STRATEGIC ORIENTATION,CAPABILITIES, AND PERFORMANCE IN MANUFACTURER — 3PL RELATIONSHIPS

This study examines how two dimensions of strategic orientation (customer and competitor orientation) influence logistics and market performance. Two capabilities, operational flexibility and collaboration, are studied. Data were collected from manufacturers working with third party logistics providers. The findings suggest that customer and competitor orientations have different influences upon performance when leveraged through the capabilities. Competitor orientation, while having a detrimental direct effect on logistics performance, appears to be the better strategic approach, when supported with operational flexibility since it results in enhanced logistics (efficiency) and market (effectiveness) performance. Customer orientation, on the other hand, greatly improves logistics performance, i.e., internal efficiency.     

Enhancing Vertical Efficiency Through Horizontal Licensing

This paper examines the role of patent licensing in the age of outsourcing. When firms rely on outsourced inputs, a patent holder’s decision to license has both competitive and supplier pricing effects. By issuing a license, the firm increases competition in the product market. At the same time, the need to make royalty payments “weakens” the firm’s rival, making it more sensitive to supplier pricing. The supplier responds by softening pricing terms, and the firm benefits by siphoning some of these gains via the license fee. Not only can the licensor gain, but all other parties (the licensee, supplier, and consumers) can also benefit. This role of licensing presents additional considerations for regulators shaping patent laws. We thank Michael Crew, John Fellingham, Sharon Oster, David Sappington, Doug Schroeder, and two anonymous referees for helpful comments. Anil Arya acknowledges support from the John J. Gerlach Chair.     

Global sourcing strategy and sustainable competitive advantage

Global sourcing strategy has been one of the most hotly debated management trends in the last 20 years. In its early years, global sourcing was examined mostly from “in-house” development and procurement perspectives; and in the last several years, research focus has shifted to “outsourcing” activities. Along with this shift from internal to external focus on global sourcing, many researchers and business practitioners have applied a core competency argument to justify increased levels of outsourcing activities on a global basis. Although the beneficial aspects of outsourcing are assumed in most cases, no consensus exists in reality as to the effect of outsourcing. Furthermore, the increased instability of the exchange rate environment in the last several years has also led to increased difficulties in managing globally scattered operations that were once fashionable in the 1980s-90s under the rubric of global strategy. In this article, the authors explore potential limitations and negative consequences of outsourcing strategy on a global scale.     

跨国外包对承接国收入分配效应的实证分析——基于中国的经验研究

跨国外包导致了相关国家的产品生产需求的变化,作为产品需求的派生需求——要素需求,必然会受到影响。本文通过建立跨国外包会对承包国的熟练劳动者的相对需求造成影响的机制,来分析跨国外包对承接国的收入分配效应,并利用中国的面板数据做出回归分析。     

全球金融服务外包产业发展最新趋势及中国策略

经济危机使全球服务外包产业深受影响。规模最大、发展最快的金融服务外包领域出现巨额合同交易显著减少、辅助性后台外包需求加快释放、国际金融机构海外自营中心外部化以及部分发展中国家和新兴市场出现反向式增长等新趋势。经济衰退背景下,国际金融机构加快业务转移和重组趋势明显,对外开放和竞争加剧也将加快释放国内金融机构的外包需求,跨国服务商的示范作用有利于本土服务商迅速提高综合竞争力加之中国具有的多种竞争优势,后危机时代有望支持其成长为新的全球金融服务外包中心。为加快产业发展,应在全面培育市场主体和积极改善外部环境等方面做出更多努力。     

Outsourcing,Intellectual Property Rights and Corporate Hollowing Concerns

ABSTRACT

As lower priced competition continues to grow in the global arena, firms are increasingly turning to outsourcing, both in the manufacturing and service sectors. This article explores the long-term costs which may occur as a result of outsourcing: a firm's loss of control of its intellectual property, and even more debilitating, the loss or dilution of the core competencies which made the firm a success. Outsourcing of numerous key functions can actually lead to a “hollowing” of the corporation, which is a difficult phenomenon to reverse. Additionally, this article takes a look at how intellectual property protection is becoming a competitive advantage for those countries trying to attract outsourcing contracts. Finally, the authors suggest ideas for future research.     

Outsourcing and firm performance nexus: An analysis using the conventional and panel double-bootstrap procedure

Industrial performance is an essential element of economic progress. In this study, we examine the impact of outsourcing on industrial performance using the firm-level data of 191 textile companies in India over the period 2000–2015. First, we follow the conventional non-parametric two-stage procedure and analyse the nexus between outsourcing and firm performance under a single-objective setting. We then test the influence of outsourcing on the performance of multiple-objective firms using reverse directional distance function scores. To address the bias in efficiency estimation and the serial correlation issue in the second-stage regression, we use truncated regression and the double-bootstrap procedure for panel data analysis. Our results show an improvement in industrial performance over the study period. Our analysis following the conventional two-stage procedure shows that the outsourcing of manufacturing activities and professional jobs contributes to industrial performance. The relation between outsourcing and firm performance essentially remains the same in a more reliable analysis using a panel double bootstrap procedure.     

面向服务外包的软件工程人才培养模式研究

文章通过我国软件工程服务外包人才培养现状及人才需求的分析,总结出软件工程外包人才应具备的基本素质;以西安工业大学计算机学院人才培养改革创新为依托,从课程体系设置、实践教学和校企合作等方面探索了软件外包人才培养的新模式。     

IT外包项目的团队管理研究

团队管理是IT外包项目成功的重要因素之一。文章分析了IT外包项目的团队体系架构和矩阵结构管理模式,着重介绍了团队的动态管理,包括流失预警、职业规划、培训及绩效评估等多种机制。在此基础上,结合激励及约束手段来维护团队的优质稳定。     

Outsourcing and role stress: An empirical study of hotel spa managers

Hotel owners and managers are increasingly outsourcing their spas to specialist firms that oversee the spa's operations and personnel. In such spas the assume the role of boundary spanners as they are responsible for overseeing the operational relationship between the hotel and spa companies. In this role, they are responsible for trying to satisfy the hotel and spa companies’ often contradictory expectations while also often adhering to two sets of operating guidelines. As a result, they may experience different levels of role conflict and role ambiguity than spa managers who oversee spas managed by the hotel. The results of a questionnaire completed by 166 hotel spa managers from spas managed by hotels and those managed by third parties found greater levels of these role stressors in managers of outsourced hotel spas. Based on these findings, research suggestions and managerial implications are discussed.