Innovation through outsourcing can be hindered as a result of opportunistic behaviour. As a remedy, the extant literature encourages firms to enhance familiarity between the parties and/or consider using advisory services. In this paper, we seek to examine the effect of knowledge familiarity (client–supplier and supplier–client) and relational familiarity on innovation outcomes. Further, we also examine whether the presence of advisors improves innovation outcomes. Our results suggest that a higher degree of relational familiarity and client–supplier knowledge familiarity are associated with better innovation outcomes. We also reveal that client–supplier knowledge familiarity mediates the effect of supplier–client knowledge familiarity on innovation outcomes. We did not find support for the direct effect of advisors on innovation outcomes. Instead, the presence of advisors moderates the effect of supplier–client and relational familiarity on innovation outcomes. We consider the implications for the IS outsourcing literature and practice.

中文翻译：

---

探索熟悉度和咨询服务对外包环境中创新成果的影响

机会主义行为可能会阻碍通过外包进行的创新。作为补救措施，现有文献鼓励公司提高双方之间的熟悉度和/或考虑使用咨询服务。在本文中，我们试图检验知识熟悉度（客户-供应商和供应商-客户）和关系熟悉度对创新成果的影响。此外，我们还研究了顾问的存在是否会提高创新成果。我们的结果表明，更高程度的关系熟悉度和客户-供应商知识熟悉度与更好的创新成果相关。我们还揭示了客户-供应商知识熟悉度介导了供应商-客户知识熟悉度对创新结果的影响。我们没有发现支持顾问对创新成果的直接影响。反而，顾问的存在缓和了供应商-客户和关系熟悉度对创新结果的影响。我们考虑对信息系统外包文献和实践的影响。