EVOLUTION OF INDUSTRIES IN UKRAINE'S IT OUTSOURCING: A DECADE-LONG ANALYSIS

Abstract

This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary analysis of the transformation of the sectoral structure in Ukraine’s IT outstaffing industry over the period 2014–2023. The aim of the study is to identify shifts in the dynamics of demand for specializations within the outstaffing model and to establish the relationship between the popularity of specific sectors and the remuneration levels of professionals. The empirical basis of the research consists of data collected through surveys of Ukrainian IT specialists, which include information on the year of project participation, net salary, years of experience, level of English proficiency, job position, and the industry domain of the project. During the analytical process, the data underwent cleaning and normalization, particularly the unification of domain names, which enabled the construction of a representative database of annual frequency distributions. Subsequent modeling involved the calculation of the annual share of each sector among all respondents and the computation of Pearson correlation coefficients between sector popularity and average salaries. As a result, the study identified a group of consistently dominant domains forming the core of Ukraine’s IT outstaffing landscape, including financial technologies, e-commerce, mobile solutions, digital healthcare, and data analytics. Particular attention was also paid to emerging sectors that have shown growth between 2020 and 2023 and exhibit a strong positive correlation with salary levels - namely, digital education, educational services, agricultural technologies, and cloud computing. While these sectors remain relatively niche, they signal structural shifts in the market and the emergence of new opportunities for outstaffing companies. The findings have practical significance for executives, analysts, HR professionals, and strategists working in the IT services sector. They support not only the adjustment of HR policies and the redirection of investment toward the development of relevant competencies, but also enable forecasting of new domains with high complexity and profitability. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the current dynamics of the IT outstaffing market and serves as a foundation for informed managerial decision-making in a time of continuous technological change. The results may be used to shape companies’ strategic development priorities, build adaptive business models, and position themselves more effectively in the international IT services market.