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The purpose of this paper is to answer the question asked by Buelen “What do we still need to learn about outsourcing across time zones?”.

This paper serves as a response to the commentary by Erik Beulen in SOIJ Vol. 5 No. 1 titled “I'm working while they're sleeping: time zone separation challenges and solutions”.

The paper finds that we are still very much at the beginning of the “era of time zone dependent work.”

This futures analysis leads to the projection that many more individuals will be entering time zone dependent work. While technology may elevate some of the hardships of temporal separation, it will exacerbate others.

Within an IT outsourcing relationship, transition represents a critical and complex phase that starts immediately after contract signing. Transition involves handing over outsourced activities from client firm to service provider firm and accompanies a new way of operating. The purpose of this paper is to determine and detail factors influencing the performance of transition phase within global IT outsourcing relationships.

In this paper, the authors present a framework for transition performance that includes four factors: transition planning, knowledge transfer, transition governance and retained organization. This framework is tested and enriched by utilizing a single, in‐depth case study involving over 25 interviews with a global offshore IT outsourcing engagement.

It was found that knowledge transfer and transition governance are more critical factors than transition planning and retained organization for transition performance. This was due mainly to two reasons: the critical challenges faced, within the scope of these factors, had higher potential to disrupt transition; and both these factors and their related issues required a significant joint and coordinated effort from client and service provider firms, thereby, making implementation challenging for transition.

Practitioners have suggested that over two‐thirds of failed outsourcing relationships are due to transition‐related challenges. This paper represents one of the first in‐depth studies that provides insights from a real‐life global outsourcing engagement, which contributes to and complements existing literature on IT outsourcing by providing a greater understanding of transition. Furthermore, it provides practitioners with insights and best practices that can be used to guide transitions in real‐life engagements.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the contribution of a global IT service provider's Human Resources Information System (HRIS) to staff retention in emerging markets. This includes a comparison of the relevant issues and implications derived from a study investigating six developing countries. The author of this paper concludes that the functionality of global HR systems should be supplemented with local adaptions in order to achieve the best support for staff retention management.

The theoretical framework for this paper is based on HR literature concerning staff retention and on the framework proposed by Martinsons for human resources management applications of knowledge‐based systems. The argument is illustrated by quotes from 16 semi‐structured expert interviews with Accenture HR executives and managers in Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Latvia and Slovakia.

HRISs contribute positively to staff retention for global IT service providers in emerging markets. Especially important in minimizing turnover is the support they can provide for the allocation of employees to international engagements, including scheduling and training. Culture and local labor market differences do of course influence the HR functionalities needed. This paper provides insight into the factors that necessitate local adaptions to a global HRIS.

This paper addresses the differences and similarities in a global IT service provider's staff retention management and the contribution of its HRIS – including global functionality and local adaptions – towards this goal in six developing countries.

The purpose of this paper is to review recent trends and issues in global IT sourcing and to introduce papers in the special issue: “Social, managerial and knowledge aspects in global IT sourcing”.

The paper examines trends by regions including Brazil, Russia, India and China and also trends in Captive Centres and their strategies.

There will be a continuing rise in outsourcing revenues for global outsourcing, with BPO overtaking ITO within five years. Multi‐sourcing will continue to be the dominant trend. India will continue to dominate but its role will change. China heralds promise but will still struggle to achieve scale in Western European and North American markets. Emerging country competition will intensify. Software as a service will be a “slow burner” but will gain momentum in the second half of the next decade. Near‐shoring will be a strong trend. Outsourcing, by offering a potential alternative, will help discipline in‐house capabilities and service. Knowledge process outsourcing will increase as the BRIC and emerging countries move up the value chain. Captive activity – both buying and selling – will increase (see below). Outsourcing successes and disappointments will continue as both clients and suppliers struggle to deal with a highly dynamic set of possibilities

The paper is of value to both academics and practitioners working in the field of IT sourcing. The study of captive centres is in its early stages and the paper introduces further work in this area.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of uncertainty in purchasing and supply management, and the changes of this role over time.

The paper is based on a literature review of the development of purchasing and supply management over time and how these issues have been related to uncertainty and dependence. This examination also required analysis of the impact of other concepts from behavioral sciences: interdependence, power and control.

The paper shows that the relationship between purchasing management and uncertainty has changed substantially over time. Traditionally, uncertainty was avoided, while firms today are engaged in efforts of handling the consequences of uncertainty. This modification affected the features of buyer-supplier relationships, as well as the perspectives and the exploitation of power, control and dependence.

The paper demonstrates both positive and negative consequences of uncertainty, depending on the approach applied in purchasing. Moreover, the analysis shows that uncertainty cannot be avoided. Modifications of purchasing management will reduce certain types of uncertainty. But the same modification also results in increases of other forms of uncertainty.

This paper aims to analyse whether the speed of Wi-Fi in hotels influences customer satisfaction with hotels and the implications of this for the provision of Wi-Fi by commercial and governmental bodies seeking to boost tourism.

Regression analysis on data from Australian hotels (191 entries) and 111 responses to a national survey of local government authorities on public Wi-Fi (PWF) provision were combined with a literature review and content analysis of online reviews by hotel customers.

If Wi-Fi quality rises by 1%, customer satisfaction with the hotel increases by 0.376/100 units. In the areas where hotel Wi-Fi is of better quality, PWF provided by the local government is also of better quality; the reverse statement is also true.

Tourists value continuous access to Wi-Fi, whether provided by commercial or public bodies. It is imperative for hotels and local governments seeking to boost tourist activity to invest in quality Wi-Fi networks. However, to assist this, national policies should address spatial disparities in broadband infrastructure revealed in the study.

This study looks beyond a conventional distinction between the private and public provision of Wi-Fi to examine the shared interests of industry and government in this essential component of tourist infrastructure. The study is unique in the English-speaking literature for its focus on the link between the quality of Wi-Fi provision and customer satisfaction, with original results and discussion providing a rationale for investing in quality Wi-Fi networks.

认真的么, 澳大利亚, 为什么你对WiFi 如此小气？：澳洲酒店顾客对Wi-Fi速度的满意度及其对公共Wi-Fi供给的启示

本研究分析了酒店的Wi-Fi 速度是否影响顾客满意度, 及其对致力于促进旅游业发展的商业和政府组织在提供Wi-Fi 服务上的启示

本研究结合191家澳洲酒店的数据以及111份对当地政府权威机关关于公共Wi-Fi供应的全国性调查的回复数据进行了回归分析, 并结合文献综述和对网上顾客评价进行了内容分析

如果Wi-Fi质量提高百分之一, 顾客满意度会相应提高0.376/100个单位。在酒店Wi-Fi质量普遍较好的地区, 由地方政府提供的公用Wi-Fi也会有更佳质量, 反之亦然。

不管是商业还是公共组织提供的Wi-Fi, 游客都重视它的持续性使用。对那些想要发展旅游的酒店和地方政府来说, 加大对Wi-Fi 质量的投入是必要的。然而, 为了推进此举, 国家政策应该根据此项研究的结果解决宽带基础设施的地域差异问题。

本研究 超越了传统意义上的公共和私有供给Wi-Fi的区别, 从业界和政府机关共同利益的角度出发来对这项关键的旅游基础设施进行研究。本文对英文文献关于Wi-Fi质量和顾客满意度的关系提供了支持, 并且为提高Wi-Fi质量的理论依据提供了创新性结论和讨论。

The purpose of this paper is to review the conceptual and methodological challenges of a J-shaped association between alcohol consumption (AC), coronary heart disease (CHD) and all-cause mortality. In associated papers in this journal, Skovenborg et al., 2021 reviews the evidence for the J-shaped curve, and Ellison et al., 2021 examines the advantages and drawbacks of Mendelian randomization studies of the J-shaped curve.

A number of methodological problems are common in observational research in general, and some of the methodological problems suggested for the J-shaped alcohol-CHD-associations are discussed. The extent of the methodological problems in studies of the J-shaped curve is reviewed, and the possibility that the J-shaped curve is an artifact created by reverse causality and residual confounding is discussed. Further, the issue of interaction with drinking pattern and type of alcohol is discussed.

Imprecise categorization of alcohol intake information seems to have had little effect on the J-shaped alcohol-CHD-associations, nor has it affected the ability of these studies to show increasing mortality from a range of causes with increasing AC. The problem of “sick quitters” has been resolved by large studies using lifelong abstainers or infrequent drinkers as reference group. Many studies lack information on drinking patterns with regard to regular, moderate consumption versus binge drinking. Stratified analyses by important risk factors for CHD have not significantly changed the J-shaped association observed in most epidemiologic studies.

Potential biases and residual confounding probably do not overcome the J-shaped alcohol-CDH-association observed in most epidemiologic studies; however, the existence of a J-shaped curve is challenged by some degree of uncertainty. The actual review together with the associated papers by Skovenborg et al., 2021 and Ellison et al., 2021 offers a possibility to “update your priors” and achieve greater certainty when giving your patients information on the pros and cons of alcohol intake.

The purpose of this paper is a review of updated evidence of a J-shaped association between alcohol consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and all-cause mortality in relation to public health issues to create a basis for sensible individual health deliberations.

A review of the evidence from the first observation of a J-shaped association between a moderate alcohol intake and CHD in 1926 to recent studies of the effect of healthy lifestyles (including moderate alcohol intake) on life expectancy free of cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and Type 2 diabetes. An update on the biological plausibility of the J-shaped association with focus on recent findings of the association of alcohol intake and blood lipid levels.

Plausible J-shaped relations between light to moderate alcohol consumption and the risk of CHD, CVD mortality and all-cause mortality have been found in a large number of robust epidemiological studies. Among the potential mechanisms underlying the proposed protective effects are higher levels of high-density lipoprotein lacking apolipoprotein C3, reduced platelet aggregability, increased level of endothelial cell fibrinolysis, increased insulin sensitivity and decreased inflammation.

The existence of a J-shaped association between alcohol consumption and the risk of CHD and all-cause mortality is based on observational evidence and accordingly challenged by a degree of uncertainty leading some public health circles to state: “there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.” The authors propose that communication on the pros and cons of alcohol intake should emphasize the nadir of a J-shaped curve as a healthy range for the general population while advice regarding the consumption of alcohol should be adjusted to factor in the risks and potential benefits for each individual patient considering age, sex, family history, personal drinking history and specific medical history.