Towards a Conceptualisation of Trust in IS Outsourcing

Despite the implicit recognition of trust in IS outsourcing, comparatively few research could be found in this area. While addressing the nature of trust in IS outsourcing, we found surprisingly many aspects on the concept of trust which have not been captured in the mainstream research on IS outsourcing. This paper presents an interdisciplinary view on trust and attempts to call for a greater understanding and focus on the role and impact of trust in an outsourcing context. It is argued that trust does play a significant role in many aspects of IS outsourcing and potentially could be one of the key elements that contributes to the success of an outsourcing activity. The paper suggests a multidimensional approach to the exploration of trust in outsourcing relationships with a greater focus on multi-faceted aspects of trust as well as the mediating factors that influence the success and/or failure of IS outsourcing activities.