Introducing sourcements

Sourcing processes are discussed at a high abstraction level. A dedicated terminology is developed concerning general aspects of sourcing. The term sourcement is coined to denote a building block for sourcing. Notions of allocation, functional architecture and allocational architecture, equilibrium, and configuration are discussed. Limitations of the concept of outsourcing are outlined. This theoretical work is meant to serve as a point of departure for the subsequent development of a detailed theory of sourcing and sourcing transformations, which can be a tool for dealing with practicl applicationas.