ABSTRACT. Baker et al. write that an outsourcing decision is generally strategic and made by top management. Morgan Chambers claims that in a maturing market, clients become more demanding. McIvor stresses that the drive for greater efficiencies and cost reductions has forced many organizations to increasingly specialize in a limited number of key areas. Mierau writes that developed countries are facing a shortage of highly trained and specialized professionals in some knowledge-intensive, high-skill sectors.