Exploring Factors Affecting Knowledge Transfer Process in Information System Outsourcing at Ethio Telecom
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Date
2017-06-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
organizational knowledge transfer is of central interest both as an academic topic and in business practice. However, despite the attention given to the importance of this subject from different perspectives in various contexts, little is known about how knowledge is transferred from vendors to clients in information systems outsourcing. This research attempts to address this shortage by providing an analysis of the key factors which facilitate or inhibit knowledge transfer success in IS outsourcing at Ethio telecom.
This study employed a qualitative, single case study approach. Data was collected from Ethio telecom’s IS Division. Through semi-structured interviews, this study explored the perspectives of the internal IS staff on their experience of knowledge transfer and learning from vendors through various IS outsourcing projects. Written and electronic documentations as well as participant observations also served as important triangulation and complementary sources in understanding the phenomenon being studied and as a means of gaining additional perspectives and further insights on key issues.
The empirical evidence demonstrated that there are four sets of factors which facilitate or inhibit knowledge transfer success in IS outsourcing. These are: knowledge (knowledge tacitness and knowledge complexity), client (learning intent, absorptive capacity and motivation), vendor (vendor capability, vendor credibility and vendor openness), relationship (relationship quality, relationship duration, relationship governance and organizational distance). Ethio telecom’s IS Division staff intention to learn and absorptive capacity are more important factors in transferring knowledge within short period of time from vendors’ employees and made them less dependent on vendors.
The study also revealed that, Ethio telecom IS division currently uses two main types of processes for knowledge transfer, namely structured and unstructured. Transferring of tacit knowledge highly dependent on unstructured process.
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