crosssourcing

Crosssourcing is a sourcing strategy that deliberately distributes work across multiple providers, including internal teams, external vendors, contractors, and, in some cases, crowd platforms, to complete a project or process. It seeks to combine the strengths of different sources while mitigating the risks of relying on a single supplier.

The approach emphasizes governance and interoperability. Work is partitioned into modular components with well-defined interfaces, allowing diverse contributors to coordinate through common standards, project management tools, and contractually defined roles. Crosssourcing often involves onshore and offshore participants and may blend traditional outsourcing with in-house development.

Applications include information technology development, product design, business process outsourcing, manufacturing supply chains, and content creation. In software, for example, a company may develop core architecture in-house while sourcing UI design, QA, documentation, and localized features from external teams.

Benefits include reduced dependency on a single supplier, improved access to specialized expertise, greater scalability, and potential cost advantages. It can also enhance resilience by distributing work across multiple providers and locations, reducing the impact of supplier disruptions.

Risks and challenges involve coordination overhead, integration complexity, and quality control. Intellectual property, data security, and compliance require careful contracts and clear ownership. Successful crosssourcing depends on robust governance, standardized interfaces, performance metrics, and ongoing vendor management.