Abstract
Software innovation, the ability to produce novel and useful software systems, is an important capability for software development organizations and information system developers alike. However, the software development literature has traditionally focused on automation and efficiency while the innovation literature has given relatively little consideration to the software development context. As a result, there is a gap in our understanding of how software product and process innovation can be managed. Specifically, little attention has been directed toward synthesizing prior learning or providing an integrative perspective on the key concepts and focus of software innovation research. We therefore identify 93 journal articles and conference papers within the domain of software innovation and analyse repeating patterns in this literature using content analysis and causal mapping. We identify drivers and outputs for software innovation and develop an integrated theory-oriented concept map. We then discuss the implications of this map for future research.
Highlights
Innovation has become a mantra for organizations in almost every industry and for individuals working in almost every organizational function
As a result, understanding the unique nature of software innovation and the factors that drive it is of considerable importance to both research and practice
Software producing organizations and ecosystems are commonplace and a majority of technology start-ups incorporate some form of software into their product offerings
Summary
Innovation has become a mantra for organizations in almost every industry and for individuals working in almost every organizational function. Within the software development industry, the pace of technological change fosters a particular sense of urgency surrounding the need to innovate. This drives innovation toward the heart of the business strategies of software development organizations [1]. Software is intangible and highly malleable, has a low market entry threshold, and often depends on the input of users and experts. They point out that software development organizations are extremely diverse in nature, having very different innovation needs and styles. As a result, understanding the unique nature of software innovation and the factors that drive it is of considerable importance to both research and practice
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