Dr. Ilan Oshri

My Research Projects

During my academic career I have conducted several large research projects.  Here is a summary of my involvement in research projects:

1998-2000: Component Sharing in Complex Products and Systems; Israel.

In this project I studied how hardware and software components can be transferred between projects. During these two years , I carried out over 100 interviews with engineers, middle and top managers from the Israeli defense industry. The results of this study are summarized in 4 articles published in IEEE TOEM, CACM, Management Learning and KMRP.

2002-present:  The Management of Globally Distributed Teams; India, Switzerland,  Germany  (with Julia Kotlarsky ).

In this project we studied how companies such as TCS, SAP, LeCroy and others manage their globally distributed software development teams. We have conducted over 70 interviews with staff and key personal of these organizations. Several areas have emerged to be important in the management of globally distributed teams. We have published the results of our study on these areas as follows: we published on the management of component-based development in globally distributed teams in JIT; On social aspects supporting collaboration between remote counterparts in JSIS and CACM ; on the development of transactive memory  in globally distributed teams in ISJ. Our 2008 Palgrave book “knowledge processes in globally distributed contexts” is largely based on this research.

2005-2006: Information Security of Windows-based  Operating Systems Devices, USA.

In this research project, we explored the challenges that both buyers and suppliers of Windows-based operating systems devices face throughout the lifecycle of the product. The data were collected at LeCroy (NY, USA), and the results of this study were published in IEEE S&P and Computers & Security

2006-present: Knowledge Processes in Outsourcing Relationships; Netherlands, India, Brazil, Luxemburg (with Julia Kotlarsky and Leslie Willcocks). Partially sponsored by Tata Consulting Services (TCS).

In this research project we have collected data in 8 TCS sites involved in a mega outsourcing deal with the Dutch bank ABN AMRO. We conducted over 100 interviews with engineers, middle managers and top executives. We also interviewed the client. We published an article about the management of distributed expertise, based on data collected at TCS, in MISQ executive.   

2006-present: Outsourcing Captive Services and the Future of Captive Units, India and Germany (with Julia Kotlarsky).

In this research project we investigate the future of captive units in offshore locations. We have collected data in Bangalore about recent trends and carried out a case study with SAP about their recent outsourcing deal with TCS of captive services.     

2007- present: The skill set of Technology Transfer Professionals in Europe, European-wide, sponsored by the European Commission (with Tom Mom and Henk Volberda).

The objective of this study is to understand what skills are needed for technology transfer professionals in Europe. The research team has collected data from over 30 countries (using telephone interviews and an on-line survey).  Results are available upon request.