Control of Flexible Software Development Under Uncertainty

Michael L. Harris (), Rosann Webb Collins () and Alan R. Hevner ()
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Michael L. Harris: School of Business, Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, Indiana 47150
Rosann Webb Collins: Information Systems and Decisions Sciences, College of Business, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620
Alan R. Hevner: Information Systems and Decisions Sciences, College of Business, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620

Information Systems Research, 2009, vol. 20, issue 3, 400-419

Abstract: When 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.

Keywords: control theory; uncertainty; flexible development; agile development; emergent outcome control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:orisre:v:20:y:2009:i:3:p:400-419

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