Governing Individual Learning in the Transition Phase of Software Maintenance Offshoring: A Dynamic Perspective

Abstract

Prior studies suggest that clients need to actively govern knowledge transfer to vendor staff in offshore outsourcing. In this paper, we analyze longitudinal data from four software maintenance offshore outsourcing projects to explore why governance may be needed for knowledge transfer and how governance and the individual learning of vendor engineers interact over time. Our results suggest that self-control is central to learning, but may be hampered by low levels of trust and expertise at the outset of projects. For these foundations to develop, clients initially need to exert high amounts of formal and clan controls to enforce learning activities against barriers to knowledge sharing. Once learning activities occur, trust and expertise increase and control portfolios may show greater emphases on self-control.

Information Systems Outsourcing

“…We chose systemdynamics simulation for two reasons. Prior case studies (Krancher and Dibbern 2012;Krancher and Slaughter 2013) gave insights into the basic processes of SMOO transitions. Prior case studies (Krancher and Dibbern 2012;Krancher and Slaughter 2013) gave insights into the basic processes of SMOO transitions.…”

“…Although support may positively affect the vendor engineer's learning outcomes, it may be contingent on the willingness of the SME to provide the support and on the ability and willingness of the vendor engineer to make use of the support (Krancher and Slaughter 2013). Many context factors in SMOO may hinder constructive interaction between the vendor engineer and the SME, such as cultural distance, language barriers, conflict, low expertise of the vendor engineer, and low familiarity Gregory et al 2009;Krancher and Slaughter 2013).…”

“…While help and simple-to-complex sequencing may mitigate the cognitive loads on vendor engineers and thereby initially improve their learning, they may not materialize without management involvement given the high barriers imposed by cultural differences, language barriers, low familiarity with the SME, little prior related experience, and conflict Gregory et al 2009;Krancher and Slaughter 2013). Vendor engineers may initially exert only weak selfcontrol of their learning process (Krancher and Slaughter 2013).…”

“…Vendor engineers may initially exert only weak selfcontrol of their learning process (Krancher and Slaughter 2013). This is because they may not be able to and may not dare to consult appropriate help or enforce simple-to-complex sequencing when their expertise is low and their relationships with SME lack trust (Krancher and Slaughter 2013). The control of learning activities may thus partially depend on outcomes of learning activities such as expertise and trust.…”

“…This is because they may not be able to and may not dare to consult appropriate help or enforce simple-to-complex sequencing when their expertise is low and their relationships with SME lack trust (Krancher and Slaughter 2013). This may give rise to complex dynamic interactions (Krancher and Slaughter 2013). This may give rise to complex dynamic interactions (Krancher and Slaughter 2013).…”