商务英语 Level 6 Unit 2 Part 3 Vocab

Vocabulary【Related Terms】

subcontractor
A subcontractor is a business that signs a contract to perform the obligations of another's contract.
Typically, subcontractors are hired to perform a task that cannot be handled internally.
The subcontractor and the contractor work closely throughout a project.
However, the contractor has general control over the process.

subcontractor: 分包商

third-party logistics (3PL)
A company may outsource its distribution and fulfillment services in the form of third-party logistics.
3PL providers specialize in areas such as warehousing, transportation, or the provision of raw materials.
Using 3PL frees a company from having to establish and pay for its own logistics team.
However, it also means a company will have less control of its logistics and a bigger investment cost.

logistics: 物流，后勤
specialize: 专门
free from: 使解脱

application service provider (ASP)
An application service provider offers clients access to applications and related services over the internet.
As the costs and complexity of applications have increased, using an ASP has become an economical choice for many companies.
An example of an ASP company is Qwest, which provides resources planning software.

best of breed
Best of breed refers to the best outsourcing option for companies to choose in a certain sector.
It ensures the right skill sets used on a project, lower risk, and punctual results.
For example, many tech companies have adopted a model in which they seek best of breed providers to manage their IT.

breed: 品种，类型
punctual: 准时的

insourcing
Insourcing involves performing a business function internally.
It allows a company to maintain control of production or competencies and save on management costs.
However, production and labor costs are normally higher and it may be difficult to find the right talent.

insource: 内包

Question

1. Having limited experience in plumbing, the construction contractor hired a plumbing subcontractor to work on the pipes.
2. Several firms signed up with HKEx Hosting Services to get ASP connectivity services after it had developed a new framework.
3. While a best of breed approach can provide a company with added quality, the cost of managing multiple applications should first be considered.
4. With an increased demand for streamlined processes and technological expertise, insourcing in legal departments has reached a 10-year high.
5. They terminated their contract with an overseas company and began to insource their call center operation.

streamline: 精简