Siffat Ullah Khan

Factors influencing clients in the selection of offshore software outsourcing vendors: An exploratory study using a systematic literature review

Context: Offshore software development outsourcing is a modern business strategy for developing high quality software at low cost. Objective: The objective of this research paper is to identify and analyse factors that are important in terms of the competitiveness of vendor organisations in attracting outsourcing projects. Method: We performed a systematic literature review (SLR) by applying our customised search strings which were derived from our research questions. We performed all the SLR steps, such as the protocol development, initial selection, final selection, quality assessment, data extraction and data synthesis. Results: We have identified factors such as cost-saving, skilled human resource, appropriate infrastructure, quality of product and services, efficient outsourcing relationships management, and an organisations track record of successful projects which are generally considered important by the outsourcing clients. Our results indicate that appropriate infrastructure, cost-saving, and skilled human resource are common in three continents, namely Asia, North America and Europe. We identified appropriate infrastructure, cost-saving, and quality of products and services as being common in three types of organisations (small, medium and large). We have also identified four factors-appropriate infrastructure, cost-saving, quality of products and services, and skilled human resource as being common in the two decades (1990-1999 and 2000-mid 2008). Conclusions: Cost-saving should not be considered as the driving factor in the selection process of software development outsourcing vendors. Vendors should rather address other factors in order to compete in the OSDO business, such as skilled human resource, appropriate infrastructure and quality of products and services.

Critical Success Factors for Offshore Software Development Outsourcing Vendors: A Systematic Literature Review

CONTEXT – Offshore software development outsourcing is a modern business strategy for producing high quality software at low cost. OBJECTIVE – To identify various Critical Success Factors (CSFs) that have a positive impact on software outsourcing clients in the selection process of offshore software development outsourcing vendors. METHOD – We have performed a Systematic Literature Review process for the identification of factors in the selection process of offshore software development outsourcing vendors. RESULTS – We have identified factors ‘cost-saving’, ‘skilled human resource’, ‘appropriate infrastructure’ and ‘quality of product and services’ that are generally considered important by the outsourcing clients. The results also reveal the similarities and differences in the factors identified in different continents. CONCLUSIONS – Cost-saving should not be considered as the only prime factor in the selection process of software development outsourcing vendors. Vendors should have to address other factors in order to compete in the offshore outsourcing business.

Empirical investigation of success factors for offshore software development outsourcing vendors

Offshore software development outsourcing is a contractual business of high-quality software production at offshore destinations with significant cost-saving. The objective of this research paper is to identify and analyse factors that are important to be addressed by vendor organisations in order to be competitive in outsourcing business. We have performed questionnaire surveys with 53 experts from a total of 20 different countries. We asked the participants to rank each success factor on a fivepoint scale to determine the perceived importance of each success factor. Our survey included success factors identified in the previous findings of our systematic literature review study. We have identified factors such as cost-saving and appropriate infrastructure, which are considered critical by the outsourcing clients. Our results indicate that appropriate infrastructure, cost-saving and efficient project management are common in three types of experts (i.e. junior, intermediate and senior). We identified cost-saving as being common in four groups of experts (i.e. developers, managers, senior managers and others). We have also identified cost-saving as being common in three types of organisations (i.e. small, medium and large). Cost-saving and appropriate infrastructure should be addressed by vendor organisations in order to compete in the offshore outsourcing business.

Establishing trust in offshore software outsourcing relationships: an exploratory study using a systematic literature review

Offshore software outsourcing is a widely used business strategy for producing high-quality software at low cost. Trust plays a vital role in establishing the offshore software outsourcing relationships between client and vendor organisations. The objective of this research study is to identify factors via systematic literature review (SLR) that are important for establishing trust in offshore software outsourcing relationships. The authors have performed an SLR by applying the customised search strings, which were derived from the research questions. The authors have identified factors such as face-to-face meeting, better communication, contract management between client and vendor, defining processes, tools, procedures and policies, reliable management, knowledge sharing, mutual expectations, better client-vendor relationship and training programmes that are generally considered critical for establishing trust in offshore software outsourcing relationships. The results also reveal the similarities and differences in the factors identified through different study strategies and in different continents. Offshore software outsourcing companies should focus on the frequently cited factors in order to compete in the offshore software outsourcing business.

Critical Barriers for Offshore Software Development Outsourcing Vendors: A Systematic Literature Review

Software development outsourcing is a contract-based relationship between client and vendor organisations in which a client(s) contracts out all or part of its software development activities to a vendor(s), who provides agreed services for remuneration. The objective of this paper is to identify various barriers that have a negative impact on software outsourcing clients in the selection process of offshore software development outsourcing vendors. We have performed a Systematic Literature Review process for the identification of barriers. We have identified barriers ‘language and cultural barriers’, ‘country instability’, ‘lack of project management’, ‘lack of protection for intellectual property rights’ and ‘lack of technical capability’ that are generally have a negative impact on outsourcing clients. The results also reveal the similarities and differences in the barriers identified in different continents. We suggest vendors have to address different barriers in order to compete in the offshore outsourcing business.

Critical success factors for offshore software outsourcing contract management from vendors' perspective: an exploratory study using a systematic literature review

Offshore software development outsourcing is a recent and widely used business strategy for the development of high quality products at low cost. The objective of the research presented in this study is to find critical success factors (CSFs) for contract management to assist vendor organisations for successful outcomes of the offshore software outsourcing contract. A systematic literature review (SLR) process was performed for the identification of factors that can assist vendor organisations in successful management of the various activities at different stages of the outsourcing contract. that is, pre-contract, during contract and post-contract. Our findings reveal that ‘contract flexibility, ‘trustworthy relationship management’, ‘competitive bidding’, ‘consultation and negotiation’ and ‘quality management’ are considered as the CSFs for outsourcing vendor organisations in planning, management and execution of outsourcing contract.

Critical success factors for offshore software development outsourcing vendors: an empirical study

CONTEXT – Offshore software development outsourcing is a contractual business of high quality software production with significant cost-saving. OBJECTIVE – The objective of this research paper is to analyse the factors that influence software outsourcing clients in the selection of offshore software outsourcing vendors. METHOD – We have performed questionnaire surveys with 53 experts. We asked the participants to rank each success factor on a five-point scale to determine the perceived importance of each success factor. Our survey included success factors identified in the previous findings of systematic literature review study. RESULTS – Our study reveal both cost-saving and appropriate infrastructure as the most influential factors in the selection of outsourcing vendors. Our results also indicate that appropriate infrastructure, cost-saving and efficient project management are common success factors across different groups of practitioners. CONCLUSIONS – Cost-saving and appropriate infrastructure should be considered as the prime factors in the selection process of software development outsourcing vendors.

A Literature Survey on Data Privacy/ Protection Issues and Challenges in Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a technique to deliver software, storage and processing. It increases systems capability without changing the existing infrastructure, educating new people or taking license for the softwares. It improves the existing software capabilities and extends the Information Technology resources. In recent years, cloud computing has grown up rapidly and boosted the business concept in IT industry. Despite of all the achievements in cloud computing, security is still a critical challenge in cloud computing paradigm. These challenges include users secret data (like health and financial data) loss, leakage and disclosing of privacy. We have studied literature and discussed various model in cloud computing, it shows that privacy/protection in cloud is still immature.

Software integration model for Global Software Development

Global Software Development (GSD) is an emerging trend to perform software development activities across national boundaries. Despite of the benefits gained from GSD, there are certain challenges associated with it. Among these challenges one of the critical challenge, which has got very little attention amongst the software engineering research community and industrial practitioners, is the integration of software products and components developed by distributed teams located at different locations.

A Readiness Model for Software Development Outsourcing Vendors

Software development outsourcing has been growing steadily. However significant outsourcing failure rates have also been reported. One of the major issues in outsourcing business is that many organisations undertake software outsourcing initiatives without knowing whether or not they are ready to undertake them. The objective of this project is to develop a readiness model in order to measure the organisationpsilas (vendor) readiness for software development outsourcing. Two types of data will be collected in this research project: firstly, factors that can have a positive or negative impact on software outsourcing clients in the selection of software development outsourcing vendors; and secondly, how one can implement these factors. The anticipated outcome of this project will be a software outsourcing readiness model to assist software practitioners in the design of effective software outsourcing strategies. This model should assist outsourcing vendors in measuring the strength or weakness of software outsourcing activities.