Faculty of Accounting and Informatics

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Investigating vendor selection criteria in information technology outsourcing using multiple criteria decision making
(2017) Bugwandin, Roshelle; Olugbara, Oludayo O.; Andrew, Theophilus Nethiekreethum
The selection of an appropriate vendor from a set of competing vendors in information technology outsourcing is an essential decision for the effective and efficient management of supply chain management in a fiercely competitive environment. Given the growing and intensive applications of information technology resources to improve process efficiency, achieve growth, foster innovation and transform service delivery, the need arises to outsource the major information technology operations of an organisation, as a strategy for organisations to concentrate on their core businesses. Information technology outsourcing is an important constituent in supply chain management, because it demands effective selection of an appropriate vendor, based on multiple conflicting criteria. Supply chain management places strong emphasis on effective evaluation and selection of vendors against usually conflicting multiple criteria, rather than on cost as a single criterion upon which to base a decision. Multiple criteria generally include both qualitative and quantitative attributes, some of which can be fuzzy in nature. The overarching purpose of this research is to screen the most important criteria of information technology outsourcing for vendor selection based on expert opinions. The experts are from institutions of higher education, health, inspection and testing, property, shipping, state own enterprise, local government and transportation, who share their views regarding criteria that influence their vendor selection decision. Since the vendor selection decision is characterised by a high degree of subjectivity, interdependency and conflicting criteria, the analytic hierarchy process is applied to determine the weights of the identified criteria, evaluate and rank the potential vendors that provide information technology outsourcing services to the sampled institutions. The sample size for this research comprises 16 respondents and the 11 criteria which are cost, quality, commitment, additional resources, additional expertise, prior work, contract terms, confidentiality, location, on supplier database and black economic empowerment. Results show that quality of product is the most important attribute for vendor selection in information technology outsourcing. In addition, the study found that the sampled institutions can categorise their information technology outsourcing vendors more effectively and select a more effective supply chain partner. Moreover, the sampled institutions can provide unsatisfactory vendors with valuable feedback that will help them improve and become good partners in the future.
On improving the understanding of software requirements by clients
(2016) Wing, Jeanette Wendy; Andrew, Theophilus Nethiekreethum; Petkov, Doncho
Motivated by the literature regarding the need for further research on client participation in software development, a systemic framework for the understanding of client requirements in Information System development projects is developed. This systemic framework is particularly relevant for project contexts characterized by diversity of stakeholder values and complexity. To address this complexity, research led to the selection of methods from three systems methodologies and the conclusion for the need to mix them in the process of requirements understanding by clients. The mixing of methods from various methodologies is justified through the principles of Critical Systems Practice, and the process of their use is guided by Action Design Research. In spite of the strong research tradition associated with Soft Systems Methodology and the growing interest in the Work System Method, the level of use of these by practitioners is not high because complex project situations require harnessing of the strengths of more than one methodology. The proposed framework also includes a third system methodology Critical Systems Heuristics. This study demonstrated how the meta-methodology Critical Systems Practice is applied in justifying the selection and the mix of methods from the above three methodologies in the proposed framework. The principles of design science were applied, where the framework is the design artifact that is developed. Action Research was used to guide evaluation of the framework in the pilot study. The framework was applied in a pilot study to the understanding of the management of a Wellness Centre which operates within the Kenneth Gardens Housing Estate, through action research. As a result of the pilot study some modifications were made to the framework and the process of its implementation. The modified framework was applied in a further main study concerning the management of the Kenneth Gardens Housing Estate which has a broader context than the pilot study. The contribution of this research to the field of Information Systems is both theoretical and practical. One theoretical contribution is provision of a framework for clearer understanding of software requirements by clients. The second theoretical contribution is that Action Design Research is enhanced by adding proper justification for the methods included in the framework through the application of Critical Systems Thinking and Critical Systems Practice. The practical contribution is through the demonstration of Action Design Research being applied to a real-world problem in both the pilot and the main study.