Outsourcing has gone to almost absurd extremes. Call centers in Asia are commonplace. Indian legal firms now handle boilerplate work for many American firms. Automation itself is a way of outsourcing a task—from people to software or machinery.  

Financial advisors, though not always tech-savvy, were early-adopters of outsourcing. The very act of using mutual funds is a form of outsourcing, with the portfolio manager picking securities and the advisor just picking the fund. 

But can you outsource too much? Should you outsource payroll and benefits? Sure. Hiring and firing? Perhaps. The creation of customized retirement income plans for key clients? Not so fast. Outsourcing may be necessary for growth; but it can turn into a necessary evil if you start outsourcing core competencies.