maintenance culture of the past century.

This research paper is one of the few strategic models from Malaysia that holistically evaluates performance in outsourcing firms.

The paper provides a model that can integrate and sustain the workplace which is a valuable insight to the FM and research world.

This study introduced a paradigm using influence factors (timeless practice) to ensure excellency in outsourcing services delivery. Today savvy customers are looking for reliability and quality services with cost certainty, which is partly the reason for the expanding interests on outsourcing. The workplaces require strategic reforms to foster better facilities performance and value.

The purpose of this paper is to compare service outsourcing decisions between public and private organizations and against a theoretical decision-making framework to both understand differences across the sectors and to provide an outsourcing framework more suitable specifically for outsourcing (and for the public sector).

Multiple case studies, i.e. a study of phenomena (here outsourcing process) at various sites is used as an approach.

Findings indicate that public sector organizations are trailing behind private sector organizations in how the decision-making process is conducted and resourced. The authors suggest regular evaluation of service functions internally as a starting point for the outsourcing service decision-making process. Additionally, the market analysis should be done prior to cost analysis and benchmarking as the availability of suppliers more qualified than the internal process defines the make or buy decision.

The newly developed framework based on empirical evidence includes the following phases: regular evaluation of service functions, market analysis, cost analysis and benchmarking and evaluating relevant service activities. Applying the framework improves the efficient delivery of outsourced public services and brings public sector outsourcing closer to the professionalism currently present in the private sector.

Choosing between in-house and outsourced service delivery is a fundamental decision in both private and public sector organizations. Previous outsourcing research has mostly focused on the private sector, with limited focus on the public sector’s outsourcing processes, yet understanding of the service outsourcing process is important in ensuring organizational competitiveness and cost efficiency.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the shared services or outsourcing decision.

Data are drawn from interviews with over 70 executives in leading organizations in relation to their strategic objectives in advocating the adoption of their chosen service delivery model.

The paper notes that decision making by the numbers alone (satellite strategy) may ensure reaching the strategic destination eventually, but perhaps too belatedly. One has to consider the different stages of the “in”, “out” or “shake it all about” debate relating to sourcing strategy and the costs thereof.

The paper is of value in enabling organizations to recognize the distinction between strategic enablement and their competitive intangibles.

This study aims to provide a conceptualisation of HR outsourcing (HRO) effectiveness from a service quality perspective and subsequently develop a scale – HROSERVPERF to measure HRO service performance underpinned S-O-R theory.

Grounded on theoretical conceptualisation, literature and information collected through semi-structured interviews, HRO service performance items pool were generated. 257 responses from manufacturing firms in Malaysia that have outsourced their HR were collected. PLS-SEM is used for scale confirmation and validation.

The conceptualisation of HRO effectiveness and HRO service performance suggests a need for scale development that encompasses service quality-satisfaction-loyalty framework supported by S-O-R theory. Operational improvement, resource alignment and service delivery emerged as the service performance dimensions of HROSERVPERF.

This study was limited to manufacturing firms in Malaysia, hence little generalisation could be drawn beyond this context. However, this serves as future research opportunities.

HR managers and service providers can employ HROSERVPERF to measure and improve HRO service performance more effectively. Service providers can re-strategise and target their scarce resources to better retain their clients.

This is the first paper that provides HRO effectiveness conceptualisation from a service quality perspective followed by a scale development with formative measures using PLS-SEM underpinned S-O-R theory.

This paper aims to provide a reflection on the other contributions to this special issue of IJPSM on the “employment implications of the outsourcing of public services to voluntary, not‐for‐profit organisations” in the light of more widely available discourses and evidence.

The paper, in line with the purpose, draws on relevant secondary sources, including those forming part of this special issue.

The provided analysis centrally concludes that, against the backcloth of growing competitive pressures and public expenditure cuts, there is a real threat of a general downward trend in the employment conditions of voluntary sector staff engaged in the delivery of outsourced public services that has the potential to adversely affect service quality.

There is a need for much more extensive research on how market‐based outsourcing is impacting on the work experiences of voluntary sector staff outside the area of social care and the implications that it has for the quality of service provision.

The analysis draws attention to the need to consider further regulatory action to protect the terms and conditions of voluntary sector staff engaged in the delivery of outsourced public services.

The paper serves to highlight that, rather than improving the value for money of social care services, outsourcing has the potential to do the opposite by adversely impacting on the employment conditions of staff and hence the quality of services provided.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of delivering rescue services in remote areas, where there is little or no natural incentive to provide this service, taking the case of Estonia as an example.

The case study is based on secondary data obtained via analysis of legal acts, rescripts and strategic documents, as well as (applied) studies. In addition, the transcripts of ten half-structured interviews were analyzed, which were conducted with rescue services experts in December 2012. The benefits and risks pointed out in the literature are discussed against an example of providing rescue services in the remote areas of Estonia.

Outsourcing rescue services has led to cost effectiveness and thereby provides a better-quality service in densely populated areas. The main risks are yet to emerge. It is highly probable that the Estonian Rescue Board has to deal with the issues regarding the lack of control over service, which in turn is caused by the lack of skills and competence to manage the relationships and to design appropriate service-level agreements.

Since the voluntary rescue service provision is rapidly evolving, there have not yet been many studies undertaken to describe the positive and negative aspects of its development. Therefore, the collected data have gaps and are open for discussion.

The introduction of an extensive network of voluntary fire and rescue service brigades is a paradigm shift in Estonia, where the rescue services have so far been provided publicly. Thus, it gives a guidance to other practitioners, on which aspects they should focus on, while planning a change in service provision/provider.

The novelty of this paper is to systematically analyze the benefits and risks occurred on a shift from public provision of rescue services to providing it in an extensive co-operation with voluntary rescuers.

This paper sets out to review the different types of outsourcing, its drivers and process, and to identify world‐class capabilities that host organisations can leverage.

This paper is primarily based on a review of literature.

Outsourcing helps the organisation to achieve higher levels of value creation for the final customer. Drivers of outsourcing emanate from organisational initiatives, improvement focus, financial and cost objectives, or growth objectives. A wide range of core and non‐core critical business processes are increasingly being outsourced covering a large spectrum of sectors and operations, enabling host organisations to gain access to world‐class capabilities.

This paper identifies critical drivers of outsourcing and the process by reviewing available literature in this area. In doing this an attempt is made to find answers to some fundamental questions. What are the main types and drivers of outsourcing? What are the different phases in the process of outsourcing? This paper discusses in detail the significant drivers and process of outsourcing; and the world‐class capabilities accessible by the host organisation. Case studies are used to illustrate these aspects further.

Organizations, both large and small, are increasingly outsourcing their applications to application service providers (ASPs) for a variety of reasons such as cost reduction, shortened time‐to‐market, lack of internal expertise, and risk reduction. However, the adoption of the ASP model has not been smooth sailing for many organizations, and only a few organizations have a formal approach to making ASP outsourcing decisions. Partially to fill this void, develops a value‐driven approach to outsourcing using ASP based on outsourcing theories and the industry’s best practices. The value‐driven approach is an adaptation and extension of Simon’s decision‐making process. It is designed to guide IS managers systematically through the complex process of identifying outsourcing opportunities, evaluating the viability of using the ASP model, making outsourcing decisions, managing contractual and implementation issues, and assessing the service quality of ASP vendors. Provides important implications for research and practice. For researchers, identifies ample research opportunities in this new field. For practitioners, the value‐driven approach gives them an invaluable tool to manage today’s complex information technology outsourcing.

This study investigates the motivation among customers to be more loyal to online food delivery applications (OFDA) services even after the COVID-19 epidemic by using perceived service quality aspects in Sri Lanka. The data were gathered by physically distributing a self-administrated questionnaire to clients in Sri Lanka who continue to use OFDA services on platform to customer (P2C) service delivery platforms to buy food despite the COVID-19 outbreak. Multiple regression is employed to analyse 287 effective observations, and the data revealed the significant positive effect of interaction, environment, outcome, and food qualities on customer loyalty to OFDA services. In fact, there is no impact from the delivery quality on customer loyalty to OFDA services due to outsourced food delivery. The findings suggest regular improvements in attributes such as interaction, environment, outcome, and food qualities in this hyper-competitive business environment. Further, this study sets substantial facts for the interested parties to establish an exemplary delivery system and other technological advancements to have a sustainable competitive advantage and solid customer base in the long run.