IT Governance & Frameworks

eSCM-CL v1.1: Model Overview

Reading Time: 2 minutes

At the beginning of the 2000s, organizations around the world were increasingly outsourcing IT-enabled services. While outsourcing promised cost savings and access to expertise, many clients struggled with hidden risks, unclear contracts, and uneven quality. To address these issues, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University developed the eSourcing Capability Model for Client Organizations (eSCM-CL).

This framework was designed to give client organizations — the buyers of IT services — a way to improve how they plan, manage, and evaluate sourcing activities.

Why the model was created

Traditional sourcing approaches often focused only on the service providers. Clients, however, also needed clear guidance. Without it, many organizations faced:

• weak governance structures,
• high hidden costs,
• inconsistent supplier performance,
• and poor ability to measure value.

The eSCM-CL set out to change the role of the client from a passive customer into an active, capable partner in the sourcing relationship.

The purpose of the model

The eSCM-CL gives client organizations:

• a roadmap for building stronger sourcing capabilities,
• a benchmark to assess current practices,
• and a framework for continuous improvement over time.

It was created not only to fix problems in individual contracts but to raise the overall maturity of client organizations.

The foundation of the model

The model is built around three broad ideas:

• Lifecycle — sourcing must be managed across all stages, from early analysis to completion.
• Capability areas — clients need competence in governance, risk management, performance monitoring, and relationships.
• Levels of maturity — improvement is not one-time; organizations progress through stages, from basic to excellence.

These ideas were later translated into detailed practices, which are covered separately. Next, turn the model into day-to-day steps with the eSCM-CL v1.1: Practices Overview.

Why it matters today

Even though the eSCM-CL was introduced in the mid-2000s, its principles remain relevant. Modern organizations continue to rely on outsourcing, cloud services, and global suppliers. The challenges of alignment, cost control, and risk management have not gone away — and the eSCM-CL still offers a structured way to deal with them.