ABSTRACT
Offshore outsourcing of information systems application development (ISD) has grown tremendously in the past decade. Executing such projects requires collaboration from project participants across the client and vendor firms, located in different countries. However, orchestrating effective collaboration, across teams separated by geographic, organizational and cultural contexts, has emerged as a significant challenge in managing offshored projects. In this research, we examine the usefulness of boundary spanning in addressing this challenge. Specifically, we focus on the role of client project manager as a boundary spanner, connecting the distributed team members from both client and vendor firms, and facilitating expertise sharing and coordination. We present a multi-dimensional conceptualization of the boundary spanning activities of the client project manager. Utilizing an organizational capital perspective, we examine capital generated in offshore project teams through boundary spanning, as a potential mechanism through which boundary spanning effects successful project outcomes.
- Ancona, D.G. (1990), "Outward bound: strategies for team survival in an organization", Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 33 pp.334--66.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Bhandar, M., Pan, S. L. and Tan, B. (2006) "Towards Understanding Roles of Social Capital in Knowledge Integration: A Case Study of a Collaborative Information Systems Project", Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, (58:2), pp. 263 --- 274. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Carmel, E. and Agarwal, R. (2001) "Tactical Approaches for Alleviating Distance in Global Software Development", IEEE Software, (18:2), pp. 22 -- 29. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Carmel, E. (2006) "Building Your Information Systems from the Other Side of the World: How Infosys Manages Time Zone Differences", MIS Quarterly Executive (5:1), pp. 43 -- 53.Google Scholar
- Carmel, E., and Tjia, P. (2005). Offshoring Information Technology: Sourcing and Outsourcing to a Global Workforce. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
- Cramton, C. D. (2001) "The Mutual Knowledge Problem and Its Consequences for Dispersed Collaboration", Organization Science, (12:3), pp. 346 -- 371. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Cramton, C.D. & Webber, S.S. (2005) "Relationships among geographic dispersion, team processes, and effectiveness in software development work teams", Journal of Business Research (58:6), pp. 758--765.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Das, T.K., Teng, B. (1998) "Between trust and control: developing confidence in partner cooperation in alliances", Academy of Management Review, Vol. 23, pp.491--512.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Faraj, S., and Sproull, L. (2000) "Coordinating Expertise in Software Development Teams," Management Science (46:12) pp. 1554--1568. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Guinan, P., Cooprider, J. and Faraj, S. (1998) "Enabling Software Development Team Performance During Requirements Definition: A Behavioral Versus Technical Approach", Information Systems Research (9:2), pp. 101 -- 125. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Hansen, M.T. (2002) "Knowledge networks: explaining effective knowledge sharing in multiunit companies", Organization Science, (13:3), pp. 232 -- 48. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Kale, P., Singh, H. and Perlmutter, H. (2000) "Learning and Protection of Proprietary Assets in Strategic Alliances: Building Relational Capital", Strategic Management Journal, (21:3), pp. 217 -- 237.Google Scholar
- Kang, H., Yang, H. and Rowley, C. (2006) "Factors in team effectiveness: Cognitive and demographic similarities of software development team members", Human Relations, (59:12), pp. 1681--1710.Google Scholar
- King, W. (2008) "The Post Offshoring IS Organization", Information Resources Management Journal, (21:1), pp. 77 -- 88. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Kleim, R. (2004) "Managing the Risks of Offshore IT Development Projects", Information Systems Management (21:3), pp. 22 -- 27.Google Scholar
- Kostova, T., & Roth, K. (2003). Social capital in multinational corporations and a micro--macro model of its formation. The Academy of Management review , 28 (2), 297--317.Google Scholar
- Leana, C. R., & Pil, F. K. (2006) "Social Capital and Organizational Performance: Evidence from Urban Public Schools", Organization Science , 17 (3), 353--366. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Levina, N., & Vaast, E. (2008) "Innovating or Doing as Told? Status Differences and Overlapping Boundaries in Offshore Collaboration" MIS Quarterly , 32 (2), 307--332. Google ScholarCross Ref
- Levina, N., & Vaast, E. (2005). "The Emergence of Boundary Spanning Competence in Practice: Implications for Implementation and Use of Information Systems" MIS Quarterly , 29 (2), 335--363. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Luo, Y. (2001) "Antecedents and Consequences of Personal Attachment in Cross-Cultural Cooperative Ventures", Administrative Science Quarterly, (46:2), pp. 695--709.Google Scholar
- Luo, Y. (2008) "Procedural Fairness and Interfirm Cooperation in Strategic Alliances", Strategic Management Journal , Vol 29, pp. 27--46.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Mitchell, V. (2006) "Knowledge Integration and Information Technology Project Performance", MIS Quarterly, (30:4), pp. 919--939. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Mirani, R. (2007). Procedural coordination and offshored software tasks: Lessons from two case studies. Information & Management , 44 (2), 216--230. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Nahapiet, J., & Ghoshal, S. (1998). Social Capital, Intellectual Capital and the Organizational Advantage. Academy of Management Review , 23 (2), 242--266.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Pan, S. L., Newell, S., Huang, J. & Galliers, R. D. (2005) "Overcoming Knowledge Management Challenges During ERP Implementation: The Need to Integrate and Share Different Types of Knowledge", Journal of American Society For Information Science & Technology, (58:3), pp. 404 --- 419. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Pawlowski, S. D., and Robey, D. (2004) "Bridging User Organizations: Knowledge Brokering and the Work of Information Technology Professionals," MIS Quarterly (29:4), pp. 645--672. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Ranganathan, C., & Krishnan, P. (2007). Crafting and executing an offshore IT sourcing strategy: GlobShop's experience. Journal of Information Technology, 440--450.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Rao, M.T. (2004) "Key Issues for Global IT Sourcing: Country and Individual Factors," Information Systems Management, pp. 16--21.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Ring, P. S. and Van de Ven, A. H. (1994) "Developmental processes of cooperative interorganizational relationships," Academy of Management Review, (19:1), pp. 90--118Google ScholarCross Ref
- Sabherwal, R. (2003). The evolution of coordination in outsourced software development projects: a comparison of client and vendor perspectives. Information and Organization , 13 (3), 153--202.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Sarkar, M. B., Echambadi, R., Cavusgil, S. T. and Aulakh, P. S. (2001) "The Influence of Complementarity, Compatibility, and Relationship Capital on Alliance Performance", Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, (29:4), pp. 358--373.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Srikanth, K. (2007) "Coordination in the Remote Delivery of Services," in Proceedings of the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Best Papers, G. Salomon (ed.), Philadelphia, PA, August 3--8.Google Scholar
- Szulanski, G. (1996) "Exploring internal stickiness: impediments to the transfer of best practice within the firm" Strategic Management Journal, (17, Winter), pp. 27--43.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Tsai, W. & Ghoshal, S. (1998) "Social Capital and Value Creation: The Role of Intrafirm Networks", The Academy of Management Journal (41:4), pp. 464--476.Google Scholar
- Tushman, M. L. (1977) "Special Boundary Roles in the Innovation Process", Administrative Science Quarterly, (22:4), pp. 587--605.Google Scholar
- Van Maanen, J. and Schein, E. H. (1979) "Toward of Theory of Organizational Socialization" Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 1, pp. 209--264Google Scholar
- Wang, E., Ying, T. C., Jiang, J. J., & Klein, G. (2005) "Group Cohesion in Organizational Innovation: An Empirical Examination of ERP Implementation", Information & Software Technology, Vol. 48, pp. 235--244. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Powell, W. W. (1996) "Trust based form of governance" In R. M. Kramer & T. R. Tyler (Fds.), Trust in organizations: Frontiers of theory and research, pp. 51--67. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
- Tucci, L. (2007) "Gartner: Strong Growth for Offshoring Predicted for 2008", SearchCIO.com, 19 Dec, 2007 (Available online at: http://searchcio.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid182_gci1286775,00.html accessed: July 21, 2008)Google Scholar
- Gartner Research (2008) Gartner Says Worldwide Outsourcing Market to Grow 8.1 Percent in 2008. Available online at: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=578307 Accessed: August, 29, 2008.Google Scholar
Index Terms
- Boundary spanning in offshored ISD projects: a project social capital perspective
Recommendations
From offshore outsourcing to insourcing and partnerships: four failed outsourcing attempts
Most large software companies are involved in offshore development, now small- and medium-sized companies are starting to undertake global sourcing too. Empirical research suggests that offshoring is not always successful; however, only a few ...
Success is more than a resumé: the role of social and psychological capital in compensation for offshore BPO professionals
SIGMIS-CPR '13: Proceedings of the 2013 annual conference on Computers and people researchMulti-national corporations (MNCs) are increasingly using offshore business process outsourcing (BPO) to manage their primary and support functions and achieve their strategic objectives. Though India is regarded as the "undisputed leader in offshore ...
Innovating or doing as told? status differences and overlapping boundaries in offshore collaboration
Increasingly, firms source more complex and strategic as well as harder to codify information technology projects to low-cost offshore locations. Completing such projects successfully requires close collaboration among all participants. Yet, achieving ...
Comments