A New Conceptual and Operational Framework for the Switching of IT Outsourcing Providers

The switching of information technology (IT) providers is a subject of considerable significance, since the IT outsourcing (ITO) market is still growing and ITO deals are regularly reaching the end of their contract period, whilst other ITO contracts are prematurely discontinued. The transitional phase to a new provider is a highly complex, resource intensive and critical phase of strategic importance. The objective of this phase is that the contract with the new provider is implemented and the incumbent provider is replaced. Existing literature suggests that an unsuccessful transition can endanger the business continuity of the ITO client. Yet, to date, no research has holistically focused on how successful ITO transitions can be performed. This research seeks to contribute to the understanding and knowledge of which factors support the successful transition of ITO providers for the switching client. It does so by identifying critical success factors, secondary success factors, key risks, and then develops a conceptual framework and a practical operational guide. This qualitative research is conducted within a constructivist paradigm. Twenty-one practitioners from seven different organisations were interviewed. The interviewed practitioners represent three different groups - IT outsourcing client (8), incumbent provider (6) and new provider (7). The focus is on complex ITO deals, where ‘complex’ is considered to comprise large ITO deals with total contract value of more than €100 million, and where at least two IT services have been outsourced and need to be switched. All interviews were transcribed and the data analysis was conducted based on a modified grounded theory approach and the NVivo software tool facilitated the coding process. The results of the analysis and the development of the conceptual and operational framework were subject to validation procedures and verification strategies, such as member checking. The thesis provides a comprehensive critical review of the literature on switching ITO providers and related relevant literature on IT outsourcing to act as the basis of this research. This is refined and augmented through the empirical work to present a final holistic framework that details the success factors and risks involved. This framework provides a holistic view of the management capabilities and business activities that are necessary to ensure a successful switching of ITO providers. For each management capability or business activity a RACI table is provided, which outlines key tasks and responsibilities. Collectively, the new conceptual framework and associated analysis and materials will provide a significant contribution to both literature and practice in the ITO field

The unimolecular decomposition of dimethoxymethane: channel switching as a function of temperature and pressure

Branching ratios of competing unimolecular reactions often exhibit a complicated temperature and pressure dependence that makes modelling of complex reaction systems in the gas phase difficult. In particular, the competition between steps proceeding via tight and loose transition states is known to present a problem. A recent example from the field of combustion chemistry is the unimolecular decomposition of CH$_3$OCH$_2$OCH$_3$ (DMM), which is discussed as an alternative fuel accessible from sustainable sources. It is shown by a detailed master equation analysis with energy- and angular-momentum-resolved specific rate coefficients from RRKM theory and from the simplified statistical adiabatic channel model, how channel switching of DMM depends on temperature and pressure, and under which experimental conditions which channels prevail. The necessary molecular and energy data were obtained from quantum-chemical calculations at the CCSD(F12*)(T*)/cc-pVQZ-F12//B2PLYP-D3/def2-TZVPP level of theory. A parameterization describing the channel branching over extended ranges of temperature and pressure is derived, and the model is used to simulate shock tube experiments with detection by atomic resonance absorption spectroscopy and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The agreement between the simulated and experimental concentration–time profiles is very good. The temperature and pressure dependence of the channel branching is rationalized, and the data are presented in a form that can be readily implemented into DMM combustion models

How to Switch IT Service Providers: Recommendations for a Successful Transition

Although IT outsourcing is a growing industry and a common topic in the literature, there is limited research which critically analyses and assesses the switching of IT outsourcing providers – in particular the factors contributing to success are under-researched. This article explores this growing area of management and consultancy activity by analyzing the existing literature in the field. This allows the identification of critical success factors that are pertinent to the switching of providers and provides recommendations for a successful transition

Thermal Decomposition of NCN: Shock-Tube Study, Quantum Chemical Calculations, and Master-Equation Modeling

The thermal decomposition of cyanonitrene, NCN, was studied behind reflected shock waves in the temperature range 1790–2960 K at pressures near 1 and 4 bar. Highly diluted mixtures of NCN₃ in argon were shock-heated to produce NCN, and concentration–time profiles of C atoms as reaction product were monitored with atomic resonance absorption spectroscopy at 156.1 nm. Calibration was performed with methane pyrolysis experiments. Rate coefficients for the reaction ³NCN + M → ³C + N₂ + M (R1) were determined from the initial slopes of the C atom concentration–time profiles. Reaction was found to be in the low-pressure regime at the conditions of the experiments. The temperature dependence of the bimolecular rate coefficient can be expressed with the following Arrhenius equation: <i>k</i>₁^bim = (4.2 ± 2.1) × 10¹⁴ exp­[−242.3 kJ mol^–1/(<i>RT</i>)] cm³ mol^–1 s^–1. The rate coefficients were analyzed by using a master equation with specific rate coefficients from RRKM theory. The necessary molecular data and energies were calculated with quantum chemical methods up to the CCSD­(T)/CBS//CCSD/cc-pVTZ level of theory. From the topography of the potential energy surface, it follows that reaction proceeds via isomerization of NCN to CNN and subsequent C–N bond fission along a collinear reaction coordinate without a tight transition state. The calculations reproduce the magnitude and temperature dependence of the rate coefficient and confirm that reaction is in the low-pressure regime under our experimental conditions