IT Outsourcing Relationships in the Context of Digital Transformation: From Transactional Relationships to Ecosystem Partnerships
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In: Information Systems Management, 23.10.2025.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - IT Outsourcing Relationships in the Context of Digital Transformation
T2 - From Transactional Relationships to Ecosystem Partnerships
AU - Gratzke, Lennart
AU - Zimmer, Markus Philipp
AU - Drews, Paul
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2025/10/23
Y1 - 2025/10/23
N2 - Digital Transformation (DT) reshapes the IT function and its ecosystem. This transformation affects multiple domains of the IT function, including IT outsourcing (ITO) and relationships with outsourcing partners. While several studies explored shifts in ITO relationships, there is a lack of systematic understanding of how DT changes the nature of organizations’ ITO relationships. Previously published ITO taxonomies still reflect the dimensions and characteristics of traditional ITO practices. We propose that the DT alters the dimensions and characteristics of ITO. We thus revisit and advance existing taxonomies by employing a systematic literature review of recent ITO studies. Based on this review, we update existing taxonomies’ dimensions and characteristics to reflect the DT-induced change in ITO relationships. The updated taxonomy reveals a shift from transactional relationships to ecosystems of partnerships in ITO. This shift provides directions for future research of ITO relationships and for managing today’s IT service networks.
AB - Digital Transformation (DT) reshapes the IT function and its ecosystem. This transformation affects multiple domains of the IT function, including IT outsourcing (ITO) and relationships with outsourcing partners. While several studies explored shifts in ITO relationships, there is a lack of systematic understanding of how DT changes the nature of organizations’ ITO relationships. Previously published ITO taxonomies still reflect the dimensions and characteristics of traditional ITO practices. We propose that the DT alters the dimensions and characteristics of ITO. We thus revisit and advance existing taxonomies by employing a systematic literature review of recent ITO studies. Based on this review, we update existing taxonomies’ dimensions and characteristics to reflect the DT-induced change in ITO relationships. The updated taxonomy reveals a shift from transactional relationships to ecosystems of partnerships in ITO. This shift provides directions for future research of ITO relationships and for managing today’s IT service networks.
KW - IT outsourcing
KW - IT outsourcing relationships
KW - digital transformation
KW - taxonomy
KW - Business informatics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105019763381&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10580530.2025.2575172
DO - 10.1080/10580530.2025.2575172
M3 - Journal articles
JO - Information Systems Management
JF - Information Systems Management
SN - 1058-0530
ER -