IT offshoring has become a prominent subject in IT/IS research, attracting much research attention on its various aspects. The presence of culture in the field of IT offshoring has been increasingly investigated since the millennium, but an overall view is lacking. This article presents a literature review for a comprehensive understanding of culture throughout the lifecycle of IT offshoring. The analysis of 24 articles from pertinent academic outlets shows research trends and gaps in the relevant academic field, and proposes a practical framework for future research. For IT offshoring researchers, the paper provides a summary of prior research on the aspect of culture. The results are also valuable for practitioners to investigate their own IT offshoring relations. Most importantly, the review identifies needs for future research on this topic. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.