基于心理契约关系的IT外包项目控制模式建构:多案例研究

Control in Outsourced IT Projects Based on Psychological Contract:A Multiple Case Study

基于控制和心理契约理论,本论文研究IT外包项目中客户与供应商双方心理契约匹配情境对于控制模式的影响。本文是一个包括五个IT外包项目的多案例研究,对象是国内一家著名通信设备制造商,它在其中两个项目中以供应商的角色出现,在另外三个项目中则作为客户方。根据本文第一作者参与这些项目的亲身经历和多次追踪访谈以及其它相关资料,本研究识别出项目双方心理契约关系的四种匹配模式——相互交易、客户弱势、供应商弱势和相互忠诚,及其各自对应的关系特征。研究结果显示,在相互交易情境中,客户对供应商执行更多的结果控制;相反,相互忠诚的情境涉及更多的非正式控制。此外,在客户与供应商心理契约不匹配的情况下,客户倾向对供应商施加更多的行为控制。

This research investigates the effects of psychological contract on control mechanisms in outsourced IT projects, based on control theories and psychological contract theories. It is a multiple case study involving five outsourced IT projects. One of the largest and most successful telecommunication vendors in China is involved in all five of the projects, as the client in three and vendor of an offshore client in the other two. One of the authors participated in these projects over a two year period. To triangulate the findings, additional interviews were conducted.Several important results emerge from our data analysis. First, we identify transactional and relational contract sought by clients and vendors, and various crossmatch of these two types of psychological contract between the client and vendor. Thus, a two by two framework is proposed to classify the nature of relationship between a client and the vendor： 1） Mutual loyalty when both parties consider themselves in a relational contract; 2） mutual transaction when both in a transactional contract; 3） vendor vulnerable when the vendor seeks a relational contract but the client aims for a transactional one; and 4） vice versa, being the case of client vulnerable.Second, we explicate the devices by which psychological contract shapes organizational control and outsourcing outcomes. For example, the scenario of mutual transaction is associated with an emphasis on formal control （outcome control and behavior control） by the client and less vendor＇s internal self-controls. In contrast, mutual loyalty is associated with more informal control （self-control and clan control） by the client and more vendor＇s internal self-control. Furthermore, in the cases of mismatch between the client＇s and vendor＇s psychological relationship, the party in a vulnerable position implemented more behavior control and self-control over its partner. A new theory of control based on psychological contract is proposed in terms of several propositions. Such a theory is helpful for predicting varying modes and degrees of control in outsourced IT projects.