Using application service providers: yes or no?

A firm should do whatever is necessary to survive and prosper and therefore its strategy should depend on the particular situation and the critical importance of the key core activity involved. One specific question might be whether or not to go outside its boundaries and use an application service provider (ASP) in strategically significant core activity areas where knowledge and information networks are critical to its success. This paper develops some contingency guidelines for making this specific decision that can be adapted to similar decisions in other core activity business process areas. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.