Backsourcing is the process where a client firm brings previously outsourced services from a supplier back in-house. Traditionally, the existing literature on backsourcing has focused on how firms reach the decision to bring back previously outsourced services. In this paper, we move beyond focusing on IT backsourcing decision to explore the process of backsourcing from a knowledge perspective. The predominant view in the relevant literature argues that the re-acquisition of knowledge by a client firm during backsourcing takes place similarly to knowledge acquisition by a supplier in a typical outsourcing process. In this paper, we argue that knowledge re-integration in backsourcing occurs differently from outsourcing projects mainly because of the existence of knowledge asymmetries between the client and the supplier. By examining seven backsourcing events, we reveal that knowledge transfer and re-integration in backsourcing emerges as a coordinative activity, complementing knowledge transfer mechanisms reported in the IS outsourcing literature.

中文翻译：

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了解后备资源中的知识重新整合

Backsourcing 是客户公司将以前从供应商处外包的服务带回内部的过程。传统上，现有关于后包的文献主要关注公司如何做出恢复以前外包服务的决定。在本文中，我们不再专注于 IT 回包决策，而是从知识角度探索回包过程。相关文献中的主流观点认为，客户公司在后包过程中重新获取知识的情况类似于供应商在典型外包过程中的知识获取。在本文中，我们认为后包中的知识再整合与外包项目不同，主要是因为客户和供应商之间存在知识不对称。