Hi,
This chapter/article is about hiring employees, but it applies to outsourcing too...
"Men are cheaper than guns"...
The gist of it is, it's often "cheaper" to hire someone to do something, rather than to try to learn how to do it yourself. It's not only cheaper, but they'll often do a better job, too...
He uses an example from the Yul Brynner movie
"The Magnificent Seven" (along with his own experiences)...
"Men Are Cheaper Than Guns"
http://www.hcmpublishing.com/Chapter3excerpt.html
(It's chapter 3 of the book,
"Thinking Like an Entrepreneur" by Peter I. Hupalo. I believe Peter Hupalo made his money in the software industry.)
Best wishes,
Dien