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Onshore, offshore, or blended: choosing an Oracle delivery model

A practical guide to picking a delivery model for your Oracle programme — without the consultancy theatre.

ETHX Editorial February 28, 2026 4 min read

There are four credible delivery models for Oracle programmes. Most clients pick the wrong one for the wrong reasons.

The four models

  • Onsite — leadership and high-judgement work at client site
  • Offshore — configuration, build, integration in a low-cost centre
  • Blended — onsite leadership + offshore build, the modal default
  • Full-offshore — cost-optimised programmes with limited onsite touch

When each one wins

Onsite wins when…

…the work is judgement-heavy, the stakeholders are co-located, and the time zone overlap with offshore is painful.

Offshore wins when…

…the work is build-heavy, well-specified, and predictable. Configuration, extensions, integration build, regression test scripting.

Blended wins when…

…you want both — leadership presence onsite and cost-effective build offshore. This is what most successful programmes pick.

Common mistakes

  • Picking offshore for cost without considering judgement-density of the work
  • Picking onsite by default and missing 30–40% in cost savings
  • Treating offshore as 'cheap labour' instead of a delivery model with its own governance

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