Managing Global IT Delivery Networks: A Literature Review from the Supplier's Perspective

Information technology (IT) is one of the major drivers of globalization. Thus, the delivery of IT services itself benefits from globalization due to the distribution of labor-intensive services and tasks to locations with lower labor costs, known as off shoring. From the client's perspective, there is also a demand for globally standardized IT services being delivered around the globe, considering local differences such as language. The concept of the global delivery model (GDM) combines the benefits of on- and off shoring, such as flexibility and cost reduction, but it also increases the complexity of the coordination. A global delivery network (GDN) is the nexus of interconnected processes, skills, resources, systems and structures on a high maturity level to ensure the seamless and efficient delivery of services across multiple locations. The literature review aims to present definitions and provide an overview of the current body of knowledge of GDNs and to identify potential for further research.