Developing Internet-based integrated architecture for managing globally distributed software development projects

Given the increasing importance of globally distributed software development (GDSD) over the last decade, it is surprising that empirical research in this area is still in the very early stage. The few existing suggest that traditional coordination and control mechanisms can be effective for these projects only with support from appropriate information technology. However, at present, little is known about the success of current Information and Communication Technology (ICT) support in the context of GDSD projects. Therefore, the main question this research addresses is what ICT-based support is appropriate for globally distributed software development projects? The objectives of this research are to elicit and develop the functional requirements for ICT support for GDSD projects, to analyze the gap between existing tools and these requirements, and to develop an Internet-based integrated architecture of tools that would fill these gaps

Primary vendor capabilities in a mediated outsourcing model:can IT service providers leverage crowdsourcing?

Crowdsourcing platforms that attract a large pool of potential workforce allow organizations to reduce permanent staff levels. However managing this "human cloud" requires new management models and skills. Therefore, Information Technology (IT) service providers engaging in crowdsourcing need to develop new capabilities to successfully utilize crowdsourcing in delivering services to their clients. To explore these capabilities we collected qualitative data from focus groups with crowdsourcing leaders at a large multinational technology organization. New capabilities we identified stem from the need of the traditional service provider to assume a "client" role in the crowdsourcing context, while still acting as a "vendor" in providing services to the end-client. This paper expands the research on vendor capabilities and IT outsourcing as well as offers important insights to organizations that are experimenting with, or considering, crowdsourcing

Digital resources and their role in advanced service provision:a VRIN analysis

Purpose: We examine the role of digital resources in the context of advanced service provision to determine their strategic potential. Approach: We conduct a theoretical review of the literature to identify digital resources which we subsequently analyse with regards to their value, rarity, inimitability and non-substitutability (VRIN). Findings: Our analysis shows that the strategic value of the digital resources is unlocked through their complementarity. Value: The research has implications for the management of advanced services and contributes towards the grounding of servitization research in the wider economic and management theory

Digital Sustainability in Information Systems Research: Conceptual Foundations and Future Directions

In this editorial, we develop the concept of digital sustainability for the IS community. By systematically reviewing the Green IT and Green IS literatures, we show that the IS field has lagged behind current discourse in practice and therefore lacks the conceptualization of the relationships between digital technologies and sustainability. Digital sustainability is defined in this editorial as the development and deployment of digital resources and artifacts toward improving the environment, society, and economic welfare. We hope that this editorial motivates IS researchers to engage in digital sustainability as an emerging research area

Re-representation as work design in outsourcing : a semiotic view

Outsourcing work relies on the supplier’s interpretation of the work delegated by the client. Existing streams of outsourcing literature tend to assume that the supplier should use the same convention as the client to make sense of the work package. In this research, we use a semiotic lens to challenge this assumption by viewing such sensemaking as a process of decoding symbolic representations. This complementary view involves innovative use of digital technology for re-representing the outsourced work through new conventions. We studied a Chinese business process outsourcing supplier in-depth to learn how such re-representation is achieved through the creation of special-purpose languages. Our research contributes to the Information Systems outsourcing literature by providing a semiotic view on the design of outsourcing work supported by digital technologies. Three re-representation practices (i.e., dissociating the signifiers, signifying through new conventions, and embedding new conventions in the digital infrastructure) constitute the core of this view. The results are highly significant for outsourcing theory and practice, not least since they suggest that the use of semiotics and visuals for re-representation may enable suppliers to reformulate outsourcing work and the expertise needed to deliver services

Can Client Firms Achieve Radical Innovation in IT Outsourcing?

There is growing evidence that client firms expect outsourcing suppliers to transform their business. Most outsourcing vendors indeed deliver incremental innovation to client firms. However, radical innovation in outsourcing is more challenging to achieve. While prior studies have provided some evidence regarding how innovation in outsourcing may take place, research has so far failed to conceptualize and operationalize the factors affecting radical innovation in outsourcing. It is not yet clear how contractual and relational aspects affect such innovation. This paper, therefore, is set about exploring the effect of contract types and client-supplier relationship on radical innovation. Results suggest that joint-venture contract and strong client-supplier relationship lead to radical innovation while time and materials and fixed-price contracts are less likely to lead to radical innovation. The strength of client-supplier relationship mediates the effect of joint venture contract on radical innovation. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and practical implications

New Capabilities: Can IT Service Providers Leverage Crowdsourcing?

Technological advancements enable new sourcing models in software development such as cloud computing, software-as-a-service, and crowdsourcing. While the first two are perceived as a re-emergence of older models (e.g., ASP), crowdsourcing is a new model that creates an opportunity for a global workforce to compete with established service providers. Organizations engaging in crowdsourcing need to develop the capabilities to successfully utilize this sourcing model in delivering services to their clients. To explore these capabilities we collected qualitative data from focus groups with crowdsourcing leaders at a large technology organization. New capabilities we identified stem from the need of the traditional service provider to assume a “client” role in the crowdsourcing context, while still acting as a “vendor” in providing services to the end client. This paper expands the research on vendor capabilities and IS outsourcing as well as offers important insights to organizations that are experimenting with, or considering, crowdsourcing

Management of Globally Distributed Component-Based Software Development Projects

Globally Distributed Component-Based Development (GD CBD) is expected to become a promising area, as increasing numbers of companies are setting up software development in a globally distributed environment and at the same time are adopting CBD methodologies. Being an emerging area, the management of GD CBD has evolved primarily on an ad hoc basis. At present, little is known about how to successfully organise and manage GD CBD. To fill this gap, this research explores the management of GD CBD and reveals factors that contribute to success in GD CBD projects. Data are drawn from several successful GD CBD projects at LeCroy, SAP and TCS, compared with one unsuccessful project at Baan. The results suggest that inter-site coordination, appropriate tools and technologies, social ties, knowledge sharing and components management are the main factors that contribute to success in GD CBD. Lastly, a framework assisting managers to organize and manage CBD in GD environments is offered.Julia Kotlarsky graduated in 1996 as an engineer in Industrial Engineering and Management from Technion, the Israeli Institute of Technology. In 1997-1999, during study for her master’s degree, she received the highest level of fellowship at the Technion and worked as a teaching assistant for a number of undergraduate and graduate courses at the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management. At the same period she worked as a lecturer in ORT College. During her graduate studies at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, The Netherlands, in 2001 she received a Marie Curie Scholarship from the European Commission for visiting Henley Management College, Henley-on-Thames, UK, where she had a visiting position for five months. In 2001-2003 she also visited Florida International University in Miami, USA, the University of Technology Sydney in Sydney, Australia, and the Management Development Institute in Gurgaon, India. She conducted research in leading companies, which included SAP, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Baan and LeCroy Corporation. Currently she is a lecturer in Information Systems at Warwick Business School, UK. In 2003 she won the Philip Law Scholarship from the European Case Clearing House for writing a teaching case about globally distributed development of component-based software. She has published in International Journal of Production Research, European Journal of Information Systems and has given a number of papers in refereed conferences. Julia is working in the area of management of globally distributed software development projects. Her interests include component-based design, knowledge sharing, and the social and technical aspects of the management of globally distributed software development projects

Before, During, and After Face-to-Face Meetings: The Lifecycle of Social Ties in Globally Distributed Teams

This paper explores the neglected area of social ties in globally dispersed teams. The paper proposes a framework in which three stages in the development of social ties in a globally distributed team are considered: before face-to-face (F2F), during F2F, and after F2F meetings. These stages constitute the lifecycle of social ties in globally distributed teams. Based on data collected at LeCroy and SAP, various activities and mechanisms at the individual, group, and organizational level that support the build-up and renewal of social ties between distributed teams are proposed. In applying these activities and mechanisms, the case firms shifted from investing in the introduction of remote counterparts to creating trust and rapport between remote counterparts and eventually to continuously renewing these social ties. The paper concludes by offering managers practical implications and making suggestions for future research

The Role of Social Media and the Crowd in Building Digital Community Resilience: Boundary Spanning during Disasters

The increasing frequency of disasters poses severe challenges to communities. In this study, we propose the concept of digital community resilience, which refers to a dynamic process of using digital technologies to support community recovery from a disaster. Among various disaster stakeholders, the crowd represents a powerful force. The crowd leverages social media platforms to contribute to digital community resilience. However, the resulting crowd actions are not always seamless. Rather, they encounter ongoing boundary coordination issues with other stakeholders. We conducted a case study of China’s response to COVID-19, focusing on the crowd’s efforts and the transforming of boundaries with the government and the public. This study identifies three types of boundaries faced by the crowd – administrative, cognitive, and professional. We propose a process model of digital community resilience showing how different disaster stakeholders use social media to span boundaries after a disaster