The book discusses the growth of outsourcing over the past 20 years, focusing on information systems, business process outsourcing, and offshoring. It highlights that many strategic alliances were actually fee-for-service contracts. The authors provide criteria for making sourcing decisions and identify successful practices. They also examine the evolution of outsourcing markets since 2000, showing cost savings and service improvements but also new challenges. The book predicts 13 future global sourcing trends from 2009-2014. Organizations have been learning how to manage outsourcing, but the increasing complexity suggests a need for leadership in this area to ensure governance, control, flexibility, and superior business performance.