National University of Singapore

School of Computing
Software Project Management (CS5212)

Critique Paper:
Work Outcomes and Job Design for Contract Versus
Permanent Information Systems Professionals on Software
Development Teams
Soon Ang and Sandra A. Slaughter
MIS Quarterly, Volume 25, September 2001
Summary

In this paper, the authors hypothesize and examine the differences between in-source
contract and permanent IS professionals’ work attitudes, behaviors and performances in
two sequential mixed-methods studies. Firstly, a survey is done between both groups,
followed by in-depth interviews to strengthen the survey’s findings. Although both
studies supported many of their hypotheses, some were contradicted, especially in the
contractors’ expected behavior on work attitudes and their in-role behavior. The authors
attribute this from the differences in their job designs; concluding, that job design is an
important factor on the relationship between work status and job-related outcomes in IS
contracting.

Critique

Using a quantitative analysis (from the survey) followed by a qualitative analysis (from
the in-depth interviews) on the subject matter provides a complementary evidence to
support the authors’ findings. We find the mixed-method design technique very
effective, especially when dealing with multi-faceted issues, such as attitudes and
behaviors, which are mostly subjective and difficult to measure. However, the earlier
findings could have influenced, unintentionally or otherwise, the authors into asking a
more biased set of interview questions.

We also give credit to the authors who carried out the survey from different perspectives
(i.e. self, peer and supervisor assessments and mixed contract and permanent work teams)
in the IS contracting context. Furthermore, the 4 combinations of peer assessments (i.e.
between contract versus permanent or same work statuses) were considered in the data
collection. This gives the result of the survey more credibility for non-biasness and
perception assessment.

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Other variables such as organizational tenure and gender, which they find significantly
different in their initial data observations, were also included in their statistical analysis
as covariates. We find that highlighting and considering these variables earlier in the
analysis helps to reduce discrepancies or data skewing due to it.

In today’s context, most of the outsourcing contractors are of different nationalities and
cultures from the clients’ organization (e.g. India is well known for its off-shore IT
outsourcing industry as well as providing in-sourcing personnel). However, the authors
did not mention the organizations’ country base as well as the contractors’ nationality and
whether this may have similar significant differences or impact to the study as the
organizational tenure and gender.

Although there was only one organization (i.e. a large transportation company) that was
used in the survey, the authors did make a good effort to widen (i.e. another 2 different
companies were involved) and deepen (i.e. same transportation company but more in-
depth interview) the scope of their data collection in their second study.

Finally, the authors concluded that job design is an important consideration to “mediate
the relationship between work status and job related outcomes in IS contracting”.
However, the authors did not emphasize on the contractual agreements between the
organization and the contractors’ employment agencies (i.e. between organizations) and
between the employment agencies and their personnel (i.e. the contractors’ direct
employers) which affects the scope of the job design for the contractors. Issues such as
confidentiality, security, lack of business domain access (trade secrets), etc, in the
contract may hamper the effective job design for these contractors.

Furthermore, the article focuses on the in-source contractors from the software
development team. Introducing other IS functions such as IS resources, IS strategy as
part of the in-source contracting options may produce different behaviors and job
outcomes as their job scope widens and deepens (See reference 3).

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Suggestions to improve the paper

In terms of research techniques, we consider that the authors have done very well in
convincing the readers on the subject matter. However, this is one of the few studies in
the area of organizational behavior, attitudes and outcomes associated with IS
contracting. It will be better if result of the studies could be compared with other
researchers’ findings in similar context. (See reference 1)

A mixture of survey and in-depth interviews on the same set of participants could have
been done in parallel during the first study. This may help to further understand the
answers given in the earlier survey, reduces recollection errors and may help identify
other factors that may have significant impact on the results (e.g. timing of survey). The
subsequent in-depth interviews on other set of participants still remain as part of the
research technique as it broadens the scope of the data collection.

The authors may want to consider the behaviors of contract staff that are directly hired by
the organizations. Since they do not have an employment agency to “look after” them,
will they also show the same behaviors as contractors from the agencies? Also, are there
any significant differences in their job designs between the directly hired contract staffs,
the employment agencies’ contractors and the permanent staffs?

This will be help give insights to managers who wish to avoid the legalities and
complexities of outsourcing agreements and directly “own” the staffs for a short-term
period and with lesser liabilities.

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Grading of the paper and why

This paper deserves a rating of 8.5 out of 10.

The authors have shown great experience in research techniques and have put in
considerable effort to collect the data extensively, depth-wise and breadth-wise. The
findings from the studies and its subsequent conclusion on job design discrepancies to
explain the findings shows the authors experience in the subject matter.

Although it is a 24-page long academic paper and many statistical jargons (MANCOVA,
Cronbach value, etc) were included; the paper’s systematic structure (order: subject basis,
sequential studies with simple hypotheses, method and result, conclusion) and “layman”
excerpts from the various participants allows us to grasp the main points and their
reasoning even at first reading.

References:
1. One Size Does not fit All: Managing IT Employees’ Employment Arrangement,
Jayesh Prasad, Thomas W Ferratt, Harvey G Enns, Working Paper, School of
Business Administration, University of Dayton, June 2005
2. The Myths And Realities Of Information Technology Insourcing, Rudy Hirschheim,
Mary Lacity, Communications of the ACM, Vol. 43, Issue 2, Feb 2000, Pg 99 – 107
3. Complexities in IS sourcing: equifinality and relationship management, Barbara L.
Marcolin, Alain Ross, ACM SIGMIS Database, Vol. 36, Issue 4 (Fall 2005), Pg 29 –
46
4. IT Outsourcing Success: A Psychological Contract Perspective, Christine Koh, Soon
Ang, Detmar W. Straub, Information Systems Research, Vol. 15, Issue 4, December
2004, pg 356 – 373

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