Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 1 down vote favorite

I know to outsource is to subcontract work to another company. But for example if company A, a TV maker, wants to buy panels from a panel making company B instead of producing panels themselves, can we say:

Company A outsources panels from company B.

If not, how else can we put it?

share|improve this question
2  
I would say that Company A sources its panels from Company B, or that Company B supplies panels to Company A. If Company A used to manufacture panels itself, then I would say that Company A has outsourced its panel manufacturing to Company B. – choster May 4 '12 at 16:08
4  
Whatever you do, you do not outsource from. You outsource to. You cannot say, "we have outsourced our customer support from India". That's complete nonsense. – RegDwighт♦ May 4 '12 at 16:39
@RegDwightΒВBẞ8: This. – Robusto May 4 '12 at 16:41
@choster: you should make that an answer. IMO, source/sourced this is the typical business usage for acquiring materials for use in products. – horatio May 4 '12 at 18:55
show 2 more comments

3 Answers

up vote 4 down vote

The OED's definition is 'To obtain (goods, a service, etc.) by contract from an outside source'. Panels are - are they not? - goods.

share|improve this answer
up vote 1 down vote

The technical meaning of outsourcing is "obtaining services from other companies or individuals rather than employing full-time members of staff to provide them." (See BBC, Learning English, General & Business English [→])

However, if we admit that panels are goods¹, strictly speaking, we could say "Company A outsources panels from company B" only if "A" can produce panel by itself; that is, "A" has the necessary know-how to produce panel, but choose to outsource because of the advantages it offers as compared to the traditional process of production. If not, we might say "Company A buys panels from company B".

¹ Oxford Dictionary of English | outsource: "obtain (goods or a service) by contract from an outside supplier."

share|improve this answer
I think even if Company A does have the know-how to make the panels, buys is a better word. – JLG May 4 '12 at 17:29
up vote 0 down vote

Generally, they are referred to as bought out items. There are contractual differences between outsourced services and bought out items.

share|improve this answer
To me "bought out" means to buy the entire stock of something, not to buy it from outside the company. Choster's comment uses what I would use: "sourced items". – Peter K. May 4 '12 at 16:21
1  
@Carlo_R Never edit while active exchange is on. That can jeopardize editing by original answerer/ commenting at the answer. I know you're well aware of it. – Kris May 4 '12 at 16:59
I would say they were bought in. Bought out has several meanings, but not this. – TimLymington May 19 '12 at 13:35
In all these weeks there was ample opportunity to google the term 'bought-out items' or otherwise do some research. Note: Without the word 'items' the phrase has an altogether different usage. – Kris May 19 '12 at 17:09

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.