Which process involves hiring another firm to supply parts or complete tasks?

The correct answer, outsourcing, refers to the practice of hiring another company to handle business activities or supply goods rather than performing them in-house. This process allows companies to focus on their core competencies while potentially reducing costs and improving efficiency. Outsourcing can involve various functions, such as manufacturing, customer service, or IT services. By leveraging the expertise and resources of another firm, organizations can also gain access to skills or technologies that may not be available internally.

While the other processes mentioned have their own distinct definitions and applications, they do not match the concept of outsourcing. In-sourcing involves using internal resources to handle tasks that could otherwise be outsourced, subcontracting is often a specific form of outsourcing where a firm hires another company to complete part of a project but typically relates to specific tasks or projects rather than overall functions, and vertical integration refers to a company’s strategy of controlling multiple stages of production or distribution within its supply chain rather than relying on external firms. These distinctions highlight why outsourcing is the most accurate choice for the given question.