Information systems offshore outsourcing: a descriptive analysis

Purpose - The present paper has as its aim to deepen in the study of Information Systems Offshore Outsourcing, proposing three essential steps to make this decision: weighing up the advantages and risks of Offshore Outsourcing; analysing the taxonomy of this phenomenon; and determining its current geography. Design/Methodology/Approach - With that objective in mind, it was decided to base the research work on the literature about this topic and the review of reports and statistics coming from different sources (consultants, the press, public institutions, etc.). Findings - Offshore Outsourcing has grown vertiginously in recent years. Its advantages exceed even those of onshore outsourcing, though it also involves greater risks derived from the (cultural and physical) distance existing between customer and provider. Various types of services and customer-provider relationships hide under the umbrella of Offshore Outsourcing; i.e. it is not a homogeneous phenomenon. The main Offshore Outsourcing customers can be found in the USA and Europe, mainly in the UK but also in other countries such as Germany and France. As for provider firms, most of them are located in Asia −outstandingly in India but also in China and Russia. At present, there are important providers scattered in other continents as well. Originality/Value - The conclusions suggest that the range of potential Offshore Outsourcing destinations must be widened and that the search for a provider cannot be based exclusively on cost savings; other considerations such as quality, security and proximity of the provider must also be taken into consideration. That is precisely the reason why the study of new countries like Spain as Offshore Outsourcing destinations is proposed

Characterization of the anaerobic metabolism of Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida TFA strain

Motivation: Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida TFA strain is an alphaproteobacteria which is able to degrade the contaminant compound tetralin, found in multiple substances such as coal tar and petroleum (1). Tetralin biodegradation has been characterized under aerobic conditions, however no anaerobic growth has ever been observed in Sphingomonadaceae family. Many nitrate-respiring bacteria are able to transform nitrate to nitrite using nar genes, and eventually to gas nitrogen in a process called denitrification (2). Computer analysis of the genome sequence of TFA has shown different genes whose encoded proteins might be involved in anaerobic respiration pathways in TFA: three fixLJ pairs of genes, an fnrL gene and a fixK gene. It would be interesting to determine whether TFA is able to grow with no oxygen and to characterize this growth. Therefore, the objectives of this project are the characterization of the anaerobic metabolism of TFA and to determine growth rate under anaerobic conditions.Aims: In order to determine whether TFA is able to grow under anaerobic conditions we will use nitrate, nitrite, fumarate and DMSO as final electron acceptors at different concentrations. We will design two insertion mutants in fnrL and fixK genes in order to test their anaerobic growth. The phenotype of some fixLJ mutants will be determined.Results: We have successfully observed anaerobic growth of TFA reaching OD600 of 0.9 with some terminal electron acceptors. No anaerobic growth was observed using nitrite, fumarate or DMSO as sole electron acceptors. None of the mutants in fixLJ1 and fixLJ2 showed significant differences in their growth compared to the wild type strain

Information Systems Outsourcing reasons and risks at the largest Spanish firms

El outsourcing de sistemas de información es una práctica habitual en las empresas en imparable crecimiento. Por ello resulta imprescindible conocer en profundidad cuáles son las razones que llevan a las empresas a externalizar y cuáles son los principales riesgos inherentes a esta práctica. El presente trabajo hace una propuesta de estas razones y riesgos y las valora en el caso de las mayores empresas españolas a través de una encuesta que se ha replicado por segunda vez. El análisis longitudinal permite trazar tendencias y evaluar la continuidad y el cambio en las razones y riesgos del outsourcing. Aunque las razones siguen una tendencia bastante estable, en los últimos años los riesgos se han modificado en cuanto a su valoración. En cualquier caso, la propuesta de razones y riesgos debería ser tenida en cuenta por los directivos, previa a cualquier decisión de outsourcing.Information Systems Outsourcing is a common practice in companies with unstoppable growth. It is therefore essential to know in depth what are the reasons that lead companies to outsource and what the major risks are inherent in this practice. This paper makes a proposal for these reasons and risks and it assesses them in the case of the major Spanish companies through a survey that was replicated twice. The longitudinal analysis allows to draw trends and to assess continuity and change in the reasons and risks of outsourcing. Although the reasons are fairly stable the risks have changed, in terms of their valuation trend in recent years. In any case the proposed reasons and risks should be taken into account by management, prior to any outsourcing decision

Research on the Information Systems Offshore Outsourcing Area

El Offshore Outsourcing consiste en la externalización del trabajo relacionado con las Tecnologías de la Información a un proveedor localizado en un país diferente al cliente. Dado el creciente interés por el Offshore Outsourcing tanto en el mundo empresarial como académico, el presente trabajo realiza una revisión de la literatura en esta área. Se han analizado los artículos sobre el tema publicados en revistas de reconocido prestigio, examinando las metodologías de investigación, el nivel de análisis de los estudios, la perspectiva de datos, las teorías económicas más usadas, dónde se ubican los clientes y proveedores de estos servicios, qué tópicos son los más tratados y qué autores y países han aportado más hasta el momento en esta área. Las conclusiones destacan la falta de formalización teórica, el carácter fundamentalmente divulgativo y el mayor interés por conocer no sólo la perspectiva de los clientes sino también de los proveedores de estos servicios.Offshore Outsourcing consists on the externalisation of the work related with Information Technologies to a supplier located in a country different from the client. Given the growing interest on Offshore Outsourcing in the managerial world as well as in the academic arena, the present work carries out a revision of the literature in this area. We have analysed research articles about this topic published in prestigious journals. Research methodologies, level of analysis of the studies, perspective of the data, economic theories used, where the vendors and clients of this services are located, most frequent topics in the area and the most prolific authors and countries are analysed. The conclusions highlight the lack of theoretical formalization, the documentary character and the biggest interest on the perspectives of the vendors as well as of the clients of these services.Este artículo se ha realizado gracias a la financiación del Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación de la Universidad de Alicante (GRE- 09-08)

Estudio de la investigación en sistemas de información a través del análisis de dos revistas (1981-1997)

El área de los Sistemas de Información es todavía joven, por lo que el estudio de su literatura puede ser útil para saber qué están los investigadores haciendo en la misma, e incluso qué se puede hacer para mejorarla. Para hacer este estudio se han analizado los artículos de las publicaciones Management Information Systems Quarterly e Information & Management desde 1981 a 1997, y se han observado los tópicos más habituales, así como las estrategias de investigación y de autoría más frecuentes.Information Systems is a young research area so an analysis of the literature could be useful to know what are the researchers doing and even what can we do to improve the area. In order to do it this study analyces the articles published in Management Information Systems Quarterly and Information & Management journals from 1981 to 1997, to observe the most usual topics, research strategies and authors strategies

Facebook and Academic Performance: A Positive Outcome

The objective sought with the present paper consists in analyzing the literature about Facebook in order to know the conclusions of the different works with regard to its influence on those results. The examination of 37 papers devoted to this thematic area allows us to know which journals publish more about the impacts that Facebook has on academic performance, which data collection methods are more often used, which topics emerge in parallel to the use of Facebook in the academic context, and which countries are more prolific in this field. The conclusions suggest that, despite the divergence of results, the overall outcome is positive when it comes to the use of Facebook in academic environments

Social networks in cultural industries

Although cultural industries can benefit from social networks in many ways, few Spanish studies examine the extent to which firms within this economic sector actually use such networks. This study's objective is to investigate the role of online social networks in Spanish cultural firms. The study begins with a literature review on cultural industries and social networks. Then the study proceeds to a Delphi analysis that draws upon experts' opinions. Results reveal a predominance of utilitarian uses over expressive ones, as well as an overriding use of proactive motivations rather than reactive ones within the context of cultural firms' use of social networks. The study confirms the profitability of these networks and the transfer of influence or power from providers to the consumers of cultural goods and services

ICT in higher education: an experience with e-books

The present paper seeks to explain the diverse advantages of virtual books and also the main barriers that make it difficult their implementation in the classroom. A brief review of the literature on ICT, e-learning, distance education and e-books will be complemented with a case study about the preparation, development and implementation of an e-book. The paper could be helpful both for systems analysts and for teachers when they are developing and implementing e-books

A descriptive analysis of IT outsourcing configuration

Information Systems (IS) outsourcing is a growing phenomenon in present-day firms that has generally been characterised with an insufficient level of detail and analysis. This is mainly due to the fact that outsourcing has been studied as a set of homogeneous services, failing to distinguish that there is a variety of contracts and ways to implement the outsourcing relationship. That is why this paper seeks to focus on all the aspects which define outsourcing contracts and relationships through the results of a survey carried out among the largest Spanish firms, suggesting the foreseeable future with respect to outsourcing in those companies

Information systems contracts and relationships: A Spanish perspective

Despite the proliferation of academic research on information systems outsourcing, not many studies analyze the characteristics of outsourcing contracts. This research aims to provide an in-depth description of information systems outsourcing. An additional objective is to examine how these characteristics evolve over time. Finally, this study reports on the usefulness of measuring such characteristics over time to assess the maturity level of the information systems outsourcing. This study gathers the data from the responses of the information systems managers of the largest Spanish firms to a questionnaire. This longitudinal study covers 12 years of research and compares authors' previous research results with the results of this study