Getting work done: Evaluating the potential of crowdsourcing as a model for business process outsourcing service delivery

Crowdsourcing is the use of large groups of individuals to perform tasks traditionally performed by employees or designated agents. For business process outsourcing (BPO) service providers, the crowd may represent a new way to reduce costs and increase efficiencies associated with labor-intensive services. The ability to connect with the crowd to get work done may also open up new possibilities for workers in rural or economically depressed areas, and those within emerging markets. It is unclear, however, what challenges a crowdsourced services business model creates for organizations. An exploratory case study examining the potential of the crowd as a source of on-demand labor for delivering labor-intensive BPO services reveals the key role of information technology in overcoming economic, technical, and social challenges. Five key challenges were identified and are discussed: 1) protecting sensitive data, 2) ensuring quality of work, 3) ensuring timely completion of tasks, 4) managing increased workload, and 5) ensuring the sustainability of the model.