IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v200y2025ics0148296325004412.html

Capability joint effects, transaction costs, outsourcing decisions, and performance

Author

Listed:
  • Jain, Amit

Abstract

Transaction cost economics (TCE) is a prominent theory for predicting outsourcing decisions, yet it has received mixed empirical support. This inconsistency may partly stem from the omission of capabilities associated with a transaction. By integrating capability arguments into the TCE framework, we propose that a firm activity is more likely to be governed hierarchically when a transaction is associated with three capability characteristics: value, rarity, and inimitability. Our study, which analyzes a sample of 180 information systems (IS) sourcing decisions, reveals that a firm’s capabilities in relation to a prospective outsourcing partner may significantly reduce (or increase) the likelihood of outsourcing when these capability characteristics collectively exhibit high (or low) values. Moreover, these capability characteristics have a stronger correlation with insourced performance compared to outsourced performance. This research thus supports the thesis that firms insource those transactions that enhance their competitive advantage, while outsourcing those that do not.

Suggested Citation

  • Jain, Amit, 2025. "Capability joint effects, transaction costs, outsourcing decisions, and performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:200:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325004412
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115618
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296325004412
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115618?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Veugelers, Reinhilde & Cassiman, Bruno, 1999. "Make and buy in innovation strategies: evidence from Belgian manufacturing firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 63-80, January.
    2. Sharon Novak & Scott Stern, 2008. "How Does Outsourcing Affect Performance Dynamics? Evidence from the Automobile Industry," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(12), pages 1963-1979, December.
    3. Nicholas S. Argyres & Todd R. Zenger, 2012. "Capabilities, Transaction Costs, and Firm Boundaries," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(6), pages 1643-1657, December.
    4. Macher Jeffrey T & Richman Barak D, 2008. "Transaction Cost Economics: An Assessment of Empirical Research in the Social Sciences," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 10(1), pages 1-65, May.
    5. Williamson, Oliver, 1991. "Comparative Economic Organization: The Analysis of Discrete Structural Alternatives," Institute for Policy Reform Working Paper Series 294665, Institute for Policy Reform.
    6. Amit Jain & Raymond-Alain Thietart, 2014. "Capabilities as shift parameters for the outsourcing decision," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(12), pages 1881-1890, December.
    7. Ivana Tomašević & Sandra Đurović & Nikola Abramović & Lidija Weis & Viktor Koval, 2023. "Factors Influencing Accounting Outsourcing Using the Transaction Cost Economics Model," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-17, April.
    8. Oliver Hart & John Moore, 2007. "Incomplete Contracts and Ownership: Some New thoughts," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(2), pages 182-186, May.
    9. repec:dau:papers:123456789/13446 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Oxley, Joanne E., 1999. "Institutional environment and the mechanisms of governance: the impact of intellectual property protection on the structure of inter-firm alliances," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 283-309, March.
    11. Jongwook Kim & Joseph T. Mahoney, 2005. "Property rights theory, transaction costs theory, and agency theory: an organizational economics approach to strategic management," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 223-242.
    12. Viswanathan, Madhu & Mukherji, Prokriti & Narasimhan, Om & Chandy, Rajesh, 2021. "The performance impact of core component outsourcing: insights from the LCD TV industry," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 109853, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    13. Peter J. Buckley & Mark Casson, 1991. "The Future of the Multinational Enterprise," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, edition 0, number 978-1-349-21204-0, March.
    14. S. Trevis Certo & John R. Busenbark & Hyun‐soo Woo & Matthew Semadeni, 2016. "Sample selection bias and Heckman models in strategic management research," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(13), pages 2639-2657, December.
    15. Carol Hsu & Jae-Nam Lee & Yulin Fang & Detmar W. Straub & Ning Su & Hyun-Sun Ryu, 2022. "The Role of Vendor Legitimacy in IT Outsourcing Performance: Theory and Evidence," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(1), pages 337-361, March.
    16. Teece, David J, 2018. "Dynamic capabilities as (workable) management systems theory," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(3), pages 359-368, May.
    17. Kira R. Fabrizio, 2012. "Institutions, Capabilities, and Contracts: Make or Buy in the Electric Utility Industry," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(5), pages 1264-1281, October.
    18. Kyle J. Mayer & Jack A. Nickerson, 2005. "Antecedents and Performance Implications of Contracting for Knowledge Workers: Evidence from Information Technology Services," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(3), pages 225-242, June.
    19. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    20. Macher, Jeffrey T. & Richman, Barak D., 2008. "Transaction Cost Economics: An Assessment of Empirical Research in the Social Sciences," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 1-63, April.
    21. James Heckman, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    22. Erin Anderson & David C. Schmittlein, 1984. "Integration of the Sales Force: An Empirical Examination," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 15(3), pages 385-395, Autumn.
    23. Rahul Kapoor & Ron Adner, 2012. "What Firms Make vs. What They Know: How Firms' Production and Knowledge Boundaries Affect Competitive Advantage in the Face of Technological Change," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(5), pages 1227-1248, October.
    24. Carmen Weigelt, 2009. "The impact of outsourcing new technologies on integrative capabilities and performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(6), pages 595-616, June.
    25. Luis Garicano & Yanhui Wu, 2012. "Knowledge, Communication, and Organizational Capabilities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(5), pages 1382-1397, October.
    26. Birger Wernerfelt, 1984. "A resource‐based view of the firm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(2), pages 171-180, April.
    27. S.A. Lippman & R.P. Rumelt, 1982. "Uncertain Imitability: An Analysis of Interfirm Differences in Efficiency under Competition," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 13(2), pages 418-438, Autumn.
    28. Robert Gibbons & Rebecca Henderson, 2012. "Relational Contracts and Organizational Capabilities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(5), pages 1350-1364, October.
    29. Ranjay Gulati & Jack A. Nickerson, 2008. "Interorganizational Trust, Governance Choice, and Exchange Performance," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(5), pages 688-708, October.
    30. Jakki Mohr & Robert Spekman, 1994. "Characteristics of partnership success: Partnership attributes, communication behavior, and conflict resolution techniques," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(2), pages 135-152, February.
    31. Robert J. David & Shin‐Kap Han, 2004. "A systematic assessment of the empirical support for transaction cost economics," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 39-58, January.
    32. Olivier Bertrand, 2011. "What goes around, comes around: Effects of offshore outsourcing on the export performance of firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(2), pages 334-344, February.
    33. Alain Verbeke & Luciano Ciravegna & Luis E. Lopez & Sumit K. Kundu, 2019. "Five Configurations of Opportunism in International Market Entry," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(7), pages 1287-1313, November.
    34. Henisz, Witold J, 2000. "The Institutional Environment for Multinational Investment," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 16(2), pages 334-364, October.
    35. Stefano Bolatto & Alireza Naghavi & Gianmarco Ottaviano & Katja Zajc Kejžar, 2023. "Intellectual property and the organization of the global value chain," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(359), pages 707-745, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Peters, Frank, 2018. "The business of video games is a multi-player game : Essays on governance choices and performance in a two-sided market in the cultural industries," Other publications TiSEM 886b3148-4bbb-4ea4-b666-0, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    2. Amit Jain & Raymond-Alain Thietart, 2014. "Capabilities as shift parameters for the outsourcing decision," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(12), pages 1881-1890, December.
    3. Akhil Bhardwaj & Anastasia Sergeeva & Joseph Mahoney & Jackson Nickerson, 2025. "Theorizing as Problem Solving: A Pragmatist Perspective on the Logic of Pursuit," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 10(4), pages 338-359, December.
    4. Kira R. Fabrizio, 2012. "Institutions, Capabilities, and Contracts: Make or Buy in the Electric Utility Industry," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(5), pages 1264-1281, October.
    5. Mikko Ketokivi & Joseph T. Mahoney, 2020. "Transaction Cost Economics As a Theory of Supply Chain Efficiency," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 29(4), pages 1011-1031, April.
    6. Alex Eapen & Rekha Krishnan, 2019. "Transferring Tacit Know-How: Do Opportunism Safeguards Matter for Firm Boundary Decisions?," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(4), pages 715-734, July.
    7. Christian Balcells, 2022. "Determinants of firm boundaries and organizational performance: an empirical investigation of the Chilean truck market," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 423-461, April.
    8. Jain, Amit, 2011. "Connaissance, ressources, concurrence et les frontières de l'entreprise," Economics Thesis from University Paris Dauphine, Paris Dauphine University, number 123456789/6403 edited by Thiétart, Raymond-Alain.
    9. Nicholas S. Argyres & Teppo Felin & Nicolai Foss & Todd Zenger, 2012. "Organizational Economics of Capability and Heterogeneity," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(5), pages 1213-1226, October.
    10. Stephan Manning & Silvia Massini & Carine Peeters & Arie Y. Lewin, 2018. "The changing rationale for governance choices: Early vs. late adopters of global services sourcing," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(8), pages 2303-2334, August.
    11. McCarter, Matthew W. & Wade-Benzoni, Kimberly A. & Kamal, Darcy K. Fudge & Bang, H. Min & Hyde, Steven J. & Maredia, Reshma, 2020. "Models of intragroup conflict in management: A literature review," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 925-946.
    12. Foscaches, Caroline & Macchione Saes, Maria Sylvia & Bigio Schnaider, Paula Sarita, 2019. "Does social identity matter in governance decisions? Evidence from an agrarian reform settlement in Brazil," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 215-226.
    13. Nickerson, Jack A. & Yen, C. James & Mahoney, Joseph T., 2011. "Exploring the Problem-Finding and Problem-Solving Approach for Designing Organizations," Working Papers 11-0107, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    14. Kim, Jongwook & Mahoney, Joseph T., 2008. "A Strategic Theory of the Firm as a Nexus of Incomplete Contracts: A Property Rights Approach," Working Papers 08-0108, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    15. Giorgio Zanarone & Desmond (Ho-Fu) Lo & Tammy L. Madsen, 2016. "The double-edged effect of knowledge acquisition: How contracts safeguard pre-existing resources," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(10), pages 2104-2120, October.
    16. Thomas Mellewigt & Glenn Hoetker & Martina Lütkewitte, 2018. "Avoiding High Opportunism Is Easy, Achieving Low Opportunism Is Not: A QCA Study on Curbing Opportunism in Buyer–Supplier Relationships," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(6), pages 1208-1208, December.
    17. Wang Jin & Kristina McElheran, 2025. "Economies Before Scale: I.T. Strategy and Performance Dynamics of Young U.S. Businesses," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 71(9), pages 7449-7473, September.
    18. Mehmet Ali Köseoglu & John A. Parnell & Melissa Yan Yee Yick, 2021. "Identifying influential studies and maturity level in intellectual structure of fields: evidence from strategic management," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(2), pages 1271-1309, February.
    19. Geoffrey M. Hodgson, 2010. "Limits of Transaction Cost Analysis," Chapters, in: Peter G. Klein & Michael E. Sykuta (ed.), The Elgar Companion to Transaction Cost Economics, chapter 28, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    20. Nicholas Argyres, 2011. "Using Organizational Economics to Study Organizational Capability Development and Strategy," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1138-1143, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:200:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325004412. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.