The Evolution Paths Of Trust In China's Software Outsourcing

The level of service trade development is an important symbol of national modernization, also important content of optimization and upgrading of industrial structure. The software service industry is the core strength to accelerate the adjustment of national industrial structure and transformation of development mode. Software service industry have features of low resource consumption, high driving coefficient, more employment opportunities, good comprehensive benefits, can effectively promote the strategic adjustment of economic structure and transformation of development pattern,and is an important force to vigorously promote economic innovation and growth. Software outsourcing is an important part of China's software service industry, and is an important bridge to connect our country with the world.However, late start of China's software outsourcing lead to unenough attention to the relationship development between vender companies and client companies. Most outsourcing companies established for a short time, and think much of the quick access to order form and short-term benefit, ignoring the establishment of long and stable trust relationship between vender companies and client companies. At present, few researchs had studied the trust in software outsourcing in China and the world.In fact, software outsourcing companies must pay more attention to establish a trust relationship between vender companies and client companies to get long-term development,which requires the software outsourcing companies have sufficient understanding in the development of trust. Therefore, an exploratory study in this area can provide theoretical support of a better understanding of the trust development for China's software outsourcing companies, and serves to guide China's software outsourcing enterprises to deal with the relationship in the practical activities of outsourcing business.In this study, we chose four representative types of software companies, and employed a multi-case study to investigate the evolution mechanism of trust in China's Software Outsourcing, to analyze the various stages of phase and different characteristics in the trust development.First, we reviewed on software outsourcing, trust and software outsourcing trust etc, in order to grasp the research status, lay literature base for the establishment of theoretical framework. Second, we proposed a preliminary theoretical framework and explain the definitions of variables in the framework. Third, we designed study process critically, and presented the selection criteria of cases. Fourth, we employed a multi-case study to investigate to four types of software outsourcing firms. Fifth, we gained the theoretical model and propositions. Finally, we presented the conclusions and propose practical implements.Using a detailed analysis of multiple cases, we find the final theoretical model basically validate the initial basic theoretical framework. There are different characteristics in trust development between joint ventures and local enterprises.The conclusions are that, (1) In the project cooperation, the trust relationship between client companies and joint ventures follows the cycle of evolution of "identification-based trustâ†'knowledge-based trustâ†'calculus-based trust"; (2) And between client companies and local enterprises follows "calculus-based trustâ†'knowledge-based trustâ†'identification-based trust"; (3) Cognitive trust gradually increased from low to high in the project cooperation; (4)Affective trust decreased from high to low in a project cooperation between client companies and joint ventures, and increased from low to high between client companies and local enterprises; (5)The previous project has the impact on dimensionality of trust in the beginning of new project. The change process is still similar to the previous project.