Impact of Vendor Selection on Firms' IT Outsourcing: The Korea Experience

Abstract

Information technology (IT) outsourcing is often used as a cost-saving strategy for firms. In IT outsourcing, the choice of vendor is a key factor determining success. This study examines the impact that the choice of IT vendor has on firms' IT outsourcing in Korea. The authors empirically analyzed the impact of certain characteristics of IT vendors on the market value of client firms in Korea using the event study methodology. First, the authors found that IT outsourcing announcements significantly increased the market value of firms. The authors also found that the market response to high asset-specific services of the IT vendor was significantly greater than the response to low asset-specific services. The authors' results also showed that the effect of Korean vendors was greater than that of foreign vendors. However, the difference between IT outsourcing to large vendors and small vendors in Korea was not significant, in contrast to the US. The information provided in this study can be used by client firms to select better IT vendors and by IT vendors to develop strategies to survive the rapidly changing IT outsourcing market in Korea.