Abstract
Our study examines the evolution of offshoring of information technology services between a multinational telecommunications firm and Indian vendors. The firm’s strategy sought to access critical resources of talented software professionals at low cost and to facilitate growth in a highly competitive telecommunications sector. Legitimacy management proved critical in explaining the evolution of this offshoring arrangement between a client firm and its four Indian vendors. Our findings surface the strategies and activities adopted by proponents in their challenge of gaining, maintaining, building, and repairing legitimacy. We examine how the subsequent reactions and interactions of other audiences iteratively influenced the legitimacy dynamics of offshoring. We also contribute an understanding of the role of trust in the challenges of managing legitimacy, and conclude with practical implications for institutionalizing offshoring arrangements.
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Barrett, M., Hinings, C.R., Oborn, E. (2008). Legitimacy Management and Trust in Offshoring Information Technology Services. In: Barrett, M., Davidson, E., Middleton, C., DeGross, J.I. (eds) Information Technology in the Service Economy: Challenges and Possibilities for the 21st Century. IFIP — The International Federation for Information Processing, vol 267. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09768-8_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09768-8_20
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