Abstract This paper examines joint vendor performance in multi-sourcing arrangements. Using an Information Processing View, we argue that managing interdependencies between multiple vendors imposes substantial information processing (IP) requirements on clients. To achieve high joint performance, clients therefore need to possess sufficient IP capacity. We examine how three sources of IP capacity, two internal (i.e., the client’s inter-vendor governance and the client’s architectural knowledge) and one external (i.e., the guardian vendor), work together in realizing joint performance. Our results show that formal governance and architectural knowledge contribute to joint performance. The guardian vendor contributes to joint performance in settings where the client deploys strong governance but lacks architectural knowledge. This suggests that, contrary to common views in the literature, guardian vendors should not be understood as mediators (or single points of contact) who relieve clients from governance efforts. Instead, guardian vendors are more fruitfully understood as architects, who complement the client’s governance efforts by compensating for knowledge gaps. Put simply, client firms should consider using a guardian vendor to compensate for weak architectural knowledge while still maintaining strong formal and informal governance of all vendors.

中文翻译：

---

多源采购中联合供应商绩效的信息处理观点：监护人的角色

摘要 本文考察了联合供应商在多源安排中的表现。使用信息处理视图，我们认为管理多个供应商之间的相互依赖性对客户强加了大量的信息处理 (IP) 要求。因此，为了实现高联合性能，客户端需要拥有足够的 IP 容量。我们研究了 IP 能力的三个来源，两个内部（即客户的跨供应商治理和客户的架构知识）和一个外部（即监护供应商）如何协同工作以实现联合性能。我们的结果表明，正式的治理和架构知识有助于联合绩效。在客户端部署强大治理但缺乏架构知识的环境中，监护人供应商有助于联合性能。这表明，与文献中的普遍观点相反，监护人供应商不应被理解为将客户从治理工作中解脱出来的调解人（或单一联系点）。相反，监护人供应商更富有成效地被理解为架构师，他们通过弥补知识差距来补充客户的治理工作。简而言之，客户公司应该考虑使用监护供应商来弥补薄弱的架构知识，同时仍然保持对所有供应商的正式和非正式治理。