The decision to outsource any function is difficult because it requires the company give up some control over an aspect of its business. Because of its complicated nature, information technology is being considered more often for outsourcing. But what does outsourcing IT mean, and how does a distributor decide to do it? Here are the two very different answers that Strauss Paper Co. and Graybar found.
 
Six years ago, Patsy O’Grady had to make a decision: Was her role as chief information officer of Port Chester, NY-based Strauss Paper Co. to be an expert in the latest systems engineering concepts or an expert on technology as it relates to distribution?

With technology advancing at exponential rates, some companies are finding it more difficult for their …