EXAMINING INFORMATION-SYSTEMS OUTSOURCING - A CASE-STUDY FROM THE UNITED-KINGDOM

This paper examines the issue of outsourcing information services (IS) through the framework of case study-based, grounded research, located in a major UK company. The impact of outsourcing drivers including ef ficiency, IS alignment and the human resource dimension are explored a nd balanced against the perceived outsourcing risks. It is also postul ated that although managers claim rational economic benefits, when mak ing outsourcing decisions, they may, in fact, be bounded in their rati onality by their perception of the quality experienced as users of IS/ IT. Hence, it is suggested that the real justification for outsourcing may be that it provides a definitive, albeit drastic, vehicle for cha nge.