Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Understanding the Perception of Very Small Software Companies towards the Adoption of Process Standards

  • Conference paper
Systems, Software and Services Process Improvement (EuroSPI 2010)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 99))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

This paper is concerned with understanding the issues that affect the adoption of software process standards by Very Small Entities (VSEs), their needs from process standards and their willingness to engage with the new ISO/IEC 29110 standard in particular. In order to achieve this goal, a series of industry data collection studies were undertaken with a collection of VSEs. A twin track approach of a qualitative data collection (interviews and focus groups) and quantitative data collection (questionnaire) were undertaken. Data analysis was being completed separately and the final results were merged, using the coding mechanisms of grounded theory. This paper serves as a roadmap for both researchers wishing to understand the issues of process standards adoption by very small companies and also for the software process standards community.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Laporte, C.Y., Alexandre, S., O’Connor, R.: A Software Engineering Lifecycle Standard for Very Small Enterprises. In: O’Connor, R.V., et al. (eds.) Proceedings of EuroSPI. CCIS, vol. 16, pp. 129–141. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ginsberg, M., Quinn, L.: Process Tailoring and the Software Capability Maturity Model. Software Engineering Institute, CMU/SEI-94-TR-024 (November 1995)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hadden, R.: Key Practices to the CMM: Inappropriate for Small Projects, Panel. In: Proceedings of the Software Engineering Process Group Conference, Chicago (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Johnson, D., Brodman, J.: Applying the CMM to Small Organizations and Small Projects. In: Proceedings of Software Engineering Process Group Conference, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  5. Coleman, G., O’Connor, R.V.: Investigating Software Process in Practice: A Grounded Theory Perspective. Journal of System and Software 81(5) (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Laporte, C.Y., April, A., Renault, A.: Applying ISO/IEC Software Engineering Standards in Small Settings: Historical Perspectives and Initial Achievements. In: Proceedings of SPICE Conference, Luxembourg (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Anacleto, A., von Wangenheim, C.G., Salviano, C.F., Savi, R.: Experiences gained from applying ISO/IEC 15504 to small software companies in Brazil. In: 4th International SPICE Conference on Process Assessment and Improvement, Lisbon, Portugal (April 2004)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Mtigwe, B.: The entrepreneurial firm internationalization process in the Southern African context: A comparative approach. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research 11(5), 358–377 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Sapovadia, Vrajlal K.: Micro Finance: The Pillars of a Tool to Socio-Economic Development. Development Gateway. SSRN (2006), http://ssrn.com/abstract=955062

  10. Kaltio, T., Kinlula, A.: Deploying the Defined SW Process. Software Process: Improvement and Practice 5(1), 65–83 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Habra, N., Alexander, S., Desharnais, J.-M., Laporte, C.Y., Renault, A.: Initiating software process improvement in very small enterprises. Experience with a light assessment tool. Journal Information & Software Technology 50(7-8) (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Zahran, S.: Software Process Improvement: Practical Guidelines for Business Success. Addison Wesley, Boston (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  13. CMMI Product Team, CMMI for Development Version 1.2, Carnegie Mellon. Software Engineering Institute, Pittsburgh (2006), http://cc.ee.ntu.edu.tw/~farn/courses/SE/CMMI_DEV_V12.pdf

  14. Rout, T.: ISO/IEC15504- Evolution to an International Standard. Software Process Improvement and Practice 8(1), 27–40 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Hauck, J.C.R., von Wangenheim, C.G., de Souza, R.H., Thiry, M.: Process Reference Guides- Support for Improving Software Process in Alignment with reference Model and Standard. In: O’Connor, R.V., et al. (eds.) EuroSPI 2008. CCIS, vol. 16, pp. 70–81. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Von Wangenheim, C.G., Anacleto, A., Salviano, C.F.: Helping small companies assess software processes. IEEE Software 23(1), 91–98 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Patton, M.Q.: Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods, 3rd edn. Sage Publications, Inc., Newbury Park (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Pino, F.J., García, F., Piattini, M.: Software process improvement in small and medium software enterprises: a systematic review. Software Quality Journal 16(2), 237–261 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. ICT Ireland, Ireland as Location (2009), http://www.ictireland.ie/Sectors/ICT/ICTDoclib4.nsf/vLookupHTML/Key_Industry_Statistics?OpenDocument

  20. Taylor, S.J., Bodgan, R.: Introduction to Qualitative research Method. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kvale, S.: Doing Interviews. The Sage Qualitative Research Kit, Sage (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Li, J.Y.: Process Improvement and Risk Management in Off-the Shelf Component-Based Development, PhD Thesis, Norwegian University science and Technology (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Kitzinger, J.: Introducing focus groups. British Medical Journal 311, 299–302 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Patton, M.Q.: Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods, 3rd edn. Sage Publications, Inc., Newbury Park (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Kitzinger, J.: Introducing focus groups. British Medical Journal 311, 299–302 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Strauss, A., Corbin, J.: Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory, 2nd edn. Sage, Thousand Oaks (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Elo, S., Kyngäs, H.: The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing 62(1), 107–115 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. European Commission, The New SME Definition: User Guide and Model Declaration (2005), http://europa.eu.int/comm./enterprise/enterprisepolicy/sme_definition/sme_user_guide.pdf (accessed February 26, 2007)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lero, the Irish Software Engineering Research Centre, Ireland

    Shuib Basri & Rory V. O’Connor

  2. Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Bandar Sri Iskandar, 31750, Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia

    Shuib Basri

  3. School of Computing, Dublin City University, Ireland

    Rory V. O’Connor

Authors
  1. Shuib Basri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rory V. O’Connor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Grenoble Institute of Technology, Grenoble, France

    Andreas Riel  & Serge Tichkiewitch  & 

  2. Lero, The Irish Software Engineering Research Centre and School of Computing, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

    Rory O’Connor

  3. ISCN, Graz, Austria and ISCN, Bray, Co., Wicklow, Ireland

    Richard Messnarz

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Basri, S., O’Connor, R.V. (2010). Understanding the Perception of Very Small Software Companies towards the Adoption of Process Standards. In: Riel, A., O’Connor, R., Tichkiewitch, S., Messnarz, R. (eds) Systems, Software and Services Process Improvement. EuroSPI 2010. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 99. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-15666-3_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-15666-3_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-15665-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-15666-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation