There are three key factors (location isn't one): - If the product is a success, I'm going to get some money/benefit? - Do I need to maintain the software? -

There are three key factors (location isn't one): - If the product is a success, I'm going to get some money/benefit? - Do I need to maintain the software? - I got a good salary? Usually offshore developers don't have stock in the company, don't have to maintain it and they are poorly paid. So their incentive is to finish the product as fast as they can and just get the money. If you work in-house you are more aligned with the interest of the company. You'll have to deal with this software every day(nobody wants to maintain spaguetti code) and problably you have some stock, also if the company does well you can get a raise. It's about incentives, people optimize for its own hapinness.