Abstract
How and why do actual interaction structures in global outsourcing arrangements differ from those originally planned? We use a social network perspective to analyze the structure of social interaction networks among operational staff and management of vendor and client firm in an outsourcing arrangement. We apply a case study approach to understand which interaction structures appear and whether they are in accordance with those structures formally defined in the outsourcing governance. We found that real interaction often differs from the plan and we provide theoretical explanations for understanding these deviations, thus contributing to the understanding of outsourcing governance and outsourcing relationship management.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Lacity, M.C., Khan, S.A., Willcocks, L.P.: A Review of the IT Outsourcing Literature: Insights for Practice. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems 18(3), 130–146 (2009)
Dibbern, J., Goles, T., Hirschheim, R., Jayatilaka, B.: Information Systems Outsourcing: A Survey and Analysis of the Literature. The DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems 35(4), 6–102 (2004)
Grover, V., Cheon, M.J., Teng, J.T.C.: The Effect of Service Quality and Partnership on the Outsourcing of Information Systems Functions. Journal of Management Information Systems 12(4), 89–116 (1996)
Mao, J.-Y., Lee, J.-N., Deng, C.P.: Vendors’ Perspectives on Trust and Control in Offshore Information Systems Outsourcing. Information & Management 45(7), 482–492 (2008)
Leonardi, P.M., Bailey, D.E.: Transformational Technologies and the Creation of New Work Practices: Making Implicit Knowledge Explicit in Task-Based Offshoring. MIS Quarterly 32(2), 411–436 (2008)
Ho, V.T., Ang, S., Straub, D.W.: When Subordinates Become IT Contractors: Persistent Managerial Expectations in IT Outsourcing. Information Systems Research 14(1), 66–86 (2003)
Kern, T., Willcocks, L.P.: Exploring Relationships in Information Technology Outsourcing: The Interaction Approach. European Journal of Information Systems 11(1), 3–19 (2002)
Schroiff, A., Beimborn, D., Weitzel, T.: Structuring the Structure in Outsourcing Research - A Social Network Perspective on Outsourcing Relationship Management. In: Proceedings of the 16th Americas Conference on Information Systems, Lima, Peru (2010)
Jain, R.P., Simon, J.C., Poston, R.S.: Mitigating Vendor Silence in Offshore Outsourcing: An Empirical Investigation. Journal of Management Information Systems 27(4), 261–298 (2011)
Williams, C.: Client-Vendor Knowledge Transfer in IS Offshore Outsourcing: Insights from a Survey of Indian Software Engineers. Information Systems Journal 21(4), 335–356 (2011)
Gopal, A., Gosain, S.: The Role of Organizational Controls and Boundary Spanning in Software Development Outsourcing: Implications for Project Performance. Information Systems Research 21(4), 960–982 (2010)
Choudhury, V., Sabherwal, R.: Portfolios of Control in Outsourced Software Devel-opment Projects. Information Systems Research 14(3), 291–314 (2003)
Oshri, I., Kotlarsky, J., Willcocks, L.: The Handbook of Global Outsourcing and Off-shoring. Palgrave Macmillan, New York (2009)
Goles, T., Chin, W.W.: Information Systems Outsourcing Relationship Factors: Detailed Conceptualization and Initial Evidence. The DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems 36(4), 47–67 (2005)
Levina, N., Vaast, E.: Innovating or Doing as Told? Status Differences and Overlapping Boundaries in Offshore Collaboration. MIS Quarterly 32(2), 307–332 (2008)
Marsden, P.V.: Network Data and Measurement. Annual Review of Sociology 16, 435–463 (1990)
Tichy, N.M., Tushman, M.L., Fombrun, C.: Social Network Analysis for Organizations. The Academy of Management Review 4(4), 507–519 (1979)
Schroiff, A., Beimborn, D., Weitzel, T.: The Role of Social Network Structures in Outsourced Projects. In: Proceedings of the 5th International Research Workshop on IT Project Management (Pre-ICIS Workshop), St. Louis, MO (2010)
Yin, R.K.: Case Study Research. Design and Methods. Applied Social Research Methods Series. Sage Publ. (2001)
Schultze, U., Avital, M.: Designing Interviews to Generate Rich Data for Information Systems Research. Information & Organization 21(1), 1–16 (2011)
MAXQDA. Software for Qualitative Data Analysis. VERBI Software. Consult. So-zialforschung. GmbH, Berlin-Marburg-Amöneburg, Germany (1989-2010)
Dedrick, J., Carmel, E., Kraemer, K.L.: A Dynamic Model of Offshore Software De-velopment. Journal of Information Technology 26(1), 1–15 (2011)
Rai, A., Maruping, L.M., Venkatesh, V.: Offshore Information Systems Project Success: The Role of Social Embeddedness and Cultural Characteristics. MIS Quarterly 33(3), 617–641 (2009)
Dibbern, J., Winkler, J., Heinzl, A.: Explaining Variations in Client Extra Costs Between Software Projects Offshored to India. MIS Quarterly 32(2), 333–366 (2008)
Holmström Olsson, H., Conchúir, E.Ó., Ågerfalk, P.J., Fitzgerald, B.: Two-Stage Offshoring: An Investigation of the Irish Bridge. MIS Quarterly 32(2), 257–279 (2008)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Wiesinger, A., Beimborn, D., Weitzel, T. (2012). How Do Planned and Actual Interaction Structures Differ in Global Outsourcing Arrangements?. In: Kotlarsky, J., Oshri, I., Willcocks, L.P. (eds) The Dynamics of Global Sourcing. Perspectives and Practices. Global Sourcing 2012. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 130. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33920-2_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33920-2_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-33919-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-33920-2
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)