  The topic of this paper, competences needed for outsourcing, is organized by
first providing a generic competence scheme, which is subsequently instantiated
to the area of sourcing and outsourcing. Sourcing and outsourcing are
positioned as different areas of activity, neither one of which is subsumed
under the other one. It is argued that competences relevant for outsourcing are
mainly community based rather than evidence based. Subjective ability and
objective ability are distinguished as categories, together making up ability,
which are distinct but not necessarily disjoint from competence. Conjectural
ability is introduced as a form of subjective ability. A person's competence
profile includes competences as well as abilities, including subjective ones.
Competence assessment and acquisition as well as the impact of assessed
competence on practical work is described. The analysis of competence and
ability thus developed is used as standpoint from which to extract a
specification of an audience for a theory of outsourcing, yet to be written.
Moreover, it allows to formulate requirements for and in preparation of the
development of an outsourcing theory. Formulating these requirements is done
under the assumption that a person's awareness of a theory of outsourcing is
expected to strengthen that person's outsourcing competence profile.
