Custom application development and maintenance is set to be the biggest outsourcing focus for UK businesses over the next 12-18 months, according to a survey commissioned by Valueshore and conducted by research company Vanson Bourne.
Vanson Bourne said that 62% of the 200 UK IT directors questioned already were, or planning to, outsource custom applications as businesses look to reinvest in IT following the recession. Outsourcing the maintenance of packaged applications, such as SAP and Oracle, will also be a priority with 50% planning to outsource this area.
The survey found that there will be a demand for outsourcing remote infrastructure management (RIM), with 43% signaling they would be outsourcing RIM. Thirty one percent of those questioned were ready to invest in business process outsourcing, while only16% of organisations questioned are looking to outsource their BI functions.
Daniel Naoum, co-founder of Valueshore Spain, said: "This research has indicated that application development and maintenance is growing in popularity, however many businesses still aren’t prepared to outsource functions such as BI.
"When a company is looking at outsourcing, it’s tempting to base outsourcing decisions purely on day-rates. Although this will cut costs in the short-term, for continued savings, businesses must consider other factors."
