THE ENIGMA OF GLOBAL OPERATIONS: CAPTURING THE OFFSHORING PROCESS PhD project
Dmitrij Slepniov
CIP, Aalborg University
THE ENIGMA OF GLOBAL OPERATIONS: CAPTURING THE OFFSHORING PROCESS PhD project
Dmitrij Slepniov
CIP, Aalborg University
Outline
Background notes on my project
Overall advantages and disadvantages of the articles based thesis
Depth vs. breadth
Specific challenges of the articles based thesis
The biggest crisis and the most positive experience in the process
Background Notes
Strategic Environment of Offshoring
Geographical dispersion of operations
Vertical disintegration of value chain
Look for competitive advantages beyond current organisational border and intensifying external networking
Process nature of the developments:
Not a steady state
Occurs rather than merely exists
In a process of becoming, transforming, unfolding
But in the literature:
The phenomenon has become locked into a number of static states
Seen as a one time investment decision
Aims
to investigate and to increase understanding of the process of offshoring (the special focus on the strategic implications of the process for the dispatching side)
Working RQs
How does the offshoring process evolve over time?
What are the factors determining the trajectory of the offshoring process?
How does the offshoring process differ in certain cultural contexts?
What are the key strategic implications of the offshoring process for the dispatching organisation?
How companies may deal effectively with the impacts of the process of offshoring?
Notes on the Empirical Field and Methodology
Qualitative approach/ Multiple Case Studies strategy of inquiry
Case design data collection methods: documents analysis, semi-structured interviews and observations
Explorative Integration design (Maaloe, 2001) - the cyclic multi-theoretical approach to case research incorporating both Yin’s theory testing approach and Strauss&Corbin’s grounded design
Articles Considered for Inclusion
(A) Slepniov, D., Sørensen, B.V. (2006). Strategic Trajectories in the Offshoring and Offshore Outsourcing Process. The Proceedings of the 11th Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium. Cambridge: University of Cambridge, Institute for Manufacturing.
(B) Slepniov, D., Sørensen, B.V. (2007). The Offshoring Initiatives: Tactical Reasoning with Strategic Outcomes. The Proceedings of the 2nd Nordic Workshop on Outsourcing. Lyngby: Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
(C) Slepniov, D., Sørensen, B.V. (2007). Offshoring Process: Dynamic Strategic Trajectories. Paper for the Annual Research Conference and Workshop on Offshoring Duke University, USA, April 14 - 17.
(D) Slepniov, D., Sørensen, B.V. (2007). Global Dispersion of Production - Dynamics of the Process at the Company Level. The Proceedings of the 14th International Annual EurOMA 2007 Conference: Managing Operations in an Expanding Europe. Ankara: Bilkent University.
(E) Slepniov, D., Waehrens, B. (2008). Offshore Outsourcing of Production : An Exploratory Study of Process and Effects in Danish Companies. Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal. Vol. 1, nr. 1, pp. 64-76.
(F) Slepniov, D., Sørensen, B.V. (2008). Opgaveafhængighedens voksende betydning i offshoring-processen. Børsen Håndbog i Supply Chain Management, København: Børsen Forum.
Articles Considered for Inclusion
(G) Slepniov, D., Waehrens, B. (2007). The Role of Evolving Task Interdependencies in the Offshoring Process. Paper for the DDLA Conference, Aarhus, Danmark.
(H) Global Distribution of Work: Literature Review (The paper is planned for 08/2008).
(I) Offshoring Process: a Comparative Investigation of Danish and Japanese Companies (Work in progress, is based on the stay at Waseda University, Tokyo)
(J) Evaluation of the Potential Scenarios of the Offshoring Process (The paper is planned for 12/2008).
(K) Effective Management of the Potential Offshoring Scenarios (The paper is planned for 02/2009)
‘Publishing Strategy’
WORKING PAPER
CONFERENCE PAPER JOURNAL CONSIDERED FOR SUBMISSION
Articles Based Thesis
Advantages
Psychologically easier (i.e. Visible progress in stages)
Stress in ‘tea spoon’ portions vs. a wave of stress in the last 6 months
Feedback on a regular basis
Easier project management
Use for teaching
Quick dissemination of the actual results (especially important when the phenomenon is embedded in a turbulently changing context)
No need to switch between paper formats (i.e. radically re-writing a paper into a format for conference and journal submissions)
Articles Based Thesis
Disadvantages:
Lack of room for a deep case narrative presentation
Lack of room for a thorough analysis
Fragmentation and gaps between ‘sub-projects’ within one project
Sketchy in some parts, detailed in others
The creative process overshadowed by pragmatism and targets of delivering
Compromise (unconscious) of depth vs. breadth
However the issue of depth and breadth trade-offs is not only articles based dilemma
Specific challenges
The challenge of integration
Deciding what are the key leitmotifs of the thesis
The challenge of balancing pragmatic approach and creativity
The pressures and frustration over turning working papers into publications on a regular basis
Striking Crises and Positive Experiences
The largest crisis so far
Getting stuck with one paper
Going behind the ‘schedule’ of publishing
The most positive experiences
Getting your research into journals
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