Externaliserad

Externaliserad is a Swedish term meaning outsourced or externalized. It describes processes, activities, or costs that are carried out by an external entity rather than in-house. The term is widely used in business, IT, and public administration, and it also appears in psychology to describe behavior attributed to external rather than internal sources.

In business and public administration, externalisering means transferring internal functions to external suppliers via outsourcing agreements. It can involve domestic or offshore arrangements and aims to reduce costs, gain expertise, and increase flexibility. The typical cycle includes decision-making, procurement, contracting, governance, and performance monitoring.

Critics cite loss of control, quality risks, higher long-term costs, supplier dependence, and data or labor impacts; supporters cite efficiency gains and a focus on core activities.

In psychology, externaliserad refers to externalizing behavior—outward-directed actions such as aggression or rule-breaking—often contrasted with internaliserad problems like anxiety or mood disorders.

Examples include a company outsourcing IT maintenance or a municipality outsourcing waste management.

See also: outsourcing, insourcing, offshoring, onshoring, externalization.