Hans Solli-Sæther

Critical success factors from IT outsourcing theories: an empirical study

Purpose – This research paper aims to identify and rank critical issues in IT outsourcing relationships.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 11 management theories were applied in this research: theory of core competencies, resource‐based theory, neo‐classical economic theory, transaction cost theory, contractual theory, agency theory, partnership and alliance theory, relational exchange theory, stakeholder theory, social exchange theory and theory of firm boundaries. The main method used is case studies and survey. Case studies were conducted in three IT outsourcing relationships: ABB‐IBM, SAS‐CSC, and RR‐EDS.Findings – Core competence management and stakeholder management were found to be the most critical success factors. Future research should focus on one or two theories, explicitly laying out expectations with respect to the theories, and organizing rich data to test expectations.Originality/value – This paper demonstrates that a holistic approach to IT outsourcing is needed that recognizes and ...

Maturity model for IT outsourcing relationships

Purpose – The purpose of this research paper is to present a maturity model for IT outsourcing relationships.Design/methodology/approach – Based on organizational theories and outsourcing practices, this research identified cost stage, resource stage and partnership stage as maturity stages in outsourcing relationships.Findings – First, relationships focus on economic benefits, then there are concerns about access to competence, and finally the development of norms and alliance management are the main focus. Benchmark variables for each stage are suggested. Future research might apply this framework to empirically test the evolution of IT outsourcing relationships.Practical implications – Managing successful IT outsourcing relationships requires a consistent understanding of maturity stage between vendor and client in the relationship.Originality/value – This paper suggests that a long‐term IT outsourcing relationship will shift focus as it matures. The original value of the paper is the theory‐based stag...

THE MODELING PROCESS FOR STAGE MODELS

The purpose of this paper is to present and test a modeling procedure because researchers have struggled for decades to develop stages-of-growth models that are both theoretically founded and empirically validated. This article presents the concept and hypothesis of stages, the history of stage models, and a procedure that may serve as a useful tool in modeling stages of growth. Based on previous research and lessons learned from case study experience of the government sector in Norway, a procedure for the stages of growth modeling process is suggested and demonstrated. The procedure is used for developing a stage model for e-government interoperability. This article provides new insight into issues and challenges faced when engaging in stages of growth research. The paper proposes a new approach to stages of growth modeling. The utility of the suggested procedure is to improve theory building and empirical validation. The contribution to academia is the modeling process that can be applied in future developments of stages of growth. The contribution to practice lies in the stage hypothesis of organizational development over time.

Maturity in IT outsourcing relationships: an exploratory study of client companies

Purpose – This research is concerned with the validation of a maturity model for information technology outsourcing relationships. The paper aims to focus on this research.Design/methodology/approach – This research is validating the cost, resource and partnership stages, respectively, as maturity stages in outsourcing relationships developed and proposed by Gottschalk and Solli‐Saether.Findings – First, stages of growth and benchmark variables were validated. Then, the evolving path of growth was examined. Limited support for the stage of growth model was found.Practical implications – This paper suggests a broad range of organizational activities and structures to guide development from one stage of maturity to the next. To stimulate growth developments, individuals and organizations have to understand and experience transitional events in relationship maturity.Originality/value – Validation procedure linking stages to benchmark variables is presented. Future empirical research should rephrase some of th...

Stages-of-Growth in Outsourcing, Offshoring and Backsourcing: Back to the Future?

The purpose of this paper is to present a stages-of-growth model for the sourcing of information technology. Based on previous research and lessons learned from empirical model testing, this research identified the steps in the organization of IT as an in-house staff function, in-house service function, outsourced function, offshored function, and backsourced function. A modeling procedure was used to develop a stage model for sourcing maturity. This article provides new insight into the key issues and challenges in sourcing relationships. Companies are typically faced with cost, resource and relationship concerns when organizing their IT function. The utility of the stages-of-growth model will shift focus as the organization of the IT function changes. Its focus on costs, resources and relationships is changing and maturing in line with the sourcing decision.

Strategic and Cultural Misalignment: Knowledge Sharing Barriers in Project Networks

This article draws on theories from knowledge and project management to develop an understanding of how knowledge sharing is encouraged and hindered in the context of a multifirm network assembled to execute an innovative shipbuilding project. The empirical data are based on a qualitative case study, collected from in-depth face-to-face interviews in China and Norway, with the key people from a ship owner, shipbuilder, and ship technology supplier. The research indicates three interesting findings: First, differences in organizational culture (not national culture) hamper knowledge sharing. Second, a strategic misalignment made knowledge sharing difficult. Third, protecting knowledge by patenting and secrecy barely influenced the knowledge sharing processes. Based on previous research and lessons learned from case study experience, we suggest a framework to analyze challenges and links in project networks.

Investigative thinking and creativity: an empirical study of police detectives in Norway

This paper makes distinctions among four investigative thinking styles of detectives: method style, challenge style, skill style, and risk style. Based on previous research, this study empirically tested, to what extent there are cumulative relationships among these thinking styles. Furthermore, this research studied relationships between investigative thinking styles and creativity in police investigations. Significant relationships were found between the extent of the challenge and risk styles and the extent of creativity.

Information management for investigation and prevention of white-collar crime

White-collar crime is financial crime committed by upper class members of society for personal or organizational gain. White-collar criminals are individuals who tend to be wealthy, highly educated, and socially connected, and they are typically employed by and in legitimate organizations. This article presents a stage of growth model for knowledge management systems to support investigation and prevention of white-collar crime in business organizations. The four stages are labelled investigator-to-technology, investigator-to-investigator, investigator-to-information and investigator-to-application, respectively.

Transplants' role stress and work outcome in IT outsourcing relationships

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into how individuals are affected by an outsourcing arrangement. The aim of this exploratory case study was to develop an understanding of individual level role stress and work outcomes among transferred employees in IT outsourcing relationships.Design/methodology/approach – A research model was developed based on role theory. Through a field survey conducted in one outsourcing vendor, the research confirms the hypothesis that proposes role stress as prevalent among transferred information technology (IT) employees.Findings – Perceived role stress was found to influence behavioural work outcomes measured as task performance, turnover intention, and affective commitment. The effect of role stress on work outcomes indicates that carefully crafted outsourcing strategies must take into account the unique position of transferred IT employees since the outsourcing arrangement may affect their work outcome.Originality/value – The original value of the pap...

Towards a stage theory for industrial management research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show how stages of growth models have been applied to a number of organizational phenomena in management research. One class of models consists of maturity models for IT outsourcing relationships. There is a need for an improved theoretical foundation for stage models.Design/methodology/approach – Based on a literature review of theory research as well as stage research, a stage of growth theory is proposed in this paper. Also, a procedure for stages of growth modeling is suggested.Findings – A theoretical foundation for stages of growth models enables trust worthier modeling.Research limitations/implications – Future research modeling organizational phenomena can follow the suggested modeling procedure. This paper can be used in teaching by discussing industrial management phenomena along stages of growth by applying dominant problems and benchmark variables.Practical implications – In strategy work, this paper helps in providing a framework for assessing current...