Reyes Gonzalez

Information systems outsourcing: a literature analysis

Outsourcing has become one of the strategies adopted by businesses to manage their IS. During the last few years, the use of outsourcing has resulted in an increase in the volume of literature devoted to it. We decided therefore to analyse the literature with the aim of identifying the main topics, the methodologies most often applied and the authors and countries that have contributed most to the area of IS outsourcing. We also intended to offer suggestions on improving research in this field. The paper thus provides a review of articles about IS outsourcing published in the most prestigious journals of the IS area and journals of Management or Business.

An analysis of research in information systems (1981-1997)

The study of Information Systems (IS) is a relatively new research area, thus an analysis of the latest literature could be useful to show what the researchers are doing and what can be done to improve our approach. With that purpose in mind, this article analyzes the articles published in the Management Information Systems Quarterly and Information & Management journals between 1981 and 1997, paying attention to the usual topics as well as strategies, both in research and by the authors.

Information systems outsourcing risks: a study of large firms

Purpose – Despite the considerable growth of information systems (IS) outsourcing in recent years, this trend is still the object of strong criticism. This study has as its aim to show the main risks computer outsourcing entails in the case of the largest Spanish firms.Design/methodology/approach – In order to achieve that aim, reviews the previous literature on this topic and later analyses the results of a survey carried out using a questionnaire that was answered by 357 firms.Findings – According to the firms under analysis, the main concern in relation to IS outsourcing is the excessive dependence on the provider this type of contract can generate. Nevertheless, some characteristics of firms (mainly their size) determine to some extent what risks are seen as the most relevant.Originality/value – The conclusions suggest that total outsourcing can turn out to be a very dangerous strategy, mainly due to the dependence it creates. This is why IS managers should consider other alternatives such as having m...

Information systems offshore outsourcing: A descriptive analysis

Purpose – The present paper has as its aim to deepen in the study of information systems offshore outsourcing, proposing three essential steps to make this decision: weighing up the advantages and risks of offshore outsourcing; analysing the taxonomy of this phenomenon; and determining its current geography.Design/methodology/approach – With that objective in mind, it was decided to base the research work on the literature about this topic and the review of reports and statistics coming from different sources (consultants, the press, public institutions, etc.).Findings – Offshore outsourcing has grown vertiginously in recent years. Its advantages exceed even those of onshore outsourcing, though it also involves greater risks derived from the (cultural and physical) distance existing between customer and provider. Various types of services and customer‐provider relationships hide under the umbrella of offshore outsourcing; i.e. it is not a homogeneous phenomenon. The main offshore outsourcing customers can...

Information systems outsourcing reasons in the largest Spanish firms

The aim of this paper is to explore the reasons that lead to information systems outsourcing in the largest Spanish firms. Our paper takes as its starting point the previous literature on information systems and tries to analyse if those reasons are related to the outsourcing level as well as to the different characteristics of the firm and its information systems department. With this aim, a survey was made among information systems managers in those firms. The results show that outsourcing gives the firms the possibility of enhancing their information systems services and departments.

Information systems outsourcing reasons and risks: a new assessment

Purpose – Outsourcing is currently going through a stage of unstoppable growth. The purpose of this paper is to make a proposal about the main reasons, which may lead firms to adopt outsourcing in information systems (IS) services. It will equally analyse the potential risks that IS clients are likely to face. An additional objective is to assess these reasons and risks in the case of large Spanish firms, while simultaneously examining their evolution over time. This study of outsourcing reasons and risks has been carried out from the clients perspective.Design/methodology/approach – In order to achieve these aims, a questionnaire was administered to the IS managers of the largest Spanish firms.Findings – Outsourcing gives the organisations the opportunity to have better IS services and the possibility to achieve technological improvements and, although cost savings in staff and technology are generally seen as very important, they do not emerge as priority reasons for outsourcing in the present study. R...

Information systems outsourcing: reasons, reservations and success factors

The aim of this paper is to determine the main reasons that lead to information systems outsourcing, the reservations that are initially present in front of this kind of contract and the factors considered necessary for the success of outsourcing in the case of Spanish public universities. With this aim, a survey has been made among information systems managers in those universities. The results show the possibility of establishing a typology of universities depending on the position they have adopted with respect to outsourcing.

E‐government success: some principles from a Spanish case study

Purpose – This paper has as its aim to analyse the evolution and current status of e‐government, trying to deduce a series of basic principles for its success.Design/methodology/approach – A case study has served to achieve that aim, but prior to its presentation, a short review of the e‐government literature along with some facts and figures have made it possible to assess the situation of e‐government in various countries around the world, and more precisely in Spain.Findings – E‐government lays emphasis on technology; however, the internal processes through which public administrations (PP.AA) offer their services to citizens need careful reengineering.Research limitations/implications – Although a case study like this one, in which the analysis of e‐government is restricted to the functioning of a tax administration body, may have limitations when it comes to generalising the conclusions drawn, the principles inferred from it can be easily extrapolated to the vast majority of PP.AA.Originality/value –...

The strategic process of a cultural change to implement total quality management: a case study

The implementation of a total quality management (TQM) culture, with its implicit orientation towards the customer, is a complex matter and requires a long-term approach. Consequently, the firms that try to change from a bureaucratic culture to one oriented towards quality will have to design an appropriate strategy in order to succeed. This type of modification can only be achieved through an evolutionary process and not a reactionary or a revolutionary one, since we are dealing with individual and collective behaviours that can obtain customer satisfaction through continuous improvement. In this respect, we present the case of a transformation towards a TQM culture in the Division of Alicante (Alicante is a province in the East of Spain) of Telefonica Group (a Spanish telecommunications company which, in 1999, provided jobs for over 100000 people and had profits of more than 1780 million euros). Thus, we are going to study the stages the Division went through in the process and the problems they had to face, finally reflecting the results obtained after implementing a strategy that was formulated to achieve this purpose in the long run.

Information Systems outsourcing: An empirical study of success factors

Although Information Systems Outsourcing has experienced a dramatic growth in recent years, there is a lack of success in many of these contracts, which makes it necessary to study the factors determining that success. The present paper proposes a set of key factors to achieve IS outsourcing success. It also establishes a number of measures meant to assess the degree of success reached by firms at outsourcing. We have validated both things (the proposed success factors and the factors to measure success) through a survey carried out among the Information Systems managers of the largest Spanish firms. The perceived benefits of outsourcing can be reduced to three types: technological, strategic and economic. Strategic motivations stand out as the most important ones in this study. This paper not only identifies the most important outsourcing success factors, from the clients point of view, but also studies the evolution of these success factors during the last few years in the Spanish context, and offers a number of measures to assess the degree of success obtained by firms with IS outsourcing. So the model could be useful both for teaching and for the industry practice.