라스베이거스를 움직이는 비즈니스 선택의 비밀

                             Inside the Secret Business Choice Powering Las Vegas

라스베이거스에서의 삶은 여러 면에서 큰 만족을 느끼게 한다. 다양한 음식 문화, 캘리포니아로의 편리한 접근성, 작지만 활기찬 한인 커뮤니티, 스트립 주변의 다양한 엔터테인먼트, 그리고 동시에 주거 지역의 평온함 등 모든 요소가 매우 매력적으로 다가온다.

2021년 1월부터 네바다대학교 라스베이거스 캠퍼스(UNLV)에서 근무하고 있는 필자는 미시간대학교에서 기술 및 혁신 경영 (Technology and Innovation Management)을 전공으로 박사학위를 취득했다. 내 연구는 기술적 변화와 시장 변화 속에서 어떤 기업은 생존하고, 어떤 기업은 시장에서 퇴출되는 이유에 대해 중점적으로 다루고 있다. 특히 기업의 전략적 선택 중 내부화 또는 외주화, 즉 직접 생산할 것인지 외부에 맡길 것인지에 대한 의사결정(make-or-buy decision)에 주된 관심을 두고 연구를 진행하고 있다.

기업의 성과에 영향을 미치는 이러한 의사결정을 연구하는 교수로서, 필자는 라스베이거스에 진입한 다양한 산업 분야의 기업들 사이에서 눈에 띄는 성장과 빈번한 시장 퇴출이라는 두 가지 현상을 모두 관찰해 왔다. 지난 5년간 많은 기업들이 확장하고 번창했지만, 동시에 대기업부터 중소기업에 이르기까지 수많은 기업들이 파산하거나 다른 지역으로 이전하면서 시장에서 퇴출되는 사례도 적지 않았다.

쉽게 설명하자면, 어떤 제품이 여러 부품으로 이루어져 있다면 기업은 그 중 일부는 스스로 생산(내부 제작 또는 “Make”)하고, 다른 일부는 외부 업체로부터 구매(아웃소싱 또는 “Buy”)할 수 있다. 어느 쪽이 항상 옳거나 그르다고 할 수는 없지만, 이 균형은 기업의 성패를 좌우할 수 있다.

내부 제작 또는 “Make” 이 하나의 중요한 전략임에도 불구하고, 미국에서는 1980년대 세계화 물결 이후 아웃소싱 (“Buy”)에 크게 의존해 온 기업이 많다. 아웃소싱은 비용 절감에는 도움이 되지만, 지나치게 의존하면 기업의 핵심 역량과 기술이 약화될 수 있다. 그래서 미국 기업 경쟁력 강화를 논의할 때, “얼마나 직접 만들고, 얼마나 외부에 의존할 것인가” 라는 질문이 자주 거론된다.

이 균형 문제는 라스베가스에서도 매우 중요한 과제이다. 예를 들어, 일부 리조트는 자체적으로 앱이나 고객 서비스 시스템을 개발한다. 이는 더 많은 통제력과 차별화를 제공하지만, 비용이 크고 위험도 따른다. 반면, 다른 리조트는 외부 업체의 기성 플랫폼을 구매해 빠르고 안정적으로 도입하지만, 독창성을 잃을 수 있다.

카지노들도 게임 기술이 발전함에 따라 비슷한 선택을 해야 한다. 가상현실, e스포츠, 고급 데이터 분석 기술 등이 산업을 변화시키고 있는 가운데, 카지노는 이러한 도구들을 자체적으로 개발해 독창성을 유지할지, 아니면 이미 검증된 제품을 가진 회사로부터 구매할지를 결정해야 한다. 이 결정은 고객 취향의 변화에 얼마나 빠르게 대응할 수 있는지, 그리고 경쟁에서 앞서 나갈 수 있는지에 직접적인 영향을 미친다.

컨벤션과 이벤트 분야도 같은 딜레마를 겪었다. 팬데믹 기간 동안 주최 측은 자체적으로 가상 행사 플랫폼을 구축할 것인지, 아니면 기존 플랫폼을 구매할 것인지 결정해야 했다. 외부 플랫폼을 구매한 곳은 빠르게 전환할 수 있었지만, 자체 구축을 시도한 곳은 그만큼의 시간 투자를 감수해야 했다.

최근 라스베가스에서 성장하는 신종 산업들 — 프로 스포츠, 재생 에너지, 물류 — 역시 같은 문제를 안고 있다. 스포츠 팀은 자체 팬 앱을 개발할 것인지 구매할지를 고민해야 한다. 에너지 기업은 자체 청정 기술에 투자할 것인지, 검증된 시스템을 도입할 것인지 선택해야 한다. 물류 기업도 자동화 시스템을 자체 개발할지, 아니면 외부에서 구매할지를 신중하게 검토해야 한다.

이처럼 모든 산업에서 ‘만들 것인가, 외부에서 구매할 것인가’ 라는 선택은 기업의 미래를 조용히 결정하는 계기가 된다. 내부 제작은 더 많은 통제와 차별성을 제공하지만 비용과 위험이 크고, 외부 구매는 빠르고 저렴하지만 독창성이 제한될 수 있다. 지난 50년 동안 미국 기업들은 종종 아웃소싱에 지나치게 의존했고, 이는 역량 저하와 성과 악화를 초래하기도 했다. 끊임없이 재창조를 통해 성장하는 도시인 라스베가스에서야말로, 이 균형을 잘 맞추는 기업들이 살아남고 성장하며 선도할 것이다. 이는 가장 중요한 경영 과제이다. 결국 기업의 생존은 단순히 무엇을 파는지에 달려 있지 않다. 그 배후에서 무엇을 직접 만들고 무엇을 외부에서 구매할 지를 어떻게 결정하는가에 달려 있다고 해도 과언이 아니다. 라스베가스에 있는 기업들이 외주에 지나치게 치우치기 보다는, 내부화 또는 외주화의 균형에 대한 이해를 높여, 더 나은 기업성과를 내기를 기대해본다. 

글_ 박우용 교수 

WOO-YONG PARK

Associate Professor (from July.01. 2025)

Department of Management & Entrepreneurship / Troesh Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation University of Nevada, Las Vegas

There are so many things I enjoy about living in Las Vegas: the incredible variety of food, quick access to California, a small but close-knit Korean community, endless entertainment on the Strip, and, at the same time, the peace of quiet residential neighborhoods.

Since 2021, I’ve been teaching at UNLV after earning my PhD at the University of Michigan.  My area of expertise is Technology and Innovation Management, and my research explores a big question: why do some companies survive while others fail when markets and technologies change? One of the most important answers comes down to a choice that every business faces — whether to make something in-house or buy it from outside suppliers.

Think about it this way: if a product is made up of several parts, a company might build some of those parts itself (insourcing, or “make”) and buy others from outside vendors (outsourcing, or “buy”). Neither option is always right or wrong — but the balance between them can make or break a business.

While the make choice is an important strategic decision, in the U.S. many companies have leaned heavily toward outsourcing, especially since the wave of globalization that began in the 1980s. Outsourcing can cut costs, but relying too much on it can weaken a company’s own skills and capabilities. That’s one reason why debates about keeping American firms competitive often point back to how much they make versus how much they buy.

This balance matters just as much here in Las Vegas. Take the hospitality industry: some resorts build their own apps and guest-service systems from scratch. Doing so gives them more control and helps them stand out, but it’s expensive and risky. Others buy ready-made platforms from outside providers, which is quicker and safer, but can make it harder to offer something unique.

Casinos face similar choices as gaming technology evolves. Virtual reality, esports, and advanced data analytics are changing the industry. Should casinos develop these tools internally to stay original, or buy them from companies that already have proven products? The answer influences how fast they can adapt and whether they can stay ahead of changing customer tastes.

Even conventions and events have faced this dilemma. During the pandemic, organizers had to decide: build their own digital platforms for virtual gatherings or buy existing ones? Those who chose to buy were able to pivot quickly, while those who tried to build in-house often struggled with delays.

New industries in Las Vegas — like professional sports, renewable energy, and logistics — also deal with the same question. Sports teams must decide whether to design their own fan apps or buy them. Energy companies must choose between investing in their own clean technologies or purchasing proven systems. Logistics firms must weigh whether to develop in-house automation or buy it from established providers.

Across all of these cases, the make-or-buy decision quietly shapes the future of firms. Building in-house offers more control and uniqueness but comes with higher costs and risks. Buying from outside is faster and cheaper but can limit originality. Over the last fifty years, U.S. companies have often leaned too heavily on outsourcing, and this overreliance can erode capabilities and weaken performance. In a city that thrives on reinvention, the companies that strike the right balance are the ones most likely to survive, grow, and lead.  My hope is that businesses of all sizes in Las Vegas — whether in hospitality, gaming, sports, or beyond — take this balance seriously. It may not be the flashiest business issue, but it’s one of the most important. In the end, the survival of many firms here depends not just on what they sell, but on the choices they make behind the scenes about what to make and what to buy.