Boundary spanning in offshored ISD projects: a project social capital perspective

Abstract

Offshore outsourcing of information systems application development (ISD) has grown tremendously in the past decade. Executing such projects requires collaboration from project participants across the client and vendor firms, located in different countries. However, orchestrating effective collaboration, across teams separated by geographic, organizational and cultural contexts, has emerged as a significant challenge in managing offshored projects. In this research, we examine the usefulness of boundary spanning in addressing this challenge. Specifically, we focus on the role of client project manager as a boundary spanner, connecting the distributed team members from both client and vendor firms, and facilitating expertise sharing and coordination. We present a multi-dimensional conceptualization of the boundary spanning activities of the client project manager. Utilizing an organizational capital perspective, we examine capital generated in offshore project teams through boundary spanning, as a potential mechanism through which boundary spanning effects successful project outcomes.