Control of Flexible Software Development Under Uncertainty

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Harris, Michael L.; Collins, Rosann Webb; Hevner, Alan R.
• 署名单位: Indiana University System; Indiana University Southeast; State University System of Florida; University of South Florida
• 刊物名称: INFORMATION SYSTEMS RESEARCH
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1047-7047
• DOI: 10.1287/isre.1090.0240
• 发表日期: 2009
• 页码: 400-419
• 关键词: HIGH-VELOCITY ENVIRONMENTS; PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT; ORGANIZATIONAL CONTROL; DYNAMIC CAPABILITIES; turbulent environments; information-systems; management; IMPROVISATION; portfolios; INNOVATION

摘要

W hen should software development teams have the flexibility to modify their directions and how do we balance that flexibility with controls essential to produce acceptable outcomes? We use dynamic capabilities theory and an extension of control theory to understand these questions. This work is examined in a case study. Our results demonstrate that flexibility may be needed when the starting conditions are uncertain and that effective control in these situations requires use of traditional controls plus a new type of control we term emergent outcome control.