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International Conference on Product-Focused Software Process Improvement

PROFES 2018: Product-Focused Software Process Improvement pp 141–149Cite as

An Exploratory Study on Software Products and Development Organizations in New Zealand

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNPSE,volume 11271))

Abstract

The types and characteristics of software products as well as the characteristics of development organizations that build those products contribute to the context in which software development professionals operate. To better understand this context in the software development sector, we explored the context of software development professionals in New Zealand, an example of a small but growing and vibrant software industry. In this paper, we present preliminary findings of a questionnaire-based survey with professionals. In contrast to other studies on software development in industry (which tend to focus on processes and practices), we explore non-technical product-related and organizational characteristics. We found that software development professionals in New Zealand mostly work on long-living (but frequently released) products for specific customers (rather than products developed for a broader market). Also, software development professionals mostly work in organizations that have existed for quite a while and that aim at a global customer base. Very small and very large organizations are uncommon. Based on these characteristics, we can compare different software industries. Also, this concrete characterization of context allows researchers and practitioners implement more focused process improvement initiatives.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    https://investinestonia.com/business-opportunities/software-development/ [last access: August 4, 2018].

  2. 2.

    Responents could indicate more than one option, i.e., the total exceeds 100%.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lentune Software Solutions, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Di Wang

  2. University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Matthias Galster

Authors
  1. Di Wang
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  2. Matthias Galster
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthias Galster .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Technische Universität Clausthal, Goslar, Germany

    Marco Kuhrmann

  2. Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany

    Kurt Schneider

  3. University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia

    Dietmar Pfahl

  4. Okayama Prefectural University, Okayama, Japan

    Sousuke Amasaki

  5. QAware GmbH, Munich, Germany

    Marcus Ciolkowski

  6. Chalmers | University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Regina Hebig

  7. IT University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Paolo Tell

  8. Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany

    Jil Klünder

  9. Clausthal University of Technology, Goslar, Germany

    Steffen Küpper

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Wang, D., Galster, M. (2018). An Exploratory Study on Software Products and Development Organizations in New Zealand. In: Kuhrmann, M., et al. Product-Focused Software Process Improvement. PROFES 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 11271. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03673-7_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03673-7_10

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-03672-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-03673-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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