Outsourcing Readiness Calculator

This template will help you organize the questions needed to develop an outsourcing partner profile to keep you on-track and focused during your search. The questions are covered in detail in chapter 3 of The New Breed of Chinese Outsourcers: Building Global Champions.

This template is in the form of a chart with sample weighted criteria that will enable you and your team to evaluate your candidates as objectively as possible. It is designed to ensure that you don’t miss any important criterion, and that you assign the proper weight to each one, according to the requirements of your own organization.

Criteria	Weight (Out of 5)	Ranking (Out of 5)	Total Score
1. Are your values aligned?
2. Is training set up for…
a. Cross-cultural management for your company?
b. Cross-cultural management for your partner?
c. Language training for your company?
d. Language training for your partner?
e. IP protection management for your company?
f. IP protection management for your partner?
g. Technical topics for your partner?
h. Is any other cross-training required for either company?
i. Is there a start date for an internship program?
3. Are executives at both companies ready to talk on a daily basis?
4. Are there clear career paths for partner staff?
5. Is there a schedule for travel back and forth for executives, managers and staff?
6. Is there a start date for the Innovation Board?
7. Is there a schedule for team-building activities, e.g., sports, community service, etc.?
8. Is there a concrete plan to tie outsourcing success/failure to…
a. compensation?
b. performance objectives?
c. the budgeting process?
9. Are there specific metrics to measure outsourcing success/failure?
Total: