Jornal Internacional de Redes de Sensores e Comunicações de Dados

Transforming a Multi-sourcing Arrangement into a Digital Ecosystem: A Mini-Review

Abstract

Albert Plugge

During the last decade, the scope of IT outsourcing arrangements evolved from a dyadic client vendor relationship to a multi-sourcing environment characterized by sourcing inter-dependent services from multiple vendors. This study addresses the journey of a large client firm in the retail sector who experienced that managing a multi-sourcing arrangement differs significantly from managing bilateral (i.e. dyadic) relationships. The journey describes various obstacles that the retailer faced in managing an IT multi-sourcing arrangement, their improvement initiatives, and subsequently a strategic transformation towards a digital ecosystem.