Currently, client and supplier firms are struggling with how they can make their information systems (IS) outsourcing engagements more valuable. This research points to the importance of successful practice and outcome in IS outsourcing for achieving engagements of value. To enhance the understanding of IS out­sourcing over time, a process perspective is applied. Further, this research is based on the contention that IS outsourcing is more likely to be successful if challenges are managed in a proactive manner and with a relationship perspective. Thus, understanding challenges in IS outsourcing requires a symmetric view on client and supplier. The thesis is based on two studies presented as three steps of research: development, validation and reconsideration of a conceptual framework. The licentiate study centred on the step of development whereas the present doctoral study has a focus on the steps of validation and reconsideration. The purpose of this study includes investigating how the management of successful practice and outcome in IS outsourcing can be enabled. To address the purpose, the IS outsourcing process is studied in a client–supplier relationship. This includes that different actor perspectives, including strategic, operative, and systems, are considered for a better understanding of the practice of IS outsourcing, the challenges, and how different actors convey successful IS outsourcing. The thesis contributes a framework for relational-oriented management of IS outsourcing, which provides the structure for understanding what needs to be managed in terms of key conditions, when and how in connection to actors, relationships, and process. Theoretical propositions, enhancing the understanding of the complexity of IS outsourcing as well as the number of challenges involved, are also presented. In brief, these propositions relate to the circumstance that IS outsourcing requires management on different levels and with different kinds of results in mind.

La montée en puissance des enjeux environnementaux incite les industriels de la mécanique à intégrer la dimension environnementale dans le processus de conception de leurs produits. Un nouveau contexte de conception émerge : les fournisseurs sont de plus en plus fortement impliqués dans les processus de leurs clients. Ils atteignent, de ce fait, un niveau de responsabilité élevé et peuvent, par leurs actions, fortement influencer la performance environnementale d’un système final. Il devient ainsi nécessaire de favoriser l’intégration de la dimension environnementale au sein des relations entre clients et fournisseurs. Cette intégration se confronte à trois verrous majeurs : (1) un verrou organisationnel qui est lié le déficit d’intégration de l’environnement au sein des différents niveaux hiérarchiques d’une organisation, (2) un verrou opérationnel qui concerne le manque d’expertise environnemental, limitant la pérennité de l’intégration la dimension environnementale dans le processus de conception des entreprises, (3) un verrou relationnel qui est lié à une relation déséquilibrée entre clients et fournisseurs. Nos travaux aboutissent au développement de la méthode GECO (Gestion de L’Environnement dans la relation Client/fOurnisseur). Elle se destine à l’accompagnement des entreprises de la mécanique dans une gestion cohérente, pro-active et sur-mesure de la dimension environnementale avec leurs clients et fournisseurs. D’abord, elle permet d’établir le diagnostic des enjeux environnementaux clients devant être pris en compte à court et à long terme. Le but est de faire apparaître les enjeux nécessitant une montée en compétence rapide afin d’anticiper les futures évolutions sectorielles. La méthode propose, dans un seconde temps, un ensemble d’actions et d’outils d’éco-conception à mette en place afin d’accompagner cette montée en compétence. Enfin, la méthode GECO assiste la formalisation d’une stratégie environnementale adaptée aux profils de maturité des fournisseurs. La méthode a été expérimentée en milieu industriel au cours de deux cas d’étude réalisées, pour l’un, chez un grand systémier du secteur ferroviaire et, pour l’autre, avec le concours d’une petite entreprise du secteur de la défense. La pertinence de la méthode a ainsi été confirmée, notamment en ce qui concerne la partie diagnostic. / The increase of the environmental issues drives to the integration of the environmental dimension in the product design process of companies of the mechanical industry. This process has widely evolved for the last decades, since suppliers are more deeply involved into their clients' process. As they reach a high level of responsibility, they may heavily influence the product environmental performance of a final system. Hence it is required to improve the integration of the environment in the client/supplier relationship. This integration is however limited due to three main issues : (1) an organizational issue linked the low integration of the environment in corporate hierarchical levels, (2) an operational issue which refers to the reduced environmental expertise which limits the long-term integration of the environment in the product design process, (3) a relational issue which concerns the unbalanced relationship between clients and suppliers. Our research work leads to the method GECO (Management of the Environment in the Client/Supplier relationship). It supports mechanical companies though a consistent, pro-active and tailor made approach within the management of the environment with clients and suppliers. First, the method allows companies to visualize the growing clients’ environmental issues they would potentially have to face up in short and long term. Thus it provides strategic information to focus the efforts on the relevant environmental issues. Second, the method provides a roadmap which guides companies with the choice of the relevant methods and tools to respond to the clients’ requirements. Finally, the method GECO supports the elaboration of an environmental strategy adapted to the suppliers' maturity. The method was experimented though two study cases with a large company from the railway industry and a small company of the defense sector. The relevance of the method has been confirmed, especially the diagnosis part.