從供應商觀點探討互相依賴及管理機制對資訊服務外包的創新

Abstract

本研究旨在從資訊服務外包（Information Technology Outsourcing, ITO）供應商的角度來增進對創新的了解，因供應商觀點被認為同樣重要，但迄今尚未被充分的關注。本研究以越南市場為列，探討供應商與其客戶的相互依賴性和治理機制等因素對推動資訊服務外包商創新的影響。而發展中國家的越南卻被認為是外包產業中具有強大潛力的參與者。本研究採用質性比較分析方法（Qualitative Comparative Analysis, QCA），是一項非常有潛力的研究方法，而最近20年獲得越來越多經濟與管理領域學者廣泛應用，尤其在創新相關領域。因調查對象為企業，預期問卷回復率將相較低，而此研究方法恰好能克服本研究的限制，因其有效運用於樣本數不至於過小，卻未達大樣本數的研究。此研究分析越南19家資訊服務外包廠商的38項創新與缺乏創新的專案，探討多種可替代的前因組合，促成專案的創新以及缺乏創新。此研究也指出，在必要條件分析（Necessary Conditions Analysis, NCA）中，沒有創新的專案，雙方會採取關係治理，且為必要條件，而在創新專案中，合約治理以及關係治理都是必要條件。不過，再進一步全面評估雙方合作關係與專案創新程度去，研究發現，在漸進式創新專案且客戶為越南本地企業的情況下，發包商和供應商之間的高度互相依賴是核心因素。對於不需要任何創新的項目，供應商不會隨意多做創新東西。然而，部分缺乏創新專案是境外外包的漸進式創新專案，供應商是獨立進行而不與同業企業合作，並且供應商對客戶有高度依賴性。根據研究結果，本研究建議業者可以調整或平衡雙方的相互依賴以及適當地調和其管理與合作機制，以增強專案的創新，或避免缺乏創新情況。不過，由於本研究樣本數過少，僅能覆蓋少數自變數，故此建議，未來的研究在調查樣本數量允許的情況下，可多引進其他潛在變數來探討影響專案創新的不同因素組合，或者可以覆蓋服務業外包的全部子產業或活動，或探討在服務外包產業的所有活動均發展相當不錯的國家，例如在服務外包產業的所有活動均發展相當不錯的國家，以便對影響各種外包活動創新的因素進行全面比較。The research aims to enrich the knowledge of innovation from the provider’s perspective, an aspect considered equally important but has thus far been overlooked. More specifically, the research focuses on exploring how factors such as Interdependency and Governance Mechanisms of client and provider Configuration drive Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) Innovation in the Vietnam market, a burgeoning economy recognized as a potential player in the outsourcing industry.The study employs the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) methodology, which holds considerable promise and has been widely used in business and management over the last two decades, especially in innovation studies. The research anticipates that the survey response rate remains suboptimal. Thus, this research methodology approach can be effectively applied to studies with medium-sized samples and therefore helps address the limitations of this study. The study analyzes 38 innovative and non-innovative projects from 19 ITO providers in Vietnam and explores various alternative antecedent combinations that lead to project innovation or the lack thereof.The Necessary Conditions Analysis (NCA) found that relational governance is adopted and considered a necessary condition in the project without innovation. In another fact, both contractual governance and relational governance serve as essential conditions in innovation projects. However, with comprehensive consideration of the cooperation relationship and the innovation degree of the project, the research shows that in an incremental innovation project and work with Vietnamese clients, the higher interdependence between client and provider is the core factor. The provider will not arbitrarily do more for projects that do not require innovation. However, in incremental innovation offshore projects that lack innovation, the provider processes the project independently without cooperating with a third party, and the provider is highly dependent on the client.Based on the research’s findings, the research puts forth strategies for modifying or harmonizing interdependency and implementing management and cooperation mechanisms at appropriate levels to foster project innovation or avoid the failure of innovation. However, due to the limited number of response samples, this research only involves limited antecedents. Thus, it is suggested that endeavors may involve other potential variables to explore different configurable factors that affect project innovation, or consider broadening the scope to remaining sub-sectors of service outsourcing, or investigate another market that outsource industry has already developed quite well to compare factors influencing innovation across various outsourcing activities.