A Contingent Approach to Facilitating Conflict Resolution in Software Development Outsourcing Projects

With the wide spread of IT outsourcing, internal IT personnel have been required to change their roles from system development to organizational change agents such as securing software development outsourcing (SDO) success. Conflict resolution is critical to secure the SDO success, but the understanding of how IT personnel facilitate conflict resolution as change agents is limited. The purpose of this study is to understand the negative impact of conflicts on SDO outcomes and to investigate the moderating effect of IT personnel's conflict resolution facilitation (process facilitation, content facilitation) between conflicts and two SDO outcome dimensions (project efficiency and system effectiveness). In order to test the model, data was collected through a cross-sectional field survey using questionnaires, and a total of 144 SDO projects were used in the final analysis. Research results show that conflicts have a negative impact on both of the SDO outcome dimensions, and the effect of conflict resolution facilitation by IT personnel is contingent on the dimensions of SDO outcomes.

Leadership in the role of motivators and creators of employees performance

The purpose of the article is to highlith a new dimension of business that takes place in completely different conditions and that is based primarily on knowledge, creativity and post-modern leadership. Radical changes, in which today's economy and its entities exist and develop, require the new ways of leadership. Hence the modern form of business articulates and gives a critical dimension of leadership, as an interaction between leaders and employees, with the intention to change it, based more on emotional and ethical assumptions than on forced active influence. The aim of the analysis is to determine the professionalism of leadership treatment of employees and what is the projection of the further trend of these relationships, given that this relationship directly affects the motivation of employees in achieving their performance. Research methods. The research was carried out using common scientific approaches and methods, in particular the empirical method.This paper analyzed the different theoretical and practical approaches to the phenomenon of leadership as a result of the changes within which today’s Serbian business and inverse role of this phenomenon occurs. Relevant employee data was collected using the questionnaire method. For the needs of the research, and based on the literature in the field of leadership and experience of the authors, a questionnaire with 40 questions was developed (this is not a standardized questionnaire model, but a personal projection). Research results. The research resulted in the confirmation of the set hypotheses that the performance of the organizations depends on the style of leadership and the characteristics of employees and that leadership is not only the management but also a psychological problem. Research novelty. Leadership in the future imposes an unwritten rule that some things will never be the same, as well as that some new forms will appear that will improve our knowledge, the systems in which we work and general business environment. New leadership will rely on the complex knowledge and innovations that come from employees. Future leaders will be those who make entrepreneurs out of their employees and who create an atmosphere of direct innovation. Serbian companies need to invest much more in the future development of leaders and managers. The research sheds light on the role and importance of leadership as a direct reflection on changes in employee behavior, motivation and increased performance. Practical significance. The results of this research can be applied in all areas of business and economy. Having in mind the contingent approach, the obtained results can be used as a basis for creating the most efficient leadership style possible. Tabl.: 6. Refs.: 20.

Business Models Addressing Sustainability Challenges—Towards a New Research Agenda

From just another buzzword a few decades ago, sustainability has become a hot topic on strategists’ agenda—and it is here to stay. The growing pressures on businesses to address the ever-complex sustainability challenges and to (consequently) assess their performance against a variety of sustainability-related goals are imperatively asking for a new paradigm—grounded on a global business ethics perspective and able to support a fundamental change in the traditional ways of doing business; placed at the heart of any company’s way of doing business, business models are instrumental in these transformative changes, both as triggers (in the short run) and backbones (in the medium to long run). Building on existing literature and capitalizing on the opportunities provided by inter- and trans-disciplinary research, this theoretical analysis aims to (re)frame the (research in) search of the most appropriate business models to address sustainability challenges. Thus, the purpose of the study is: (1) To advocate for a complex yet contingent approach at the business level—able to capture the bigger picture (the sustainability imperative) without missing its idiosyncrasies (the best fitted to the business model context)—when searching for strategic performance; (2) to propose an integrative, multi-level conceptual framework (able to provide widespread synergies for companies and their broader environment) as guidance for this kind of approach, and to suggest specific directions with respect to its implementation.

A Contingent Approach to Facilitating Conflict Resolution in Software Development Outsourcing Projects

With the wide spread of IT outsourcing, internal IT personnel have been required to change their roles from system development to organizational change agents such as securing software development outsourcing (SDO) success. Conflict resolution is critical to secure the SDO success, but the understanding of how IT personnel facilitate conflict resolution as change agents is limited. The purpose of this study is to understand the negative impact of conflicts on SDO outcomes and to investigate the moderating effect of IT personnel's conflict resolution facilitation (process facilitation, content facilitation) between conflicts and two SDO outcome dimensions (project efficiency and system effectiveness). In order to test the model, data was collected through a cross-sectional field survey using questionnaires, and a total of 144 SDO projects were used in the final analysis. Research results show that conflicts have a negative impact on both of the SDO outcome dimensions, and the effect of conflict resolution facilitation by IT personnel is contingent on the dimensions of SDO outcomes.

Towards a contingent approach to firm strategy on the lowest levels of the hierarchy of the defence industry

Purpose This paper aims to provide a strategic analysis of firms at the lowest hierarchical levels of the defence industry. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents the main results of an exploratory, multiple-case study that analyses the current strategy drivers and their views about the future ones, and their impact at the lowest hierarchical levels of the defence industry in Spain. Findings This investigation develops and analyses a contingency model regarding the strategy impact and effects of firms’ drivers and clients, both mediated by the strategy players because of their huge impact on the defence industry. The research model focuses on the internal relations between technical and commercial activities due to the cause and effect of their capabilities. Simultaneously, pull and push mechanisms boost firms’ capabilities and requirements to provide strategic foresight. Practical implications Ministries of Defence (MoDs) and prime contractors will remain mediating players in the near future even with further implications for the competition of Defence Technological and Industrial Base (DTIB) firms. It implies that firms and MoDs must maintain a close relation and implement more flexible practices, such as open innovation, property rights or new commercialization schemes. Originality/value This study offers insights related to the specific applications and the necessity of commercial and technological areas alignment of these firms for the future.

The relationship between network capabilities and innovation performance

Purpose Innovation networks provide an efficient mechanism for organizations to realize their potential for knowledge learning and innovation improvement. Firms situated within innovation networks require specific abilities to acquire the knowledge and the complementary assets that facilitate their innovation performance. Motivated by recent research studies in the area of social network and RBV, the purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of the precise manner in which network capability affects a firm’s innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach Based on the data obtained from Chinese high-tech firms, the hypotheses are tested by using hierarchical multiple regressions. Findings This study identifies two types of network capabilities: network structural capability and network relational capability. The findings suggest that network structural capability has a greater positive impact on innovation performance than network relational capability does within an exploration-orientated network. However, network relational capability is more positively associated with innovation performance within an exploitation-orientated network. Practical implications A firm can enhance the value of its ego network by shaping and adjusting network configurations, rather than by passively reaping the benefits from existing relationships or ties with partners. Originality/value This paper contributes to strategic management theory and social network theory by illustrating how a networked firm can enable network value and appropriate this value according to its strategic purposes and by suggesting that a firm can improve its ego network’s value through exerting its network capabilities to shape and adjust network configurations. This paper also advances the contingent approach within social network research by offering a new complementary perspective and new evidence from a Chinese context.

Extending the View on Project Performance

The main aim of this study is to gain insights into project management professionals’ perception of how project success can be achieved. The Q-methodology was followed in this research. Based on an extensive literature review and validation through expert judgment, a framework consisting of 33 factors increasing the likelihood of success was developed. A total of 34 practitioners in three different sectors (real estate, urban development, and infrastructure) in the Netherlands were asked to rank the statements contributing to the success of their projects. Four different perspectives of how project success can be achieved were distinguished in this study: “seeking the best match”, “being adaptive and open”, “keeping the team focused”, and “preparing for opportunities”. The perception of different practitioners of how success can be obtained may stem from factors of project context rather than sector and complexity. This highlights further research opportunities in taking a contingent approach when investigating project performance. The study helps to grasp the subjectivity of practitioners’ viewpoints regarding the potential ways to enhance project performance by understanding the similarity and differences of these viewpoints.

Strategic orientation of hotels: Evidence from a contingent approach

Strategic orientation (SO) – a necessary condition to achieve and maintain a competitive advantage – should particularly be considered in the tourism industry, given the high competition and rapidly changing environment. This article investigates whether the different dimensions of SO (entrepreneurial orientation (EO), learning orientation (LO) and market orientation (MO)) have a direct effect on hotel performance and whether the relationship between SO and hotel performance is contingent on various hotel-specific characteristics. The hypotheses are tested against a sample of 120 small hotels operating in a mature Italian tourist destination. The results show that EO and MO are positive drivers of hotel performance, and LO is not important. Additionally, the intensity of the relationship between SO and performance is contingent on internal firm-related moderators (size and quality). Both the number of rooms and the star classification reinforce the performance achievement of innovative and customer-oriented hotels.