The Moral Case on Outsourcing: How Good, Bad, or Ugly is it for America and the World?

Virtually every American has an immediate, visceral reaction to the word ‘outsourcing.’ The vast majority feel threatened by it. Most see it as one of the biggest causes of job loss in the economy. Pundits regularly attack the industry and politicians have spoken of ‘Benedict Arnold CEOs’ and ‘Patriot employers.’ Outsourcing has become synonymous with some of our biggest fears for the American economy and the future of the American Dream. It has been blamed for the breakdown of the social contract between companies and workers as well as the veritable downfall of the once great American middle class. But is this modern-day revolution in business practice the dire threat that people believe it to be? Do the costs truly outweigh the benefits? The Moral Case on Outsourcing provides a comprehensive look at the social, political, and moral implications of this controversial practice. Along the way, it directly confronts the conventional wisdom on both sides of the debate. The book concludes with a set of policies designed to help all Americans prosper in a world increasingly characterized by outsourcing, globalization, and an accelerating pace of technological change.