Friday 6 November 2015

Benefits of Costa Rica for Outsourcing Software Development

In a country where the GDP is close to 50 billion dollars and climbing, Costa Rica has become a great option for offshore software development. Costa Rica is a trusted site for American business developers to set up new offices, especially in areas of software and IT research. This country has shown a significant improvement in education, land resources and GNI per capita over the past decade.

Even after the many positive aspects of this special country, some may be wondering why? Why go offshore and seek out software engineering services in a country located in Central America, when businesses can go to locations like India or China that have been known for this type of development for years? The answer lies within the many attractive qualities of Costa Rica in terms of location and capabilities.




This country's biggest asset to companies seeking offshore software development can be found in its location. The distance from the United States to Costa Rica is only 2,031 miles. This means that a flight to or from Costa Rica would on average take around 3.6 hours. This distance is extremely convenient in the business world, perhaps especially when comparing the travel distance to other offshore locations like India or China.

Having easy transportation and accessibility with an offshore company is ideal when looking to expand. Because of this great location, Costa Rica is situated within the Central Time Zone, smoothly facilitating the increased communication needs which characterize so many business functions. There is no delay between countries within the same time zone, allowing effortless contact and correspondence between employees in nearshore and onshore locations.

Out sourcing Costa Rica has made significant improvements in public education in recent years and this includes significant advancements within the upper division of education at the university-level. Many universities in the country offer information technology classes, training and degrees, making this location a great place for prospective employment. The level of education, specifically in the specialty of computer software development, has become abundant. This abundance of knowledge and ability to perform IT functions makes this country a great incubator for new tech employees and cutting edge software development.

In this area of prospective employment, safety and security remains a top priority. Whether an American business is looking for native employees or transferring personnel to Costa Rica, it is essential to understand this type of environment. Fortunately for business developers looking to expand in Central America, one may see there is a guarantee of surveillance and defense found in Costa Rica. This country has had a stable democracy for quite some time and is known for dissolving its military in 1948. A low level of violence accompanies this country and the rate of violence is far less than what can be found in the United States. Overall, international travel remains to be safe, including a low threat to international and transnational terrorism.

With low levels of violence and discourse, Costa Rica has proven to be a country that focuses on other issues like environmental concerns and green development. In the last 25 years, the country has tripled its GDP and even doubled the size of rain forests. The development made in this country is of significant value, with noticeable results. The country has also pledged, and is well on its way, to becoming the first carbon neutral country in the world by 2021. In 2010, Costa Rica produced 1.7 tons of CO2 emissions, compared to the 17.6 tons found in America. Developing in this country is a positive approach to business because of the continued growth seen over the past decade.



As upward economic movement continues, companies seeking offshore software development services, including mobile app development and agile programming, should seriously consider this unique country that has successfully navigated through many changes. Costa Rica has been a part of a strong infrastructure movement and many business leaders and professionals have benefited from this increase. A number of major U.S. corporations have trusted this region for business expansion. Despite the recognition of larger companies, smaller businesses are known for their involvement in Costa Rica as well. In the end, all of the positive aspects of Costa Rica, including location, communication and growth, make this Central American country a great place for offshore software development.