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Global Sourcing of Digital Services: Micro and Macro Perspectives

11th Global Sourcing Workshop 2017, La Thuile, Italy, February 22-25, 2017, Revised Selected Papers

herausgegeben von: Ilan Oshri, Julia Kotlarsky, Leslie P. Willcocks

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Buchreihe : Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

This book constitutes revised selected papers from the 11th international Global Sourcing Workshop 2017, held in La Thuile, Italy, in February 2017. The 10 contributions included were carefully reviewed and selected from 45 submissions.

The book offers a review of the key topics in sourcing of services, populated with practical frameworks that serve as a tool kit to students and managers. The range of topics covered in this book is wide and diverse, offering micro and macro perspectives on successful sourcing of services. Case studies from various organizations, industries and countries are used extensively throughout the book, giving it a unique position within the current literature offering.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Services Offshoring: A Microfoundations Perspective

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to shed light on the link between services offshoring strategy and its outcomes for the firm by developing a theoretical framework for examining the role of employee motivation in the implementation of services offshoring strategy. Our framework is built on two conceptual foundations: the Microfoundations view of strategy and Goal Framing theory. We analyze services offshoring in terms of (a) the attributes and (b) the outcomes of firm level offshoring strategies, and (c) the micro-level processes that are essential for realizing the outcomes. As part of these micro-level processes, we focus particularly on employee motivation for services offshoring strategy implementation. We argue that our framework should constitute the basis of future empirical research in services offshoring, as it aims to contribute a greater theoretical understanding and practical recommendations for the refinement of services offshoring strategies.

Ilias Gerogiannis, Angelika Zimmermann, Alex Wilson

Motivation and Autonomy in Global Software Development

Abstract

Global software development has become the norm rather than the exception for even the smallest companies. However, global software development is known to lead to numerous negative effects among distributed teams. This paper focuses on the effect of global software development on motivation. Specifically we ask: “Does increased autonomy, through the introduction of scrum, result in higher motivation among distributed developers?” We studied two distributed software development teams within one company headquartered in Ireland. Teams employ the scrum approach to software development which emphasizes, among other things, autonomy. We observed the teams during their scrum ceremonies, interviewed each team member and administered a motivation survey. We found that the difference in motivation levels before and after the introduction of scrum was slight and not statistically significant. Instead, there was a significant difference in the motivation levels of experienced team members, which were lower than less experienced members.

John Noll, Sarah Beecham, Abdur Razzak, Bob Richardson, Ann Barcomb, Ita Richardson

Outsourcing 2.0: Towards an Innovation-Driven Process Model for Client-Vendor Relationships in Information Technology Outsourcing

Abstract

While most ITO deals focused on cost-reduction through outsourcing of already matured services, tasks and systems, many ITO engagements are moving into new directions – the joint identification and exploiting of innovative, IT-based ideas to generate additional value for the organization and strengthen its market competitiveness. This paper proposes to investigate how the client-vendor relationship need to be modelled, structured, and managed to foster innovations within ITO. To answer our research questions, we conducted an explorative field study by interviewing 16 ITO experts from both client and vendor organizations. Our research results in an enhanced client-vendor relationship process model consisting of five process steps as well as corresponding categories describing management actions focusing on innovation generation within ITO client-vendor relationships. The contribution of our study is the development of an innovation-focused model for managing such relationships and the extension of our understanding of ITO management in times of increased digital innovation.

Robert Linden, Nikolaus Schmidt, Christoph Rosenkranz

Understanding the Modularization of Business Services: The Maturity of Firms in Bundling Services

Abstract

Sourcing literature reveals that large firms bundle or unbundle existing business services by means of modularization to achieve organizational agility. However, one may assume that firms need some degree of maturity to manage the complexity that comes along with bundling modularized services. The aim of our research is to understand how modularization interrelates with firm maturity when bundling business services, a topic that has been given limited attention in sourcing literature. Based on an exploratory research amongst 110 firms we found evidence for the relevance of influencing factors on firm maturity in bundling services. The findings provide evidence that the number of business services and the size of the firm correlate with the maturity of the firm. More specifically, our analysis identified that the type of market in which a firm acts (i.e. private or public) and adding the Marketing business function to a bundle does not increase firm maturity. Our empirical research contributes to sourcing literature as we expanded previous research by taking a more in-depth view on business services while providing up-to-date insights.

Albert Plugge, Harry Bouwman

Software Bots - The Next Frontier for Shared Services and Functional Excellence

Abstract

A Software Bot is a fundamental element of Robotics Process Automation (RPA). RPA can be deployed to automate repeatable, mundane, rules-based work-flowed process tasks across multiple functions in an organization, including Shared Services. While RPA holds high promise, using Software Bots for process automation is not straightforward. The purposes of this research are to (1) examine where Software Bots currently are being deployed in Shared Services organizations and (2) understand the business case, drivers and challenges. We conducted a survey involving Shared Services leaders, functional leaders and RPA experts and discuss the best practices for analysing and optimizing the business benefits of implementing Software Bots. The majority of the companies surveyed have limited application of Software Bots in automating their business processes and are finding difficulties in quantifying tangible savings and identifying cost of implementation. Based on these results we identify functional processes which are candidates for automation using Software Bots and outline implementation steps to automate processes beyond business process optimization.

Vipin K. Suri, Marianne Elia, Jos van Hillegersberg

Capturing Stakeholder Engagement: CSR and Gender Equality in Global In-House Centres

Abstract

Understanding the strategic relevance or significance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the international offshore business process outsourcing (OBPO) context requires examination of the complexity of conflicting interests of competing stakeholders, philosophical and theoretical perspectives within the frameworks of different cultures, legal systems and attitudes. This research makes an original contribution to the study of CSR activities of organisations involved in OBPO. The findings could be useful for other researchers in the areas of CSR and compliance, for evaluating or comparing other programs, or used to assist businesses involved in OBPO to target their CSR strategies. This chapter investigates how CSR, particularly the contribution of CSR to gender equity in the workforce, as it is applied and implemented by organisations that engage in OBPO. It contributes to a stream of research that addresses critical success factors for OBPO relating to relationships and end-user customers.

Fay Davidson, John Wreford, Kevan Penter, Brian Perrin

Cloud Readiness as an Enabler for Application Rationalization: A Survey in the Netherlands

Abstract

For over a decade both cloud computing and application rationalization are IT-strategy priorities in most organizations. Cloud computing has grown in the last decade and will continue to grow steadily. Most organizations struggle with reducing the number of applications. There remains a strong resistance from the business, to consolidate and standardize the legacy application platforms. Potentially migrating legacy applications to Software-as-a-Service applications resolves the business migration concerns. As the Software-as-a-Service functionality is a ready to use functionality which can be assessed prior to phasing out legacy applications. This is a distinct difference from a scenario where legacy applications will be replaced by to-be-(custom)-build applications. Also the implementation roadmap of Software-as-a-Services applications is much shorter and most of the Software-as-a-Services applications have data migration tools to import the data from the legacy applications into the new environment. A survey of 124 organizations indicated weak negative linear relationship between the estimated percentage Software as a Service applications and the envisioned number of applications for organizations with +500 applications for the period 2017–2022 (three two year intervals).

Erik Beulen

Management of Multi-cloud Computing

Abstract

Cloud computing can be considered a form of information technology outsourcing (ITO). However, it is more flexible than traditional ITO because no service volumes and no long contract periods need to be fixed. Companies that employ cloud computing may use several cloud service suppliers at the same time. Similarly, many companies that employ traditional ITO have contracts with several vendors. If the rendered services need to be coordinated, additional efforts are needed to manage this multi-sourcing environment. We find that the coordination arrangements known in multi-sourcing also occur in multi-cloud computing, but that significant differences exist in the actual coordination implementation. Based on the technology applied in cloud computing, new software has been developed to automate the integration tasks. In addition, many new players who offer coordination of multiple clouds as a service have entered the market.

Paul Alpar, Ariana Polyviou

The Digitisation Gestalt: A Case Study

Abstract

Organisations are increasingly impacted, directly and indirectly, by digital disruption. This continuing single case study examines an Australian statutory authority’s response to digital disruption as an electronic marketplace emerges. A public-private subsidiary is established, reshaping the organisation form. A guardian model of supplier management is introduced, a revised multi-sourcing strategy is implemented and challenges are experienced managing capability and competences, client and supplier, during transition. The organisation’s response is examined though the lens of both collaboration and sourcing theories to assist in the development of practical strategies for both the public and private sector.

Michelle Hurdle

Formal Control, Social Control and Guanxi in IT Outsourcing: A Study in Chinese Firms

Abstract

Despite the fast growing trend, it is reported that IT outsourcing in China is fraught with high rates of failure. The buyers of IT outsourcing services in China face difficulties in selecting service providers, negotiating managing contracts, and maintain good relationship due to a lack of systematic guidelines on which governance mechanism to deploy to manage outsourcing contracts. This research endeavors to study whether the governance mechanisms (i.e. formal control and social control) adopted in Western countries are prevalent in China, but to critique such governance mechanisms in light of the unique cultural context in China where ‘guanxi’ is seen to be a key enabler of outsourcing. A significant contribution study to theory is to look into IT outsourcing phenomenon with a balanced view and through an integrated theoretical lens.

Wen Jiang

Backmatter

Titel: Global Sourcing of Digital Services: Micro and Macro Perspectives
herausgegeben von: Ilan Oshri
Julia Kotlarsky
Leslie P. Willcocks
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-70305-3
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-70304-6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70305-3