Client communication practices in managing relationships with offshore vendors of software testing services

Abstract

Enabled by the globalization and advances in technology, offshore outsourcing of software development to countries such as India, China, and Russia, continues to increase. Much of the extant research has not focused on the communication practices observed in thriving offshore client?vendor relationships. Our research identifies communication practices found in a case study of a large multinational client's multi-vendor relationship in offshore outsourcing of software testing projects. We discuss the empirically grounded communication practices in the light of existing literature to highlight how the client?vendor relationships deliver long-term value. Through this discussion, we delineate and discuss communication techniques. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed. © 2010 by the authors.