Good times and bad: Client and vendor insights on ITO relationship quality

Abstract

The success of Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) today is intrinsically linked to the quality of the relationship formed between client and vendor. The academic literature has already defined the key characteristics of a quality relationship - one which will weather the test of time. Researchers have also portrayed how an ITO relationship should mature and that the focus should move over time from cost and transactional drivers to an outcomes-based alliance. While these studies answer the questions of why relationships are central to ITO success, what form they take, and when they evolve, they do not answer the question of how to create a quality relationship. This research complements this existing body of research by tapping in to the best practices client and vendor practitioners use every day to make their ITO relationships successful. For those seeking to establish a new relationship, invigorate an existing one or mitigate the risk of failure this report provides a valuable resource of validated and prioritised best practices along with descriptions and recommendations on how and when to apply them.