Search results

The authors present nine dimensions to provide structure for the many Futures of Work (FoW). This is done to advance a more sociotechnical and nuanced approach to the FoW, which is too-often articulated as singular and unidimensional. Futurists emphasize they do not predict the future, but rather, build a number of possible futures – in plural – often in the form of scenarios constructed based on key dimensions. Such scenarios help decision-makers consider alternative actions by providing structured frames for careful analyses. It is useful that the dimensions be dichotomous. Here, the authors focus specifically on the futures of knowledge work.

Building from a sustained review of the FoW literature, from a variety of disciplines, this study derives the nine dimensions.

The nine FoW dimensions are: Locus of Place, Locus of Decision-making, Structure of Work, Technologies’ Roles, Work–Life, Worker Expectations, Leadership Model, Firm’s Value Creation and Labor Market Structure. Use of the dimensions is illustrated by constructing sample scenarios.

While FoW is multi-dimensional, most FoW writing has focused on one or two dimensions, often highlighting positive or negative possibilities. Empirical papers, by their nature, are focused on just one dimension that is supported by data. However, future-oriented policy reports tend are more often multi-faceted analyses and serve here as the model for what we present.

Discusses the characteristics of packaged software versus information systems (IS) development environments that capture the differences between the teams that develop software in these respective industries. The analysis spans four levels: the industry, the dynamics of software development, the cultural milieu, and the teams themselves. Finds that, relative to IS: the packaged software industry is characterized by intense time pressures, less attention to costs, and different measures of success; the packaged software development environment is characterized by being a “line” rather than “staff” unit, having a greater distance from the actual users/customers, a less mature development process; the packaged software cultural milieu is characterized as individualistic and entrepreneurial; the packaged software team is characterized as less likely to be matrix managed and being smaller, more co‐located, with a greater shared vision.

We treat offshoring as a managerial innovation. Should it still be considered an innovation? The purpose of this paper is to use innovation theory, especially, Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory (DOI) to examine this question.

The paper examines the case of electronic data systems (EDS), a very large Information Technology Professional Services (ITPS) company, using a case study approach based on interviews, internal documents and secondary sources.

At EDS it was found that offshoring has been fully assimilated within just a few years. During the early 2000s, EDS faced the challenge of a large‐scale shift in the competitive landscape and moved a large share of its global operations to offshore locations. The paper shows how this innovation has been diffused within the firm through the creation of an assessment and migration organization that has institutionalized and routinized the process of offshoring. At EDS, each client project goes through a centralized offshoring assessment process to determine where best to send the work and how to perform the knowledge transfer quickly and effectively. Observations are made about the speed of diffusion: about 7‐10 years in this case, from initial innovation agenda setting to its routinization.

This paper filled a gap in studying managerial innovation; made some estimates of the speed of diffusion; and applied the hypothesized stages of innovation diffusion to the context of offshore software services. The limitation is that this is a case study and therefore generalization may be qualified.

This paper is among the first that studies offshoring (as opposed to outsourcing) in terms of DOI theory.

The purpose of this paper is to answer the question asked by Buelen “What do we still need to learn about outsourcing across time zones?”.

This paper serves as a response to the commentary by Erik Beulen in SOIJ Vol. 5 No. 1 titled “I'm working while they're sleeping: time zone separation challenges and solutions”.

The paper finds that we are still very much at the beginning of the “era of time zone dependent work.”

This futures analysis leads to the projection that many more individuals will be entering time zone dependent work. While technology may elevate some of the hardships of temporal separation, it will exacerbate others.

How do you efficiently design a global yet local user experience for Web sites? Arguably, the user-centered design approach has been one of the best methods in designing a successful user experience for Web services in the initial market, but why isn’t this process applied to international markets? This chapter makes a case for applying a user-centered design process to the international expansion of Web sites and discusses issues impacting the creation of a successful user experience for local audiences. Although this chapter primarily focuses on designing large scale Web services, many of the principles can be applied to any sites that undergo internationalization.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the contribution of a global IT service provider's Human Resources Information System (HRIS) to staff retention in emerging markets. This includes a comparison of the relevant issues and implications derived from a study investigating six developing countries. The author of this paper concludes that the functionality of global HR systems should be supplemented with local adaptions in order to achieve the best support for staff retention management.

The theoretical framework for this paper is based on HR literature concerning staff retention and on the framework proposed by Martinsons for human resources management applications of knowledge‐based systems. The argument is illustrated by quotes from 16 semi‐structured expert interviews with Accenture HR executives and managers in Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Latvia and Slovakia.

HRISs contribute positively to staff retention for global IT service providers in emerging markets. Especially important in minimizing turnover is the support they can provide for the allocation of employees to international engagements, including scheduling and training. Culture and local labor market differences do of course influence the HR functionalities needed. This paper provides insight into the factors that necessitate local adaptions to a global HRIS.

This paper addresses the differences and similarities in a global IT service provider's staff retention management and the contribution of its HRIS – including global functionality and local adaptions – towards this goal in six developing countries.