Offshore middlemen: transnational intermediation in technology sourcing

The tendency of acquiring information systems and other high technology services from international suppliers continues at unprecedented levels. The primary motivation for the offshore sourcing of technology and services continues to be labor cost arbitrage, and secondly, access to higher levels of expertise. Yet paradoxically, large gaps in technical proficiency, cultural values, and communication styles between client and vendor can undermine the overall success of the offshore relationship. This paper argues that a new breed of entities have emerged, brokering or intermediating offshore relations. The capabilities of such `middlemen' include moderating disparities in expertise, culture, and communication styles that often deteriorate performance in offshore relationships. The paper presents a preliminary theoretical justification for the emergence of offshore intermediaries, describes how and why they develop boundary spanning capabilities, and offers a case study as initial e...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2008
• Where: JITECH
• Authors: Volker Mahnke, Jonathan Wareham, Niels Bjørn-Andersen
• Keywords: Communication Styles, JITECH 2008, Offshore Relationships, Offshore Sourcing