Investigating the Information Systems Heterarchy

This paper assesses how one large information systems (IS) organisation, Capgemini, is changing in response to the increased globalisation of software development practices. It posits the emergence of a new form of multi-national enterprise (MNE) – the heterarchy that draws on theoretical antecedents in the field of international business. Data is gathered from two extended case studies of IS projects and the cases create new insights into the structures and behaviours of IS MNEs that are adapting to the demands of global systems development. The paper identifies four primary dimensions of impact – cultural, economic, operational and organizational – on IS MNEs and suggests how such organisations are evolving. It concludes that ‘offshoring’ may no longer be as relevant a term to describe how global IS resourcing is addressed.