Gordon E. McCray

The outsourcing of information services: transforming the nature of business in the information industry

The structure of the decision faced by a firm to outsource or to retain information services is developed in this paper. Theory regarding the decision structure is discussed and the results of in-depth interviews with a variety of chief information officers presented. Specifically, the forces that drive the outsourcing decision are identified, the incentives and disincentives of outsourcing relationships being addressed in detail. A framework for contemplating the outsourcing option is presented, followed by recommendations on managing relationships with outsourcing vendors.

Trust-building mechanisms utilized in outsourced IS development projects: a case study

This article describes the trust-building mechanisms used between top-level managers, project team members, users, and outsourcers over the course of a project offering outsourced information systems development (OISD). Previous studies of trust were used to identify potential trust-building mechanisms for participants in OISD projects over three potential stages of trust building: deterrence-based trust, knowledge-based trust and identification-based trust. A case study approach was then used to explore the development of trust for individuals involved in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation for a US

The hybrid course: Merging on-line instruction and the traditional classroom

2.5 billion international manufacturing company. The results indicate that the various stakeholders did not encounter previously identified stages of building trust, but significant differences were found in the use of trust-building mechanisms among top-level managers, project team members, users, and outsourcers. Implications for scholars and practitioners are discussed.

Project Management under Uncertainty: The Impact of Heuristics and Biases

The efficacy of on-line learning environments has received considerable attention in recent years. Generally, researchers have found little impact of virtual learning environments on learning outcomes. With a few exceptions, however, these studies have focused upon distance learning courses where students enter the course without expectations of significant amounts of face-to-face contact with the instructor(s). Information technology, and particularly Web-based multimedia, increasingly offers opportunities to transfer content delivery and other associated activities from face-to-face settings to on-line venues. However, in order for this transference of content and process to be effective in courses recognized as face-to-face courses, students must find the virtual environment appealing. They must also achieve learning outcomes at least as high as those achieved in traditional class settings. The research reported upon herein demonstrates the utility of on-line learning environments in traditional classes both as an efficient means for executing activities previously tethered to the classroom setting and as a means to allow the pursuit of higher levels of learning.

Using system dynamics to anticipate the organizational impacts of outsourcing

Formal project management often is critical to the effective and efficient application of scarce organizational resources to competing demands within and across projects. Effective project management, however, is predicated upon valid and accurate project specifications. The introduction of biases into the formulation of these specifications can lead to compromised or failed projects and foregone opportunities of strategic relevance to a firm. Several such biases arise often from the unwitting application of heuristics by project personnel. By recognizing the presence of these heuristics and their potential effects and then applying appropriate tactics to offset them, project personnel can effectively mitigate their deleterious impacts.

Exploiting organizational knowledge in developing IS project cost and schedule estimates: An empirical study

The outsourcing of information systems functions is a phenomenon that is now considered an essentially permanent addition to the cache of options available to the modern manager. Yet, while the potential costs and benefits of outsourcing are widely debated, a thorough understanding of the phenomenon remains elusive. The outsourcing decision is highly situational and generalizations regarding its relative merits are difficult to construct. Because of its unique ability to capture the inherent complexity of the outsourcing decision, system dynamics is used to construct a computer-based model of that decision process in a typical information systems organization. The effect of two management policies and two exogenous variables is explored over 80 quarters (20 years). Findings indicate that while outsourcing offers potential cost savings, it is accompanied by a decreased ability to respond to unexpected changes in the competitive market place. Copyright

Project Assessment: A Tool for Improving Project Management

Project management is vital to the effective application of organizational resources to competing demands within and across projects. The effective application of project management, however, is predicated upon accurate estimates of the project budget and schedule. This study assesses primary and supporting activities that exploit knowledge within an organizations memory to develop project schedule durations and budgets. The study further assesses the subsequent impact of predictability on project success. Two hundred and sixteen survey responses from IT professionals with project management responsibilities were analyzed. Results found use of the primary activities of using parametric estimating techniques (use of formal models), bottom-up estimating techniques (formulating estimates at the task level), and the support activities of team reliance, realistic targets, and professional experience all impact the predictability of estimates for project cost and duration. Predictability in turn was found to directly impact project success with regards to meeting cost and duration objectives. While use of analogous estimating techniques (using similar previous projects) was not found to be useful for project managers with more experience, it was used by project managers with less experience in determining predictability.

Integrating Core it Processes: A Case Study

Abstract Application development projects fail for a myriad of reasons; most, however, stem from poor project management. This article describes a practical guide for analyzing projects from the initiation phase to close-out. Performed correctly, the guide increases the chances of project success as well as gives an organization an opportunity to develop project management skills.

The impact of project management heuristics to IS projects

Abstract Because of their growing importance, IT organizations are reexamining how they manage their core processes. Most often, these processes are disconnected, isolated, and barely controlled. the IT organization studied in this article used a holistic approach to evaluate, design, and implement a framework that integrates core IT processes. This integration helped the IT department to gain control of its key activities.

Heuristics and Biases in Information Systems Project Management

Formal project management is vital to the effective application of organizational resources to competing demands within and across projects. The use of project management, however, is predicated upon valid and accurate project specifications. The introduction of biases into the formulation of these specifications can lead to compromised or even failed projects. In many cases, biases arise from the application of heuristics by project personnel. Project personnel can in many cases offset the impact of biases by recognizing and understanding these heuristics and their potential effects. This study surveys project personnel to attempt to identify heuristics and their use in actual IS projects.