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This paper aims to explain how small- and medium-sized firms (SMEs) create information technology (IT) business value through blended IT outsourcing (ITO). The explanatory framework it proposes enables SMEs to replicate IT capability outcomes (i.e. enhance their economic, strategic and technological competences, namely, ITO success) by endorsing an ITO strategy catalyzed by IT vendor integration.

This study uses covariance-based structural equation modeling to test the proposed research model. Data are collected from 251 knowledge-intensive business SMEs located in Science and Technology Parks in Spain.

The results demonstrate empirically that SMEs can replicate IT capability benefits (i.e. enhance their non-IT competences) through blended ITO in which IT, conceptualized as a transversal supporting activity, is outsourced to an IT vendor while the value creation process remains with the buyer. The integration (i.e. process integration and information sharing) of an IT-proficient vendor catalyzes ITO success. More specifically, the results show that, although process integration is not directly related to competence enhancement, fosters information sharing, which directly facilitates ITO success. The results also show that IT vendor proficiency accounts for ex ante trust.

Managers should think of transformational ITO as a strategy to enhance firm competences. For blended ITO strategies to succeed, managers must have a comprehensive understanding of the business they run, as it is important to create conditions that foster inter-firm information sharing. To achieve these conditions, managers should take special care in selecting boundary spanners, who are the pivotal links in competence enhancement.

While most research focuses on ongoing trust (i.e. trust develops as ITO evolves), this study focuses on initial (i.e. ex ante) trust and analyzes IT vendor proficiency (expert, experienced and reputed) to examine trust as an antecedent of ITO. This study also draws on previous conceptualizations of vendor integration to develop and analyze a two-step integration model to explain how IT vendor integration (i.e. process integration and information sharing) catalyzes enhancement of the buyer’s non-IT competences. This study focuses on SMEs, which are often neglected in ITO studies.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

A set of strategies and best practices for establishing collaborative governance mechanisms within a strategic offshore Information technology outsourcing (ITO).

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

The study aims to carry out the production of a bulk heterojunction organic solar cell in a laboratory scale using a blend of poly (3-hexylthiopene) (P3HT) and [6, 6]-phenyl (C61) butyric acid methyl ether (PCBM).

Four inverted geometry organic solar cells were prepared based on 1:1 ratio of P3HT to PCBM and subjected to post annealing at different temperatures of 32, 120, 130 and 140°C. Solar cells were fabricated with structure glass/ITO/P3HT:PCBM/PEDOT:PSS/Au and characterized using Keithley 2400 series sourcemeter and a multimeter interfaced to a computer system with a LabVIEW software, which showed both dark and illumination current–voltage characteristic curves. Four reference cells were also fabricated with structure soda lime glass/P3HT:PCBM and annealed at different temperatures of 32, 120, 130 and 140°C.

The third organic solar cell prepared, Sample CITO, had the best performance with power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.0281 per cent, fill factor (FF) of 0.392, short circuit current of −0.0133 A and open circuit voltage of 0.389 V. Annealing of active layer was found to improve cell morphology, FF and PCE. Annealing of the active layer at 140°C resulted in a decrease of the PCE to 2.01 per cent.

These findings are in good agreement with previous investigation in literature which reported that best annealing temperature for a 1:1 ratio blend of active material is 130°C. Ultraviolet–visible spectra on reference cells showed that sample CITO had wider absorption spectra with peak absorbance at a wavelength of 508 nm.

This research is purely original.

To identify key lessons, trends and enduring challenges with global outsourcing of back office services.

The authors extract lessons, project trends, and discuss enduring challenges from a 20 year research program conducted by these authors and their extended network of co‐authors and colleagues.

The authors identify seven important lessons for successfully exploiting the maturing Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) markets. The lessons require back office executives to build significant internal capabilities and processes to manage global outsourcing. The authors predict 13 trends about the size and growth of ITO and BPO markets, about suppliers located around the world, and about particular sourcing models including application service provision, insourcing, nearshoring, rural sourcing, knowledge process outsourcing, freelance outsourcing, and captive centers. The authors identify five persistent, prickly issues on global outsourcing pertaining to back office alignment, client and supplier incentives, knowledge transfer, knowledge retention, and sustainability of outsourcing relationships.

The authors present some experimental innovations to address these issues.

This research study aims to establish the significance of collaborative governance practices in creating higher business value from an offshore IT outsourcing (ITO) relationship.

At the outset, a Delphi technique identifies the most significant ITO success criteria from a prescribed list, which is the outcome of a review and analysis of existing research articles. Subsequently, an empirical survey captures the perceptions of provider-side middle level professionals to prioritize these significant success criteria, which are the outcome of the Delphi study. Statistical analysis of the prioritized success criteria delivers a set of success factors, which forms the basic building blocks to formulate a set of offshore governance strategies. A real-life case evidence shows the practicability of implementing the proposed strategies underlining the similar practices taken up in the past.

A set of strategies and best practices for establishing collaborative governance mechanisms within a strategic offshore ITO.

This research study captures the perspectives of Indian service providers only.

This comprehensive study helps the contractual parties harness and augment the positive impacts of success factors in implementing superior contractual, relational and performance governance strategies within a strategic ITO initiative. A collaborative program management mechanism ensures the fruitful implementation of proposed strategies with the active support of top management of contractual parties. Consequently, the proposed strategies help offshore providers assess and augment their service capabilities for higher business efficiency and value creation.

Nearly all legal firms and in‐house counsels will have to consider the opportunities and risks afforded by the rapidly changing legal process outsourcing (LPO) market, estimated to be worth $2.4bn globally, and growing rapidly. The purpose of this Industry Insight is to assess the current LPO provider landscape by analyzing data on 27 LPO providers.

The authors analyzed LPO provider data collected in 2011 by Orbys, a leading sourcing and transformation advisory firm based in Europe. The 27 providers in the sample include specialist LPO providers, full service LPO providers, and global BPO providers that offer LPO services. The authors assessed LPO provider services, provider competencies, geographic location, pricing, team composition, and staff turnover rates.

The LPO providers in the sample provide a variety of services, including litigation, intellectual property, corporate, compliance, procurement, employment, property, and consulting services. LPO providers allocated most of their human resources to litigation (26 percent), intellectual property (14 percent) and corporate/compliance (12 percent) services. LPO providers balance team composition – the percentage of onshore resources located close to the client versus offshore resources in low‐cost locations – to reduce client costs while still delivering quality services. The average team composition average was 22 percent of resources onshore and 78 percent of resources offshore, mostly in India. The authors also analyzed LPO prices by skill level and location. For example, the average daily rate for a fully qualified lawyer based in India was $248. LPO provider turnover rates ranged from 3 percent to 34 percent, with an average turnover of 15 percent.

This research on the LPO provider landscape helps to inform potential clients about LPO services and the global LPO landscape. The authors also identify three practices to help clients achieve success with LPO engagements. First, consider overall value, not just price. Second, mediate the effects of high LPO provider turnover. Third, assess and develop client‐retained capabilities, because outsourcing legal services is not about abdicating responsibility, but about learning to manage legal services in a different way.

Legal process outsourcing is the next evolution in the provision of services. Because the LPO market is less mature than the information technology outsourcing (ITO) and business process outsourcing (BPO) markets, very little research has been done on LPO in general or on LPO provider capabilities specifically. This Industry Insight helps to bridge the knowledge gap.

The application of objective measurement of the mechanical properties of fabrics in the apparel industry began around 1975 in the Hirakata area, which is one of the centres of men's suit production in Japan. At that time the KESF system had been developed and thereafter spread rapidly. The measurement of mechanical data under low‐load level by the KESF provided useful information for the apparel engineers who needed some means of fabric measurement by which the tailoring process might be controlled. The fabric dimensional stability testing using steam press was also standardised at that time (HESC 103A method). At present, the KESF data and the stability data are essential for apparel engineers and are used widely in the Japanese apparel industry. In addition to the use of objective measurements in each factory, a centre for objective fabric inspection has been recently initiated in the Hirakata area, for the inspection and control of fabric by the objective system for tailoring process control. In addition, a co‐operative work between the apparel engineers and the university has been carried out to develop a new equation for predicting the good appearance of a suit on the basis of fabric mechanical data. Automatic tailoring such as automatic overfeed action on the basis of fabric mechanical property is also carried out under the co‐operation of the university, the apparel industry, and a sewing machine manufacturer (Juki) in Hirakata. The progress of these projects is presented.

The purpose of this research is to explore how and to what extent the Blended Learning Classroom (BLC) model enhances students’ learning experience. The creation of the BLC model was to provide different learning approaches to overcome the challenges in the new normal regarding how we could manage the Thailand Lesson Study Incorporated Open Approach (TLSOA) model to maximize students’ independent learning.

The researcher employed a participatory observation research design for 178 participants consisting of directors and teachers from 62 schools using a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using the stimulated recall technique that allowed the participants to reflect and discuss what was happening while they were applying the BLC model.

A total of 84.9 percent of participants agreed and strongly agreed with the benefits of implementing the BLC model. The results revealed that Lesson Study (LS) teams created the problem situations substantially by emphasizing across-subject. The qualitative findings revealed that there are three valuable insights in terms of the strengths, challenges and effectiveness of implementing the BLC model.

These discussions are limited to a study representative of 62 out of 274 project schools.

The successful implementation of the BLC model requires effective planning, ongoing support for teachers and a suitable infrastructure to ensure access to technology.

This research adds new insight to the scarce amount of literature on students’ active, interactive and self-regulated learning in a BL environment.

Recent studies suggest that many of today's students are highly proficient in their use of digital media and are developing new learning styles heavily dependent on social media and the Web. Theories of social learning seem to address these new learning styles, which are interest and friend driven, and occur in contexts that are outside of class and within the flow of students’ everyday lives. Social learning emphasizes participation, group interaction, and utilizing collaborative environments. This chapter explores how using social media, specifically class blogs (WordPress) and microblogs (e.g., Twitter) together, help achieve social learning. Internet-based learners have various levels of proficiencies, competencies, and adoption rates. Strategies and best practices are explored to address how social media can be utilized by educators to accommodate the heterogeneity of digital learners and engage new styles of learning.