REVISITING A DEFINITION OF OUTSOURCING

Abstract

In 2012 we suggest a definition for outsourcing as a workers’ hiring process done through an intermediary company, whose ultimate objective is to reduce costs in relation with labor power and/or the externalization of labor conflicts. In this article, we intend to argue the validity of this definition in light of subsequent events in Brazil, namely: cases judged by the Federal Supreme Court (STF) since then and the laws enacted in 2017 (Laws 13.429 and 13.467) that allowed all forms of outsourcing. We will clarify the theorical basis of the definition and argue that it remains valid and important for empirical analysis. We use document analysis (texts produced and published in commercial, trade union and independent press and Supreme Court documents) and literature review.