Outsourcing strategies and their performative dimensions: Is there still room for new managerial techniques?

1noAlthough outsourcing is broadly recognized as a relevant and multi-faceted strategic choice, its actual outcomes are still debated. The frequency and the scope of outsourcing and offshoring have increased constantly during the last 20 years, along with their popularity, which has coincided with other ‘management fashions’ (Abrahamson & Fairchild, 1999) and similar ‘bandwagons’ (Staw & Epstein, 2000), like business process re-engineering, strategic focalization, creation of shared services, and corporate downsizing (De Fontenay & Gans, 2008; Gospel & Sako, 2010; Angeli & Grimaldi, 2010). Although the strategic and financial outcomes of outsourcing have been well documented (e.g. Marchegiani et al., 2012; Giustiniano et al., 2014) both the managerial practice and the extant literature still lack a set of consolidated managerial techniques capable of tackling some of the organizational issues related to outsourcing. Notwithstanding their variety, such issues can be grouped into two main categories: 1) the paradoxes of outsourcing, 2) management of the ‘liminal’ effects generated.openopenGiustiniano, LucaGiustiniano, Luc

Virtual Project Management Of Globally Outsourced IT Projects

The existing literature on how globally outsourced information technology (IT) projects are reliant on technology for virtual project management was extended by presenting a new framework for virtual project management and analyzing the current internet-based collaborative tools that facilitate their effectiveness. This assertion derives from an effort to answer the following research question: How are globally outsourced IT projects reliant on technology for virtual project management

Mitigating the Adversity of Outsourcing: Outsourcing from the Employee’s Perspective

This paper explores how outsourcing activities and decisions put the well-being of the remaining employees at risk, ultimately affecting productivity and creating further costs to the employer. It highlights four potential threats to remaining employees: trust, job satisfaction, motivation, and stress. The paper provides several suggestions for mitigating these impacts, including communication to retain trust, acting ethically to ensure satisfied employees, seeking an understanding of employee perspectives to build employee motivation, and providing good planning along with training and development to reduce employee stress

Consideration of selflessness and self-interest in outsourcing decisions

Purpose – The paper aims to discuss the need to balance selflessness and self-interest issues in outsourcing decisions. This discussion is timely given the tensions that currently exist between those who want off-shore outsourcing to continue as a means for increasing international trade, and those who only want to conduct business on-shore. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual approach has been taken in this paper in order to highlight key considerations for ethical decision-making with respect to off-shore outsourcing. Findings – Considerations of selflessness and self-interest are embedded in outsourcing decisions. It is recommended that a balance between making profits and fulfilling social responsibilities is required, ideally, at each stage of decision-making. Hence, managers should think critically about the reasons behind off-shore outsourcing decisions, the process of arriving at decisions, and the impact of their decisions on stakeholders. Research limitations/implications – This is a conceptual paper and further empirical data to validate the stages of decision-making framework are required. Practical implications – Failure to take into account the selflessness and self-interest outcomes of off-shore outsourcing could potentially off-set strategic gains by leading to negative media publicity for a company. Social implications – Ethical considerations as part of outsourcing decisions should result in a transparent, fair and more humane working environment for both the host and the home country representatives involved in the process. Originality/value – This paper presents an original framework of selflessness and self-interest considerations when making off-shore outsourcing decisions. Both Eastern and Western business perspectives have been incorporated as part of the decision-making framework

Redesign of a Master\u27s in Information Systems Curriculum: The Influence of Global Sourcing

We present a case study of a successful response to outsourcing, and IS job and enrollment declines through an IS curriculum redevelopment in a business school. First, we examine literature on outsourcing/offshoring phenomenon and on IS curricular redesign. A conceptual framework is presented that is useful in understanding the role of global collaborative group projects for learning about outsourcing in the IS graduate curriculum. A case study of one approach to an IS graduate curriculum redesign is then presented. The case examines the results of a survey of IT executives that informed the design of the curriculum. The case study curriculum is compared to the MSIS 2006 national model, and results are interpreted from prior literature and workforce trends

Revitalising the Outsourcing Discourse within the Boundaries of Firms Debate

Despite outsourcing has been at the core of managerial practice and literature for a long time, still authors do not agree on a clear understanding of the overall outsourcing process. This article answers two main questions, relevant to researchers and practitioners: 1.What are the main findings so far in outsourcing literature? 2. What do we still need to learn? Through a comprehensive review of the literature, we offer systematization of the existent body of knowledge on outsourcing, its implications on firms’ boundaries, and the theoretical challenges. In conclusion, implications for managers are drawn

An investigation into how small companies in London and the South East UK engage in IT offshore outsourcing and the impact of culture on this phenomenon

Small businesses are increasingly engaged in IT offshore outsourcing but are as yet few academic studies into this phenomenon. One of the major stumbling blocks of IT offshore outsourcing is cultural difference. A framework of propositions was empirically tested by means of case study of three small businesses based in London and the southeast of England in order to understand the specific challenges and changes for small companies and micro firms engaging in IT offshore outsourcing. Cultural differences are found to play a large part in the outcome of these projects

Assessment of Outsourcing on Project Delivery in Ministry of Works, Land and Housing, Ondo state, Nigeria

Presently, the construction industry in Nigeria is undergoing very rapid change and explosive growth and it has been argued that outsourcing strategies adopted have contribution to the growth of the sector due to its relevance and potentials for the economy. As such, this study tried to assess the significant effects of outsourcing on project delivery in ministry of works, land and housing, Ondo State, as regards cost reduction, timely delivery of projects and quality of projects. About 60 questionnaires were administered, 55 were returned and analyzed to get primary data that treated appropriate research questions and the hypothesis was tested accordingly. The study found that outsourcing so far has positively contributed to the delivery of projects in Ondo State ministry of Works and the results indicated that the ministry has benefited from outsourcing its business process to reduce cost of operation, ensure timely delivery of projects and also increase the quality of their projects

La intensidad de la externalización hotelera y sus beneficios y riesgos percibidos

Este trabajo se centra en identificar el papel de la estrategia de externalización en los hoteles. Para ello, se analiza los niveles de externalización actual y deseada. El artículo intenta determinar qué ventajas así como los riesgos que perciben los directivos de esta estrategia. Por otra parte se analiza la relación entre el tamaño, categoría y tipo de hotel con la externalización. Los resultados indican que el nivel de externalización es bastante usado. Por otra parte, los beneficios que perciben los directivos son más tácticos que estratégicos. Existe una relación entre la externalización y el tamaño del hotel

Fatores de risco psicossocial relacionados ao estresse em trabalhadores terceirizados: uma revisão

O objetivo desta revisão foi avaliar e sistematizar os dados publicados em periódicos científicos acerca dos fatores psicossociais que podem contribuir para o estresse e afetar a saúde de trabalhadores terceirizados. Utilizou-se o procotolo PRISMA para relatar os resultados. Foram selecionados 5 estudos brasileiros e 20 internacionais, considerando o período de 2002 a 2017. Os principais fatores de risco psicossocial identificados relacionados ao estresse foram a qualidade da liderança, o salário insuficiente, a ausência de possibilidades de desenvolvimento e o conflito entre trabalho e família. Verificou-se que o estresse em trabalhadores terceirizados é afetado por diversas variáveis organizacionais. Os resultados enfatizam a importância de estratégias de prevenção no âmbito do trabalho terceirizado e nas relações estabelecidas neste contexto