Interaction of Interorganizational and Intraorganizational Controls in Shaping Professionals’ Behaviors in Outsourced Architectural and Engineering Design Consulting Projects

While inter- and intraorganizational controls are ubiquitous in outsourced architectural and engineering (A/E) design consulting projects, their role and interaction in shaping professionals' behaviors remain unknown. To fill the knowledge gaps, this study examines the effects of organizational control on professionals' behaviors and further explores the interaction of inter- and intraorganizational controls in shaping professionals' behaviors in outsourced A/E design consulting projects. A questionnaire survey was employed to collect data. The results show that intraorganizational output control fosters desirable professionals' behaviors, whereas intraorganizational process control inhibits professionals' in-role behavior. When the level of intraorganizational control is high, the use of interorganizational control is not recommended. This study advances the understanding of professional service exchanges and extends the knowledge about the governance of A/E design consulting projects by revealing the role and interaction of inter- and intraorganizational controls in shaping professionals' behaviors. It also offers managerial implications in properly arranging organizational control to shape professionals' behaviors in A/E design consulting projects.