Information needs in the outsourcing lifecycle
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify information needs in the outsourcing lifecycle, and to prioritize them according to their importance for governing and controlling the external provider.
Design/methodology/approach
A three‐round Delphi study was conducted, where 17 and 16 outsourcing experts answered, respectively.
Findings
The evaluation ranked “service reporting” as the number one information need for governing the external provider.
Research limitations/implications
The paper aims to shed light on a so far little‐considered research field and to create the basis for deeper analysis. Future research activities should examine in further detail how to effectively design “service reporting” in theory and practice.
Practical implications
This involves documentation of information needs in the outsourcing lifecycle which are the major prerequisite for making decisions to govern an outsourcing project.
Originality/value
While there is a rapidly growing body of literature on outsourcing, there is hardly any account regarding what information needs have to be fulfilled in outsourcing projects along their lifecycle. This is the major contribution of the paper.
Keywords
Citation
Weimer, G. and Seuring, S. (2008), "Information needs in the outsourcing lifecycle", Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 108 No. 1, pp. 107-121. https://doi.org/10.1108/02635570810844115
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited