Resizing information systems personnel after IT outsourcing: exploring psychological contracts, violations, and employee outcomes

Abstract

A company's IT outsourcing initiatives are often coupled with changes to the in-house IS function, resulting in downsizing of IS personnel and/or reassigning IS employees to other areas in the company or outsourcing firm. I define these activities as IS personnel resizing. In this study, I examine the relationship between IS personnel resizing and employee job outcomes, in the wake of IT outsourcing. I apply a psychological contract lens to understand employment expectations of IS employees and examine the issues that arise when IT-user firms eliminate or reorganize IS personnel. Christina Outlay is a doctoral candidate at University of Illinois at Chicago. Her dissertation advisor is Dr. C. Ranganathan (ranga@uic.edu), Associate Professor, Department of Information and Decision Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago. Her expected graduation date is Summer, 2008.