RESOURCES

Finding companies and individuals eager to take on outsourced work from smaller businesses is getting easier as the Internet provides low-cost ways to hook up distant partners. Here are some handy places to start your search.

Elance (elance.com)

For Web site design, accounting and computer programming, Elance is a top destination, says Timothy Ferriss. Posting a project is free.

Craigslist (craigslist.org)

Free classified ads from across the globe.

Brickwork (b2kcorp.com)

A depot for Indian virtual assistants who can create PowerPoint presentations and crunch spreadsheets, among myriad other useful tasks.

Get Friday (getfriday.com)

Another source for personal virtual assistants based in India.

Made in China (made-in-china.com)

A Web portal designed to connect buyers with Chinese manufacturers.

PASSPORT STAMPS

As U.S. and European businesses send increasing volumes of work to low-wage Asia, outsourcing has transformed local economies. But not all Asian countries excel at the same tasks. Three countries in particular dominate niches that appeal to U.S.-based companies:

China: The leader in manufacturing everything, from toys and clothes to high-end electronics.

India: The most prolific and low-cost provider of IT services, including computer programming and writing technical manuals.

Philippines: The fast-rising destination for customer-facing groups (call centers, help desks), because locals’ accents and attitudes are said to be in sync with the U.S.

(On the radar: Vietnam, with strengths in manufacturing and IT.)