Conflicts in the Middle East usually quickly translate into the global economy – from increases in raw material prices to greater pressure on company operating costs. In such conditions, enterprises are increasingly looking for flexible technology management models, including IT outsourcing. We invite you to read the expert commentary Jakub StadnikHead of Delivery at Scalo for Forsal.pl.
The war in Iran and the demand for IT outsourcing services
Armed conflicts on Middle East always pose a potential risk to most sectors of the global economy. On March 9, the price of oil reached a record high since 2022, exceeding $100 per barrel. Therefore, it is no secret that raw material prices will necessarily translate into an increase in operating costs, especially in the areas of industrial production, transport and logistics. In such circumstances, companies must limit expenses and at the same time cannot give up activities that are crucial for further development. As a result, some enterprises may not be able to maintain extensive IT departments, choosing instead using outsourcing services.
Jakub Stadnik / External source
About that IT outsourcing becomes a natural restructuring solution evidenced by the transformation of the BP concern in the early 1990s. When in the 1980s the oil industry experienced enormous volatility in oil prices – first due to the revolution in Iran, and then as a result of the sudden market collapse in 1986 – the company came under strong economic pressure and was one of the first in the world to overcome the impasse, thanks to IT outsourcing. According to Harvard Business Review, BP has reduced its IT expenses by approximately 63% over the last 6 years.
Higher risk of cyber threats
An additional incentive to use IT outsourcing is significant higher risk of cyber threats. The takeover of the BadeSabe application by the US-Israeli military and Iran’s attacks on data centers offering Microsoft Azure services are a clear signal to all organizations that, regardless of their business profile, they must start treating security their databases and IT systems as an absolute priority. Looking at global data, business cyber awareness has increased significantly in recent years. According to the ACC Foundation, in 2025, 63 percent companies from all over the world have declared that they conduct mandatory annual meetings cybersecurity training for its employees, while in 2018 this percentage was only 43%. The problem, however, is that the market is struggling with a shortage of specialists responsible for this area. In our recent research, the area of cybersecurity recorded the largest shortage of specialists – 41% indicated it. representatives of Polish companies.
In this context IT outsourcing is gaining strategic importance. For companies that do not have a sufficient number of cybersecurity specialists or appropriate tools to monitor threats 24/7, external IT service providers are becoming one of the main competence providers. They are able to develop strategies, implement mechanisms and respond to incidents that affect… enterprises they would be too expensive or difficult to build internally. Moreover, when we are dealing with a rare or new type cyber threatsthe advantage of outsourcing over in-house solutions is even greater. By nature, teams are constantly exposed to various technological environments and current challenges. This scale of experience means that knowledge about new vulnerabilities or attack methods is constantly updated and quickly translated into practical solutions. In connection with enterprises (especially large ones) that need maximum certainty as to the security of their resources are increasingly willing to use external support.
