Abstract
This case concerns a one billion (US) dollar 10-year global outsourcing project signed in 2007 to outsource major parts of the human resource (HR) function of a major multinational company. The client and supplier embarked on a large-scale implementation plan and ran into difficulties on meeting deadlines and delivering the systems required. The case focuses on the step-by-step phased roll-out in the client's Europe, Middle East and Africa region covering 44 countries. The case follows the many attempts to stabilise and deliver the project. In June 2010, the supplier sold its HR line of business to another supplier, which became responsible for the project. The case documents the strategy, governance, project management and escalation issues to March 2011, and asks questions about the practices exhibited so far, and future decisions on strategic sourcing, project management, de-escalating the problems and the retained capabilities needed by the client.
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Notes
This case is based on real client and supplier companies, but the two organisations have been renamed to preserve the anonymity requested. Participants from the two companies have also had their names changed in the text. All detail is otherwise accurate except where confidentiality or competitiveness issues arise, in which case the data have been suppressed or generalised. The case has been designed for class discussion only, rather than to indicate good or bad practice in the particular circumstances prevailing.
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Kovasznai, D., Willcocks, L. Escalation in global outsourcing projects: the XperTrans–C&C BPO case. J Info Technol Teach Cases 2, 10–16 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1057/jittc.2011.12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/jittc.2011.12