Software Small And Medium Enterprises Research Articles

FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF SECURE SOFTWARE PRACTICES IN SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES THAT BUILD SOFTWARE IN-HOUSE

Software has grown enormously in value because of its wide use for domestic, public, and economic activities. Software must be secure because exploited software vulnerabilities can negatively affect individuals’ and organizations' financial, health, and economic well-being. Various authors recommended practicing a secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC) to ensure that software is released secured. Software small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the dominant software publishers, have not widely adopted the SSDLC. This study approached the problem of software SMEs’ inadequate adoption of SSDLC from an innovation adoption perspective based on the diffusion of innovation theoretical framework (DOI). Five DOI factors, relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability, were assessed for significance to software SMEs’ intention to adopt SSDLC. A random sample of 200 participants from a population of software security decision-makers of software SMEs based in the United States that develop software in-house were surveyed via an online close-ended questionnaire. Relative advantage, compatibility, and trialability were statistically significant to SME SSDLC adoption intention. Complexity and observability were not statistically significant to SME SSDLC adoption intention. Trialability was the strongest predictor of SME SSDLC adoption intention. SME software security decision-makers may find that the results of this study help to determine the factors they should consider when deciding to introduce the SSDLC into their software development process. The result of the study has implications for practice and social change because increased SME SSDLC adoption potentially results in the development of more secure software and fewer software security incidents.

Software Process Improvement Implementation Issues in Small and Medium Enterprises That Develop Healthcare Applications

Software Process Improvement (SPI) intends to recuperate software processes to realize high quality software. But numerous SPI initiatives predominantly in the case of software Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are failed to achieve desired results as certain issues occur during this progression. Objective of this research work is to facilitate the efficacious SPI implementation in the case of software SMEs that develop healthcare applications. The study identifies and ranks common SPI implementation issues in the case of related SMEs. For this purpose, two questionnaire surveys have been performed by involving relevant software industry practitioners. In the first survey, by providing a literature-based list of SPI issues, we have solicited respondents to choose common issues or resistant factors for SPI in the case of SMEs that deal with healthcare application development. We have also requested the practitioners to mention the issues that they have been generally spotting during the SPI in case of pertinent SMEs but have not been mentioned in the given list. During the second survey, by employing two rounds of the Delphi method, practitioners have ranked the commonly transpiring SPI issues regarding SMEs that deal with the development of healthcare applications. The ranking is based on the issues' impact having four categories: catastrophic, serious, tolerable and insignificant. To incorporate various SMEs standards that are followed worldwide, the concept of 'common/shared range standard' is presented. The study identifies 26 SPI issues in the case of SMEs that develop healthcare applications whereas top 10 issues instigate from finance and management. To enable swift and fruitful SPI in the case of pertinent SMEs, this study suggests that the 26 identified issues must be tackled proactively whereas financial and managerial issues must be given top priority.

Software Process Improvement Implementation Issues in Small and Medium Enterprises That Develop Healthcare Applications

Software Process Improvement (SPI) intends to recuperate software processes to realize high quality software. But numerous SPI initiatives predominantly in the case of software Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are failed to achieve desired results as certain issues occur during this progression. Objective of this research work is to facilitate the efficacious SPI implementation in the case of software SMEs that develop healthcare applications. The study identifies and ranks common SPI implementation issues in the case of related SMEs. For this purpose, two questionnaire surveys have been performed by involving relevant software industry practitioners. In the first survey, by providing a literature-based list of SPI issues, we have solicited respondents to choose common issues or resistant factors for SPI in the case of SMEs that deal with healthcare application development. We have also requested the practitioners to mention the issues that they have been generally spotting during the SPI in case of pertinent SMEs but have not been mentioned in the given list. During the second survey, by employing two rounds of the Delphi method, practitioners have ranked the commonly transpiring SPI issues regarding SMEs that deal with the development of healthcare applications. The ranking is based on the issues' impact having four categories: catastrophic, serious, tolerable and insignificant. To incorporate various SMEs standards that are followed worldwide, the concept of 'common/shared range standard' is presented. The study identifies 26 SPI issues in the case of SMEs that develop healthcare applications whereas top 10 issues instigate from finance and management. To enable swift and fruitful SPI in the case of pertinent SMEs, this study suggests that the 26 identified issues must be tackled proactively whereas financial and managerial issues must be given top priority.

Measuring the maturity of Indian small and medium enterprises for unofficial readiness for capability maturity model integration‐based software process improvement

AbstractEstablishing the maturity levels of ‐ Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) without Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) certification has always been regarded as an extremely challenging task. Software process improvement (SPI) has targeted to monitor and improve software processes, thereby improving the software business. Although there is scientific interest in SPI, little attention has been specifically given to the exploration of maturity levels for non‐CMMI SMEs. The goal is to explore the effect of time on process maturity and maturity levels achieved informally or unofficially by SMEs that are not otherwise CMMI certified. To find out the maturity levels achieved informally, a CMMI‐DEV v1.3 based survey questionnaire is administered to Indian software SMEs. Time of establishment of SMEs and follow‐up of CMMI‐based processes and practices unofficially are used as two important parameters to decide upon process maturity and achievement of specific CMMI level informally. This paper has been successful in ascertaining the effect of time of establishment of SMEs and follow‐up of CMMI‐based processes on process maturity using proposed RuleML that advocates adoption of more than 70% of CMMI‐DEV v1.3 process area‐specific practices for an SME to be unofficially ready for CMMI‐based SPI initiatives. The findings manifest multidimensional aspects of unofficial readiness of SMEs for CMMI‐based SPI that can be used by relevant authorities to select SMEs for funding for SPI initiatives. Finally, the proposed work has been validated statistically using t‐test for CMMI Level II and Level III.

Ruling out key enablers for software process reengineering in Indian small and medium enterprises

It has been of utmost significance for the software industry to find a way for the successful implementation of software process improvement (SPI). It assumes greater importance when we talk about small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Majority of the researchers have explored limited resources in terms of cost, time and expertise for the low adoption rate of software process reengineering (SPR) in Indian SMEs. Last decade evidenced evolvement of software SMEs; and the rate of adoption of SPI initiatives realised some appreciation. In order to explore the reasons attributing towards the success or failure of SPI, researchers need to focus on the underlying multi-dimensional issues. Sufficient literature is available regarding SPI initiatives of triumphant organisations, but not much has been said about Indian SMEs. This paper aims to point out the facilitating factors in SPI that can really boost the quality of software processes to provide a competitive edge to the Indian SMEs.

Enhancing DotProject to Support Risk Management Aligned with PMBOK in the Context of SMEs

Many problems in software development projects are due to risks and could be avoided or minimized if identified and treated pro-actively. In this context, software tools to support risk management could be very helpful. However, it is difficult to find a project management tool, accessible to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that provides adequate support to risk management in conformance with best practices such as the PMBOK. Therefore, this paper has the objective to review support provided by popular project management tools with respect to risk management and to present enhancements made to the open-source tool – dotProject – in order to systematically support risk management aligned with the PMBOK. An initial evaluation identified benefits in the implementation of risk management processes in software SMEs, and, thus, contributing to their projects' success.

Internationalisation of small and medium software firms from India

The growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has been a distinct feature of globalisation. This paper empirically studies the impact of internationalisation on performance of SMEs. This paper also explores the effects of geographic scope and international experience on SME performance. Based on secondary data for 29 software SMEs from India for the period 2002 to 2008, this paper finds a positive effect of internationalisation on firm performance. Drawing from multiple theoretical viewpoints, this paper discovers that while geographic scope is significantly related with SME performance, international experience has a weak association with SME performance. This paper contributes to the study of internationalisation-performance relationship of Indian software SMEs by empirically validating the positive relationship between internationalisation and performance among SMEs. The results imply internationalisation in diverse geographies and establishment of systems which facilitate knowledge transfer among ...

Resource-Based View, Knowledge-Based View and the Performance of Software Development Companies

Software development companies face a globalized, highly competitive and turbulent environment, where efficiency, efficacy and innovation capacity are critical for survival. In this context, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) tend to suffer the most due to the scarcity of resources to which they are usually subjected and their dependence on a few more powerful customers. This paper describes the elaboration and test of a model that draws on the resource-based view and knowledge-based view to explain the differences in performance of software SMEs. The analysis of data collected from 265 Brazilian companies suggests that: absorptive capacity contributes significantly to the development of a company’s stock of technological knowledge; the flexibility of the IT infrastructure, managerial capacity, and IT technological knowledge are strong predictors of software development performance; and organizational performance is positively influenced by software development performance and managerial capacity. The implications of these findings are then discussed.

Aprendizagem por cooperação em rede: práticas de conhecimento em arranjos produtivos locais de software

O presente artigo objetiva contribuir para o estudo das redes de conhecimento em aglomerações produtivas por meio da análise de processos de aprendizado de pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs) de software . O estudo consiste em uma pesquisa exploratória e qualitativa de multicasos, tendo sido realizado em três arranjos produtivos locais (APLs) brasileiros (Campinas-SP, Belo Horizonte-MG e Blumenau-SC), envolvendo 14 empresas e 10 entidades e instituições de apoio. Tal análise buscou ressaltar, dentre outros aspectos: a) estrutura dos arranjos produtivos; b) principais fontes de aprendizagem; e c) ambiente de confiança necessário para tal aprendizagem. Para a coleta dos dados utilizou-se entrevista semiestruturada voltada aos principais agentes de governança do setor e às PMEs. Os resultados apontam para a eficácia da organização interinstitucional em rede de cooperação na gestão dos processos de aprendizagem formal e informal em setores intensivos de conhecimento.

Clustering and Innovation Capabilities in the Mexican Software Industry

:The purpose of this work is to describe the development of a software cluster in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, Mexico. A Logit Model is used to calculate the probability for a company to innovate based on collaboration, learning, and public policy support programs. The results illustrate that collaboration with multinational companies, suppliers, inter-organizational cooperation for worker training, and formal participation in business associations promotes innovation. The companies' promotion of learning and training processes to improve business capabilities also plays a central role; however, public policy programs have a major impact on innovation in software small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Active internationalisation of Brazilian SMEs from the software sector

This paper analyses the theories and models that can give solutions to the process of internationalisation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of the Brazilian software sector. Within the presented contemporary models, four research dimensions and the relevant variables were selected to explain a successful process of active internationalisation. From a multiple case study, this research aims at demonstrating that the constructs of innovation, entrepreneurship, networks and foreign market knowledge constitute the pillars of the internationalisation of Brazilian software SMEs. This study suggests that there is room for future quantitative studies to test the validity of the proposed model of internationalisation.