The critical success factor of information technology outsourcing in government (the human element): A case study of the Outsourcing Desktop Initiative for NASA (ODIN)

The subject of this analysis is the emergent practice of government agencies "outsourcing" their information technology (IT) services in an effort to increase efficiency and maximize productivity. For the purpose of this study, outsourcing is defined as the transferring of non-mission oriented activities to a specified service provider in an effort to increase productivity within the organization. The focus is on the impact of the human element (employees) on the outsourcing endeavor's outcome at the NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The organization's efforts to address employee reactions such as apprehension and opposition will be examined. Additionally, the researcher examined the impact on the IT outsourcing effort should the organization fail to effectively address the employees' reactions. This study revealed the importance of the human element during the implementation of IT outsourcing at GSFC.