American companies that shift operations overseas to reap the benefits of lower labor costs are mortgaging their future according to Light Reading's December Work Poll on the topic of offshoring.

So far, 234 people have taken the poll and 74 percent of them say offshoring benefits U.S. companies in the short term. However, 48 percent of respondents think it won't benefit them in the long run, and 54 percent think it will also be bad for the U.S. economy generally.

One reason for this appears to be that offshoring will cultivate tougher foreign competition for U.S. companies. 61 percent of respondents think it will train a new wave of innovators (see China's in the Chips and Headcount: Offshoring, Dude!).

The trend towards offshoring will accelerate according to 58 percent of respondents and will continue at a steady pace according to a further 30 percent. Only 12 percent believe that offshoring will lose it appeal as the U.S. economy recovers.

Take the poll yourself and see the latest results in detail by clicking here.

— Peter Heywood, Founding Editor, Light Reading