How Green is my Outsourcer - Environmental Responsibility in Global IT Outsourcing

The focus of this paper is on the intersection of Environmental Responsibility (ER) and Global IT Outsourcing (GITO). GITO is well established as a business practice towards reducing costs and improving performance. ER is becoming increasingly important in global outsourcing in relation to environmental issues. The cost of energy has already increased dramatically and further increases appear likely. Sustainability issues related to carbon footprint and greenhouse gases (GHG) are also becoming increasingly important. Thus responsible and economic energy management has become a critical business capability and an important social responsibility. Global outsourcing of IT operations to a less energy efficient, less environmentally responsible organization may provide increased returns to shareholders, but may also become an ER liability. The key question this paper seeks to answer is how are GITO vendors transforming their ER capabilities? Drawing on preliminary fieldwork and an extensive literature search, we conclude that ER issues will become important capabilities for outsourcers to demonstrate, as buyers are increasingly sensitive to their stakeholders’ environmental concerns

ACUTA Journal of Telecommunications in Higher Education

In This Issue Ahead in the Clouds: ls Outsourcing Right for Higher Education Technology Services? Security: Prepare to Lose Some ADVERTORIAL: Which Way ls UP? The Center for Technology Leadership Mobile Security in the Middle Things You Might (or Might Not) Know about Convergence Planning Reviewing the Lessons from Security 101 How Universities Can Persevere in the Security Marathon Security Snapshots of Three Campuses President\u27s Message From the Executive Director Q&A from the CI

ACUTA Journal of Telecommunications in Higher Education

In This Issue Ahead in the Clouds: ls Outsourcing Right for Higher Education Technology Services? Security: Prepare to Lose Some ADVERTORIAL: Which Way ls UP? The Center for Technology Leadership Mobile Security in the Middle Things You Might (or Might Not) Know about Convergence Planning Reviewing the Lessons from Security 101 How Universities Can Persevere in the Security Marathon Security Snapshots of Three Campuses President\u27s Message From the Executive Director Q&A from the CI

Transplants’ role stress and work performance in IT outsourcing relationships

This research investigates individual level effects of information technology (IT) outsourcing. The basis of this research rests on several organization and management theories typically applied to outsourcing separately. Some theories were focused primarily on cost concerns, and resources concerns, while others had partnership concerns. Stakeholder theory recognizes the importance of balancing interests of all stakeholder groups. Agency theory recognizes that principal-agent relationships change as a consequence of outsourcing. And economic theories are addressing performance, but not directly individual level work outcome. These complementary perspectives are integrated into a framework, which subsequently was applied in empirical research. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research was used to explore and test the findings. The exploratory case studies involved six large organizations and in-depth interviews with a selected number of client and vendor stakeholders. Combined they revealed important features influencing and creating successful IT outsourcing relationships, and more specifically explored individual level attitudes, behavior and performance. The case studies recognized occupational stress among transplants, outsourcing arrangement stressors, and indicated consequences of occupational stress. The confirmatory survey involved transplants of IT outsourcing. The survey found role stress as prevalent among transplants of IT outsourcing. In turn, perceived role stress was found to influence transplants’ work outcome. Three outsourcing arrangement stress (complementary core competencies, client managerial persistent expectation, and relational norms) were found as stressors affecting the level of perceived role stress among transplants. The main contribution of this research is the development and application of a multiparadigmatic based research framework providing a more comprehensive understanding of transplants’ role stress and work outcome. Used as an analytic tool this framework will help managers in dealing with issues of role stress among transplants of IT outsourcing

TOWARDS A PRACTICE-ORIENTED GREEN IS FRAMEWORK

This paper addresses the need for a comprehensive, practice-oriented Green IS framework. The study conducted a systematic integrative review of research and practitioner literatures in concert with a cross-sectional field study in order to achieve its objective of building such a framework. This research began in September 2009 and ended in September 2010; thus, the paper incorporates up-to-date findings from academic and practitioner studies and articles, and is informed by insights from leading IT professionals in public and private sector organisations. The Green IS framework presented herein is based on six core concepts or categories: the first of these is Business and IS Strategy, which, in turn, underpins the People; Energy Efficiency; Dematerialisation; Waste and Recycling; and Green Operations categories. This paper argues that if each of these five areas are addressed comprehensively by practitioners, then lower organisational Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions will result. The paper concludes that while the direct effects of Green IT are being realised by a growing number of organisations, the enabling effects of Green IS are proving more elusive. There is much then that research and practice needs to do if 2020 GHG emissions offset targets are to become a reality

The development of a generic outsourcing decision model with validation through automotive industry case studies.

Aims and Objectives of Research. 1. To develop a ¿one stop¿ generic decision making matrix (Outsourcing Decision Model) that provides the necessary clarity into defining whether an organisation should proceed with an outsourcing initiative or not. This would be based upon a distillation of existing models and reviewed literature. With the recognition that there may be subsequent advantages following the process, the model will include not only these but a means of evaluation in order to ascertain whether or not an outsourcing initiative may be or was successful or not. This latter aspect must logically be viewed as very important as an outsourcer must be aware of the benefits and also whether or not they were achieved. In addition, the model would include sufficient guidance with potential supporting metrics and their application. 2. To validate the Outsourcing Model through specific case studies using a triangulated approach in comparing the selected automotive OEM with some of its major competitors. Within the context of the case study, the research would also attempt to understand how the subject outsourcing organisation compares to its major competitors in equivalent comparable products and whether or not this reflects in the success of these companies. This case study not only provides a means of reinforcing the remaining case studies by using a triangulated method of application to the research developed outsourcing decision model but also provides a deeper understanding of the context of the supplier and competitors within the industry. 3. To test, via case studies the effect of specificity relating to the outsourced end product rather than the outsourced entity. This aspect provides the deepest application to the researched outsourcing decision model and therefore the most comprehensive validation. In addition, because the case studies are retrospective, they have the benefit of providing data to establish the level of success. This would be very important, particularly as it would enable a focus on particular criteria that failed to highlight a particular outcome and therefore provide a chance to make amendments. Low specificity is a well established criterion in defining an outsourced entity which is reflected within the body of the research. The further extension of this theory towards the outsourcing of and outsourced entity related to an established previously outsourced commodity is a new concept with no identifiable literature or evidence relating to its importance. The fact that it provides an element within the research that is potentially unique and carries no extra task burden it has been captured as an added element within the two important validation case studies: 4. To evaluate if outsourcing performance can be enhanced through the introduction of a second supplier into a single supplier sourcing situation. Subsequent to outsourcing, this aim and objective focuses upon the possibility of enhancing performance through the introduction of a second supplier. Particularly in cases whereby expertise may have been lost from an outsourcer, ultimate results relating to the outsourced entity may be compromised through either opportunism or diminished supplier performance. Whether these aspects are deliberate or unintended, an outsourcer should have some means of mitigating this risk. This mitigation may potentially be enabled through the use of a second supplier in order to provide a degree of competition. 5. To identify a link between Specificity, Commonality and Platform Sharing. The Author's professional role was very heavily based around the modern practices within the Automotive Industry. Outsourcing, platform sharing and commonality are well publicised strategies that have been adopted by various car manufacturers in order to gain efficiencies. Research was carried out in order to provide a better understanding of these strategies and to establish if there is any link between them. A confirmation of any linkages may then provide potential for establishing greater synergies between them.Ford Motor Company Ltd

Governance Methods Used in Externalizing Information Technology

Information technology (IT) is the largest capital expenditure in many firms and is an integral part of many organizations\u27 strategies. However, the benefits that each company receives from its IT investments vary. One study by Weill (2004) found that the top performer in the sample was estimated to have as high as a 40 greater return on its IT investment than its competitors. To expedite the progress toward getting better value from IT investments, along with the need to deal with the increasing complexity and expense of IT, a growing number of companies are turning to outside service providers to develop and/or manage various aspects of their information systems. The governance methods used by firms to maintain control over the quality, services, and cost of IT outsourcing are the focus of this dissertation.Previously in the literature, researchers have looked into the phenomenon of outsourcing from various perspectives. However, existing literature has not constructed or proposed an outsourcing model that examines the important moderating impact of internal technical capabilities to governance mechanisms. Building on existing literature related to IT outsourcing, this dissertation examines governance mechanisms that were used by firms to maintain control over the quality, services, and the cost of outsourcing of IT in order to identify their contribution to the success of IT outsourcing initiatives from the perspective of managers whose companies have engaged in IT outsourcing. In this dissertation, a research model was developed, and through an on-line survey instrument, data were collected from the members of the Information Systems Community of Practice in the Project Management Institute. The findings showed that the following governance mechanisms had positive impact on managerial perceptions of IT outsourcing success: (1) Financial commitment in the form of dedicated asset-specific investments and (2) attitudinal commitment. This study also confirms the moderation effect that firm technological capab