Where’s should we draw the line on DOD outsourcing?
This piece from HarvardBusiness.org raises the question: where should we draw the line on outsourcing within the Defense Department?
The Defense Department is due to report to Congress that in Afghanistan, U.S. troops continue to be outnumbered by private contractors . The contractors are described as performing auxiliary duties so that military personnel can focus on core tasks. Sound familiar? How many companies do you know that have outsourced “non-core” activities to focus on its “core competence”?
More:
But the pressure of shrinking budgets has pushed outsourcing further, as shown by the tasks that military contractors have been asked to perform. These include not only laundry and food services, but also building, maintaining, and even guarding military outposts. The military is now finding that some of these tasks, though not strictly “core” battle–related missions, are difficult to contract effectively and reliably.
So where do you think the line should be drawn?