Evolution of Governance and Information Technology Management, Article Review Example

Cao, L., Mohan, K., Ramesh, B., & Sarkar, S. (2013). Evolution of Governance: Achieving Ambidexterity in IT Outsourcing. Journal of Management Information Systems, 30(3), 115-140.

This article mainly describes various types of information technology (IT) systems of outsourcing governance including contractual and relational information technology systems (Cao, Mohan, Ramesh, & Sarkar, 2013).   According to this article, these information technology systems are mostly employed by global firms in order to promote and address different information based goals and objectives of organization especially towards outsourcing activities and operations (Cao, Mohan, Ramesh, & Sarkar, 2013).   The authors of the article argue that contractual governance mostly improves efficiency in an outsourcing relationship in the organization.  However, relational information technology systems are mainly used in organizations in order to facilitate the changing business operations of the firms.  The article also covers various previous research based studies and reports that support various forms of information technology governance operations towards the promotion of the organization information services and other outsourcing governance practices (Cao, Mohan, Ramesh, & Sarkar, 2013).

According to the major findings and results in the study, it is clear that contractual and relational forms of organization governance usually contrast and conflict each other and there is need for provision of careful balance between them to reduce organization ambidexterity (Cao, Mohan, Ramesh, & Sarkar, 2013).     Information technology outsourcing governance can be applied to improve organization information behaviors and cultures.

The study also involves qualitative research designs that address and develop various practices that can be used in reducing conflicts between contractual and relational forms of outsourcing governance and ambidexterity in organizations. According to this article, the use and application of a process known as ambidexterity pendulum can help in providing a balance between contractual and relational information technology outsourcing governance systems (Cao, Mohan, Ramesh, & Sarkar, 2013).

The authors of the article also assert that information technology (IT) governance practices can be employed in providing accountability rights and to promote business operations of the organizations.

The major findings of the article are also based on the various organizations that have involved the use of outsourcing information technology services in their governance practices. The study also includes IT outsourcing governance operations such as opening the black box of the evolutionary process of achieving ambidexterity in the organization (Cao, Mohan, Ramesh, & Sarkar, 2013).     According to the article, is also evident that opening black box mostly involves specific operations based on contractual and relational governance as well as other multiple IT outsourcing governance practices.

Information technology governance of organizations mainly aims at eliminating IT risks and promotes IT investment services.  IT governance in the organization also promotes desirable behaviors especially towards the achievement of IT based goals and objectives. This is because IT governance mostly involves various decision rights and other social operations in the firm.

In this article, the authors also examine some of the relationships between contractual and relational information technology outsourcing governance in various key social processes in the organization such as information exchange and other coordination activities.

Organization ambidexterity is based on various conflicting demands and trade-off situations in the organization.  The authors of the article propose the provision of proper management, the partition of the explorative and exploitative parts of the organization as well as the provision of individual’s proper time management in the firm. This will promote both structural and contextual ambidexterity in the firm. The article also proposes the use of contextual ambidexterity as the best approach in setting client organization needs and interests.

Therefore, this is a research-based article that includes various data collection, data analysis and discussions that can be used in balancing conflicts between contractual and relational information technology outsourcing governance systems. This article is also relevant and provides informative information that can be used in promoting organization ambidexterity especially through the process of ambidexterity pendulum.  The article also addresses some of the major practices that organizational can employ in order to promote a balance between contractual and relational governance based on evolutionary process (Cao, Mohan, Ramesh, & Sarkar, 2013).     In that sense, the article forms one of best reference point the promotion and achieving of ambidexterity in IT outsourcing firms.  Furthermore, the research findings and results from the article can be used in promoting IT management in various organization cultures and behaviors globally.  The research methods and analysis used in the article are also well organized and support previous research findings based on IT management practices.

References

Cao, L., Mohan, K., Ramesh, B., & Sarkar, S. (2013). Evolution of Governance: Achieving Ambidexterity in IT Outsourcing. Journal of Management Information Systems, 30(3), 115-140.