2012 Awards for Excellence

Citation

(2013), "2012 Awards for Excellence", Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal, Vol. 6 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/so.2013.35706aaa.002

2012 Awards for Excellence

Article Type: 2012 Awards for Excellence From: Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal, Volume 6, Issue 1

The following article was selected for this year's Outstanding Paper Award for Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal

``Understanding transition performance during offshore IT outsourcing''

Erik BeulenTilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands and KPMG EquaTerra, Tilburg, The Netherlands

Vinay TiwariShell, The Hague, The Netherlands

Eric van HeckRotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Purpose - Within an IT outsourcing relationship, transition represents a critical and complex phase that starts immediately after contract signing. Transition involves handing over outsourced activities from client firm to service provider firm and accompanies a new way of operating. The purpose of this paper is to determine and detail factors influencing the performance of transition phase within global IT outsourcing relationships.

Design/methodology/approach - In this paper, the authors present a framework for transition performance that includes four factors: transition planning, knowledge transfer, transition governance and retained organization. This framework is tested and enriched by utilizing a single, in-depth case study involving over 25 interviews with a global offshore IT outsourcing engagement.

Findings - It was found that knowledge transfer and transition governance are more critical factors than transition planning and retained organization for transition performance. This was due mainly to two reasons: the critical challenges faced, within the scope of these factors, had higher potential to disrupt transition; and both these factors and their related issues required a significant joint and coordinated effort from client and service provider firms, thereby, making implementation challenging for transition.

Originality/value - Practitioners have suggested that over two-thirds of failed outsourcing relationships are due to transition-related challenges. This paper represents one of the first in-depth studies that provides insights from a real-life global outsourcing engagement, which contributes to and complements existing literature on IT outsourcing by providing a greater understanding of transition. Furthermore, it provides practitioners with insights and best practices that can be used to guide transitions in real-life engagements.

Keywords Governance, Information technology, IT offshoring, IT outsourcing, Outsourcing, Strategic outsourcing, Transition management

www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/17538291111185449

This article originally appeared in Volume 4 Number 3, 2011, pp. 204-27, Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal

The following articles were selected for this year's Highly Commended Award

``The implementation of social responsibility in purchasing in Hong Kong/Pearl River Delta: a case study''

Antonio, K.W. Lau

This article originally appeared in Volume 4 Number 1, 2011, Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal

``How green is my outsourcer? Measuring sustainability in global IT outsourcing''

Ron Babin, Brian Nicholson

This article originally appeared in Volume 4 Number 1, 2011, Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal

``Logistics outsourcing and company performance of SMEs: evidence from 223 firms operating in Finland''

Tomi Solakivi, Juuso Töyli, Janne Engblom, Lauri Ojala

This article originally appeared in Volume 4 Number 2, 2011, Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal

Outstanding Reviewers

Dr Chris LonsdaleUniversity of Birmingham, UK

Mostafa NejatiUniversiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia