A Study on the Contracting Processes of Enterprise Application Software Purchasing: A Transaction Cost Perspective

• Main Authors: Grace Chen, 陳毓潔
• Other Authors: JI-REN LEE
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/67266719823851180696

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 國際企業學研究所 === 92 === Thanks to the well-developed global networking environments, application software has become a competitive weapon for enterprises. Based on the integrated databases and intra/internet infrastructures, enterprises can easily collect and accumulate useful data, turn them into information which can be accessed, re-used and analyzed thru the whole enterprise. By implementing these interconnected processes, a firm could generate competitive advantages. Some may argue that the implementation and utilization of IT infrastructure upon which the knowledge economy is based at least partly explains the continuous growth of US economies. Enterprise application software, as mentioned, is a critical element toward the successes of enterprises. However, happy-ending stories are rare for enterprises in introducing the applications. Human natures and the inept contractual procedures of the application software are the main reasons to be blamed. This is particularly true for the procurement of large-scale, customer-designed application software system that is related to the formation of competitive advantages of the purchasing party. The purpose of this thesis is to tackle this issue by exploring it from a project transaction level by first diagnosing the nature of contractual problems occurred in application software procurement. We will then adopt the framework suggested by the transaction cost theory to identify potential remedy for this problem. Based on this theory, the present research analyzed the hazards caused by the incomplete contractual processes of enterprise application software and the defects of human natures. We eventually suggest the usefulness of adopting a trilateral governance model for this type of system procurement. Strategic implications and future research based on the present results are discussed as well.