Vendor Perspective Research Articles

How to Lead and Control IT Outsourcing Projects in Data-Rich Environments: A Vendor's Perspective

Despite the growth of data-rich environments and the increase in data accessibility, studies have offered limited insights into how to lead and control information technology (IT) outsourcing projects to benefit from these trends. To address the research gap, this study investigates the effect of big data accessibility on project performance, and analyzes the moderating effects of vendors’ leadership styles and outsourcers’ control mechanisms from a vendor's perspective. Based on absorptive capacity theory, we develop five hypotheses and examine them using data from 195 IT outsourcing projects. The results show that big data accessibility has a positive effect on IT outsourcing project performance, but that the effect varies with vendors’ leadership styles and outsourcers’ control mechanisms. Specifically, the positive effect of big data accessibility is weakened by vendors’ transactional leadership and outsourcers’ behavior-based control, whereas it is strengthened by vendors’ transformational leadership and outsourcers’ outcome-based control. This study contributes to the literature by identifying distinct roles of different leadership styles and different control mechanisms in leveraging big data accessibility.

Empirical exploration of critical challenges of requirements implementation in global software development

AbstractRequirements collection is difficult and a critical phase of software development life cycle, in particular in a global software development (GSD) environment. In GSD, clients and vendors are physically separated such that there exist challenges such as lack of face‐to‐face communication, language differences, culture variation, and time zone differences. The objective of current research is to identify critical challenges of requirement engineering in GSD. There is no work done yet to empirically analyze all possible challenges via questionnaire survey from software industries. This research paper empirically investigates and analyze the identified challenges from systematic literature review (SLR) based on a questionnaire survey. For this purpose, 50 respondents from different countries are organized. From this research, 13 challenges during requirements implementation in the context of GSD have been identified previously via SLR. These challenges were then evaluated using an empirical approach of questionnaire survey. The results from respondents were analyzed based on type of respondents, level of experience of respondents, and from client–vendor perspective. Finally, the challenges were prioritized based on its frequency of occurrences from the SLR and the questionnaire survey. The relationships between the challenges and the survey results were evaluated using the Spearman's correlation coefficient. The results produced a 0.835 Spearman's correlation coefficient at significance level ρ = 0.000, which showed a strong positive correlation between the outcome of SLR and survey with no significant difference. The implication of this research work lies in both fundamental and practical perspective. The prioritized set of challenges was provided based on SLR, and questionnaire survey acts as a knowledge base for both researchers and industrial practitioners. This work will help researchers to identify challenges in GSD projects or other software engineering areas.

Understanding critical risks of business process outsourcing from the vendor perspective: A dyadic comparison Delphi study

Business process outsourcing (BPO) enables organizations to enhance operational capability, shorten response time, and gain strategic value. Yet, BPO risks are real and BPO initiatives can and do go awry. While prior research has attempted to understand BPO risks from the client perspective, the critical risks of BPO from the vendor perspective (and how they differ from those of the client perspective) are not well understood. By using the Delphi method, this study identifies and ranks BPO risk factors from the perspective of vendors as well as clients (for comparison purposes) across two countries. We identify a list of 68 BPO risk factors perceived by vendors and clients and top-ranked risk factors perceived by vendors. We categorize these factors into six risk dimensions (i.e., organizational environment, client, complexity, contract, execution, and vendor). Our findings indicate that vendors are concerned about not only the risks that influence their own business, but also those that may impact the business of clients. However, vendors focus more on client and execution risks, whereas clients focus more on vendor and organizational environment risks. Our research contributes to the existing literature by not only investigating the top-ranked risks from the perspective of vendors, but also revealing the similarities and differences in the perceptions of vendors and clients with respect to BPO risk. Our research also has practical utility for BPO vendors and clients.

Interpretive structural modelling of factors affecting perceived risk in adoption of mobile payment system: a vendor's perspective

Interpretive structural modelling of factors affecting perceived risk in adoption of mobile payment system: a vendor's perspective

Success factors analysis for requirement elicitation in global software development paradigm: An empirical study

AbstractRequirement's elicitation is the process of gathering requirements from users, customers, and stakeholders using traditional or collaborative elicitation techniques. Software requirement gathering is a challenging task particularly in a Global Software Development (GSD) paradigm due to geographical distance, limited face to face meetings, time zone differences, and language and cultural barriers. As more companies begin to adopt GSD in order to save costs, the success factors need to be identified and evaluated in order to ensure a successful elicitation process. This paper offers an in‐depth analysis on success factors for requirement elicitation within GSD environment. First, all possible success factors are identified from the literature via a Systematic Literature Review (SLR). Next, these factors are evaluated by software industries via a questionnaire survey across different types and levels of experts, size of organizations, and from the client–vendor perspective. The relationships between the success factors and the survey results were evaluated using the Spearman's correlation coefficient. The results produced a 0.835 Spearman's correlation coefficient at significance level ρ = 0.000, which showed a strong positive correlation between the outcome of SLR and survey with no significant difference.

The functionality of informal trade in the creation of political power

This article delves into the analysis of informal commerce as a means of power created from the street vendor's perspective. This paper aims to evaluate the expressions of the itinerant executors of the practice of informal trade as a means of creating power. To do this, the conception of analysis, using the local practices referring to informal trade, were analyzed as a means of economic sustenance and in the same way, understood among selected groups as illegal. However independent of the local context and the established place. The thesis that follows is that the street trade has a functional character in the obtaining of power by groups; ideological promotion and not just an economic justification. The main findings and results of the research demonstrated that the decisions of the executors of the practice are permeated by a motivation for the illegal practice, which wanders between what is economically necessary and politically permissible. The situation that determines the functionality and applicability of informal trade acts, underestimates compliance with the existence of local trade policies and regulations of social life and instead, they are recognized as legitimate as they belong to groups of political control. Therefore, it contributes to the defense of the hypothesis, based on demonstrating that the practice of ambulance is presented as a valve for attention to unemployment, while it is tolerated as a means of opportunity to the creation of political power independent of the local or regional context.

Mapping the genealogy of medical device predicates in the United States.

In the United States, medical devices are regulated and subject to review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they can be marketed. Low-to-medium risk novel medical devices can be reviewed under the De Novo umbrella before they can proceed to market, and this process can be fairly cumbersome, expensive, and time-consuming. An alternate faster and less-expensive pathway to going to market is the 510(k) pathway. In this approach, if the device can be shown to be substantially equivalent in safety and effectiveness to a pre-existing FDA-approved marketed device (or "predicates"), it can be cleared to market. Due to the possibility of daisy-chaining predicate devices, it can very quickly be difficult to unravel the logic and justification of how a particular medical device's equivalence was established. From patients' perspective, this minimizes transparency in the process. From a vendor perspective, it can be difficult to determine the right predicate that applies to their device. We map the connectivity of various predicates in the medical device field by applying text mining and natural language processing (NLP) techniques on data publicly made available by the FDA 78000 device summaries were scraped from the US FDA 510(k) database, and a total of 2,721 devices cleared by the 510(k) regulatory pathway in 2020 were used as a specific case study to map the genealogy of medical devices cleared by the FDA. Cosine similarity was used to gauge the degree of substantial equivalence between two medical devices by evaluating their device descriptions and indications for use. Recalls and complaints for predicate devices were extracted from the FDA's Total Product Life Cycle database using html scraping and web page optical character recognition to determine the similarity between class 1 recalled devices (the most severe form of device recall) and other substantially equivalent devices. A specific product code was used to illustrate the mapping of the genealogy from a De Novo device. The ancestral tree for the medical devices cleared in 2020 is vast and sparse, with a large number of devices having only 1-2 predicates. Evaluation of substantial equivalence data from 2003-2020 shows that the standard for substantial equivalence has not changed significantly. Studying the recalls and complaints, shows that the insulin infusion pump had the highest number of complaints, yet none of the recalled devices bore significant degree of text similarity to currently marketed devices. The mapping from the De Novo device case study was used to develop an ancestry map from the recalled predicate (recalled due to design flaws) to current substantially equivalent products in the market. Besides enabling a better understanding of the risks and benefits of the 510(k) process, mapping of connectivity of various predicates could help increase consumer confidence in the medical devices that are currently in the marketplace.

Outsourcing: A Librarian and Vendor Perspective

Outsourcing: A Librarian and Vendor Perspective

Value Gains in Business Process Outsourcing: The Vendor Perspective

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is a contemporary phenomenon that has gained significant traction in recent years. Like other forms of outsourcing, BPO is both beneficial and risky. While extant research has examined the risks in outsourcing for clients, a limited insight exists on the risks associated with BPO for vendors. We examine the contexts in which the value proposition of BPO varies for vendor firms based on the risks associated with the contract. The risk in this context is posited to vary based on the type of task outsourced, the outsourcing motivation of the client and the duration of the contract. Using a sample of 231 BPO announcements over a thirteen-year period, we test our hypotheses using an event study. We find that BPO creates significant value gains for vendor firms, particularly for knowledge intensive processes. In addition, vendors lost value when they were sought out to develop specific capabilities for the clients that involved knowledge intensive processes. While vendors benefited from longer duration contracts, these benefits were not found to significantly vary across the different types of tasks outsourced.

OL-MEDC: An Online Approach for Cost-effective Data Caching in Mobile Edge Computing Systems

Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) has emerged to overcome the inability of cloud computing to offer low latency services. It allows popular data to be cached on edge servers deployed within users' geographic proximity. However, the storage resources on edge servers are constrained due to their limited physical sizes. Existing studies of edge caching have predominantly focused on maximizing caching performance from the mobile network operator's perspective, e.g., maximizing data retrieval success rate, minimizing system energy consumption, balancing the overall caching workload, etc. App vendors, as key stakeholders in MEC systems, need to maximize the caching revenue, considering the cost incurred and the benefit produced. We investigate this novel Mobile Edge Data Caching (MEDC) problem from the app vendor's perspective, and prove its NP-hardness. We then propose Online MEDC (OL-MEDC), an approach that formulates MEDC strategies for app vendors, without requiring future information about data demands. Its performance is theoretically analyzed and experimentally evaluated. The experimental results demonstrate that OL-MEDC outperforms state-of-the-art approaches by at least 20.41\% on average.

Success Models of Information Technology Outsourcing

Outsourcing is described as the strategic use of external resources to carry out tasks that have traditionally been performed by internal staff and resources. It is considered to be the best-known phenomena of modern times and business strategy to drive the global economy. Outsourcing offers enormous benefits to companies only if the outsourcing decision is correct and factors that affect the outsourcing decision are adequately considered, otherwise irreparable harm may be caused. A study to identify the critical success factors of IT outsourcing in Nepal from the vendor's perspective has been initiated. This study examines different models about the effectiveness of outsourcing for the reason. All these models have their own advantages and drawbacks, so a careful review is important to reach at conclusions for the organizations that wish to follow such models. This article is based on4 comprehensive literature review of the success factors for outsourcing that led to the discovery of six different outsourcing models. The study has reviewed Leavitt’s model, McKinsey 7-S framework, The Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model, Technology Acceptance Model, DeLone and McLean's IS-Success Model and IS-Impact Model. Revised DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success, however, are widely debated and considered to be the most promising.

Cost-Effective App Data Distribution in Edge Computing

Edge computing, as an extension of cloud computing, distributes computing and storage resources from centralized cloud to distributed edge servers, to power a variety of applications demanding low latency, e.g., IoT services, virtual reality, real-time navigation, etc. From an app vendor's perspective, app data needs to be transferred from the cloud to specific edge servers in an area to serve the app users in the area. However, according to the pay-as-you-go business model, distributing a large amount of data from the cloud to edge servers can be expensive. The optimal data distribution strategy must minimize the cost incurred, which includes two major components, the cost of data transmission between the cloud to edge servers and the cost of data transmission between edge servers. In the meantime, the delay constraint must be fulfilled - the data distribution must not take too long. In this article, we make the first attempt to formulate this Edge Data Distribution (EDD) problem as a constrained optimization problem from the app vendor's perspective and prove its NP-hardness. We propose an optimal approach named EDD-IP to solve this problem exactly with the Integer Programming technique. Then, we propose an O(k)-approximation algorithm named EDD-A for finding approximate solutions to largescale EDD problems efficiently. EDD-IP and EDD-A are evaluated on a real-world dataset and the results demonstrate that they significantly outperform three representative approaches.

Online user allocation in mobile edge computing environments:A decentralized reactive approach

As a newly emerging computing paradigm, mobile edge computing (MEC) can energize novel mobile applications, especially the ultra-latency-sensitive ones, by providing powerful local computing capabilities and lower end-to-end delays. However, considering the complex cyber–physical environment and varied time-space user behaviors, as mobile application vendors, how to decide which edge server to serve which edge user in real-time becomes the key challenge. Instead of assuming the simultaneous-batch-arrival pattern of incoming edge users and handling the edge user allocation (EUA) problem as a static optimization, in this paper, we consider the online EUA problem where edge users’ resource demands arrive and depart dynamically. We consider the long-term edge user allocation rate, edge server hiring cost, and edge server energy consumption as allocation targets from the mobile application vendor perspective, and propose a decentralized reactive approach by employing a fuzzy control mechanism to yield the real-time allocation decisions. Experiments based on real-world MEC environment datasets demonstrate our approach outperforms state-of-the-art and baseline ones in terms of user allocation rate, server hiring cost, and energy consumption. • This paper targets at the online edge user allocation (online EUA) problem in mobile edge computing (MEC) environments. • We propose a decentralized reactive architecture for the proposed online EUA problem. • We develop a fuzzy-control-based reactive approach which named DRoEUA to yield real-time allocation decisions.

Online Collaborative Data Caching in Edge Computing

In the edge computing (EC) environment, edge servers are deployed at base stations to offer highly accessible computing and storage resources to nearby app users. From the app vendor's perspective, caching data on edge servers can ensure low latency in app users' retrieval of app data. However, an edge server normally owns limited resources due to its limited size. In this article, we investigate the collaborative caching problem in the EC environment with the aim to minimize the system cost including data caching cost, data migration cost, and quality-of-service (QoS) penalty. We model this collaborative edge data caching problem (CEDC) as a constrained optimization problem and prove that it is NP-complete. We propose an online algorithm, called CEDC-O, to solve this CEDC problem during all time slots. CEDC-O is developed based on Lyapunov optimization, works online without requiring future information, and achieves provable close-to-optimal performance. CEDC-O is evaluated on a real-world data set, and the results demonstrate that it significantly outperforms four representative approaches.

QoE-aware user allocation in edge computing systems with dynamic QoS

As online services and applications are moving towards a more human-centered design, many app vendors are taking the quality of experience (QoE) increasingly seriously. End-to-end latency is a key factor that determines the QoE experienced by users, especially for latency-sensitive applications such as online gaming, autonomous vehicles, critical warning systems and so on. Edge computing has then been introduced as an effort to reduce network latency. In a mobile edge computing system, edge servers are usually deployed at, or near cellular base stations, offering processing power and low network latency to users within their proximity. In this work, we tackle the edge user allocation (EUA) problem from the perspective of an app vendor, who needs to decide which edge servers to serve which users in a specific area. Also, the vendor must consider the various levels of quality of service (QoS) for its users. Each QoS level leads to a different QoE level. Thus, the app vendor also needs to decide the QoS level for each user so that the overall user experience is maximized. We first optimally solve this problem using Integer Linear Programming technique. Being an NP-hard problem, it is intractable to solve it optimally in large-scale scenarios. Thus, we propose a heuristic approach that is able to effectively and efficiently find sub-optimal solutions to the QoE-aware EUA problem. We conduct a series of experiments on a real-world dataset to evaluate the performance of our approach against several state-of-the-art and baseline approaches.

Value Enablement of Collaborative Supply Chain Environment Embedded With the Internet of Things

Currently, industry is going through the fourth Industrial Revolution, also termed Industry 4.0. It is characterized mainly by the cyber-physical systems dominated by digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT). Organizations are making significant effort to understand customer needs and subsequently align them to the business goals for achieving market leadership. It is imperative for the longevity of the organization that goods and services be made available to the customer at the most appropriate place, time, and price. Supply chains are contributing to achieving this organizational goal. A paradigm shift was observed in the past few decades when organizations competed as supply chains in the market more than an individual brand. This shift brought forward the importance of collaborative supply chains. Researchers in this study have presented the impact of IoT origins on real-time data on a collaborative supply chain model, including internally and externally aligned parameters. The study recommends the best model basis for the goodness of fit from the customer and vendor perspective for the automotive industry in India.

ERP Migration Challenges and Solution Approach for Digital Transformation To SAP S/4HANA For SAP Customers

Dynamic IT environment, increased spending on cloud-based applications and ever- growing power of digital transformation is forcing companies to embrace change. Digital transformation is the process of a company undergoing multiple changes internal and external leveraging digital technologies to become more agile, optimized and efficient in its business operations. Digital business transformation is ubiquitous and ERP market is no exception. SAP, the market leader(in revenue terms) has decided to phase out support for SAP ECC in next 5 years and its existing install base customers are bewildered in deciding how they should migrate from earlier versions to S/4HANA. Migration gives the organization a chance to streamline its processes, rationalize interfaces, decommission custom code, enforce standard SAP modules to become more efficient. However, migration from SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA comes with its own set of unique challenges from organization perspective, vendor perspective, end user perspective and the consultant’s perspective. This paper deals with challenges from organization perspective in migrating to SAP S/4HANA and what approach should it take in making the transition to SAP S/4HANA seamless. This paper elaborates how an organization should formulate the SAP S/4HANA migration plan to ensure data integrity is maintained.

Capabilities in Managing Offshore IT Outsourcing Challenges and the Influence on Outsourcing Success from the IT Vendor Perspective

Capabilities in Managing Offshore IT Outsourcing Challenges and the Influence on Outsourcing Success from the IT Vendor Perspective

The Influence of Themes of Interplay on Multistakeholders Engagement Amidst Adversities in Globally Distributed ICT Projects – A Case Study Approach

ABSTRACTStakeholder Engagement is considered a salient and ongoing challenge in globally distributed Information Communication Technology (ICT) Projects. This paper explores multifaceted aspects of stakeholder engagement from an ICT Vendor perspective using the empirical case study method. Qualitative data was gathered from two case studies from different ICT vendor organizations. The case studies involved 14 interviews with multistakeholders engaged in globally distributed projects. Qualitative data were analyzed using Nvivo® software and Associative Rules. The findings revealed the key ‘themes of interplay’ that influence stakeholder engagement during adverse situations and ‘antidotes’ to mitigate adverse situations. These findings inform a research model that can explain the phenomenon and contribute to project management practice within the ICT Vendor Community.

PACS Implementation Challenges in a Public Healthcare Institution: A South African Vendor Perspective.

ObjectivesConventional radiological processes have been replaced by digital images and information technology systems within South Africa and other developing countries. Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) technology offers many benefits to institutions, medical personnel and patients; however, the implementation of such systems can be a challenging task. It has been documented that South Africa has been using PACS for more than a decade in public hospitals with moderate success. The aim of this study was to identify and describe the PACS challenges endured by PACS vendors during implementation in the South African public healthcare sector.MethodsThis was achieved by engaging in a methodological approach that was qualitative in nature collecting data through semi structured interviews from 10 PACS experts/participants which were later analysed qualitatively.ResultsThe findings show that PACS vendors have countless challenges, some of which include space, insufficient infrastructure, image storage capacity, system maturity and vendor related concerns. It was clear that the PACS experts readily offered contextually appropriate descriptions of their encounters during PACS implementations in South African public healthcare institutions.ConclusionsPACS vendors anticipate these challenges when facing a public healthcare institution and it is recommended that the hospital management and potential PACS stakeholders be made aware of these challenges to mitigate their effects and aid in a successful implementation.