In this age of globalization, it is difficult to attain a competitive advantage. Most companies worldwide that are not related to the IT industry have to overcome challenges in case they want to have a website or an app for their company’s operations to keep on top of the game.
Generally, some software vendors commonly experience problems when working a specific project but have either limited capacity or lack in-house expertise, well-equipped specialists or needed technological abilities. In practice, it is not economically profitable to recruit a team of developers and provide them with needed infrastructure and required training. A highly recommended solution is outsourcing software web development. Through outsourcing, this enables you to do different tasks and do short- and long-term projects within your budget.
Eastern Europe shows increased IT market growth and provides the clients with the following benefits:
High educational attainment. The European educational systems are of a high standard. As software engineering is a highly noble profession, a special emphasis is designed in the study of math, science and technology, and engineering principles.
Skilled personnel. This is the result of being highly educated. Staff in each software firm have the necessary skills, well-motivated, talented, and have a wide range of experience. European IT firms can provide high-quality services and respond to complex technical issues.
High English proficiency. In other locations, the language barrier is always a significant challenge to build a solid partnership as most concepts are not easily communicated or get lost in the translation. Many of Eastern European engineers have high English proficiency, including other European languages such as German, Spanish, and French. This critical advantage enables them to become reliable partners and assists in mitigating any issues.
Cultural similarity. Nearby countries have the same cultural traditions, corporate values, and personal traits that enable both service providers and clients to work in the environment of mutual understanding. This advantage highlights the development process and minimizes production schedule. In contrast, when two negotiating teams are from entirely different cultures, they may encounter ambiguity and miscommunication that can be damaging to the relationship of the offshore team.
Time difference. Time difference or a three-hour difference is never a problem between nearby countries. This is time-saving by providing the best time to conduct real-time meetings online or through video conferences when discussing issues related to work and develop a more effective collaboration. Communicating with your partners anytime can be very handy.
Budget constraints. Hiring Eastern European programmers is significantly cheaper compared to Western Europeans or North Americans. Also, the quality is always at par in all locations. Thus, clients can maximize their available budget without compromising their products’ quality.
Data security safeguards. In terms of confidentiality and data protection, East European countries are reliable, as they follow strict data protection laws that are comparable to the Western countries. In contrast, when deciding to outsource to India or the Philippines, this may cause many issues with data security as their state laws to vary tremendously. The risk of confidential data leakage is always present when turning to outsource. This is the reason you should instill the necessary administrative and legal initiatives when discussing the project with your outsourcing vendor.
Why select Eastern Europe as an IT outsourcing location
Before deciding if hiring the services of Eastern European IT provider is a wise decision, you have to weigh both the pros and cons of doing so. Below are the disadvantages:
-More expensive compared to offshoring but these can be compensated by other benefits
- Conservative work ethics as part of the footprints of the Soviet Union but the situation has improved in recent years
- Fewer software providers but the IT industry is steadily increasing through the years
What sets Belarus apart
In recent years, Belarus is one of the preferred countries in the field of outsourcing software development. Belarusian web developers are recognized as best IT experts globally. Also, Belarusian software companies get enough state support, provided with special tax rates, and other benefits. The IT business environment has more favorable conditions in the country.
Hi-Tech Park Decree 2.0 in Belarus
In December 2017, Alexander Lukashenko, Belarusian president, inked the decree “On the Development of Digital Economy.” This document cites overall cryptocurrency regulations, initial coin offerings (ICOs), smart contracts, and other related issues. Also, this provides more opportunities for the IT industry.
This decree is the first to be enacted into law in the world. Its creation makes Belarus the first government to provide full blockchain technology legislation globally. The document was developed by the Hi-Tech Park (HTP) personnel in collaboration with all HTP residents, other IT firms, premier Belarusian and international experts of legal and consulting companies.
Objectives of the decree
The three main goals of the decree are:
- To establish a favorable working environment for global IT firms to encourage them to choose Belarus and open their development centers and offices in the country
- To make an investment in IT education and the staff
- To apply advanced financial tools and technologies to Belarus’ economy
Thus, Belarus has all the necessities to become a regional center of competency in the IT industry.
