Measuring creolization in IT outsourcing: Instrument development and validation

摘要

This research describes the development and validation of an instrument of creolization. Creolization, which reflects how partnering firms manage a variety of cross-cultural processes, is particularly important for both clients and vendors to successfully engage in IT outsourcing contracts. Unfortunately, empirical research on this cross-cultural issue is currently under-developed because there are no adequate measures for the construct. We developed and validated a 13-item instrument via a sample of 317 knowledge workers working for 23 IT-enabled service-provisioning companies in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an, China. Results from the present research reveal that the instrument has acceptable psychometric properties. The instrument should contribute to advancing quantitative research on creolization and for operationalizing the conceptualization of creolization in practice. Suggestions for adopting and improving the instrument are discussed and implications for practitioners are provided.