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Software Development Practices, Software Complexity, and Software Maintenance Performance: A Field Study

Author

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  • Rajiv D. Banker

    (School of Management, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75083)

  • Gordon B. Davis

    (Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455)

  • Sandra A. Slaughter

    (Graduate School of Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213)

Abstract

Software maintenance claims a large proportion of organizational resources. It is thought that many maintenance problems derive from inadequate software design and development practices. Poor design choices can result in complex software that is costly to support and difficult to change. However, it is difficult to assess the actual maintenance performance effects of software development practices because their impact is realized over the software life cycle. To estimate the impact of development activities in a more practical time frame, this research develops a two-stage model in which software complexity is a key intermediate variable that links design and development decisions to their downstream effects on software maintenance. The research analyzes data collected from a national mass merchandising retailer on 29 software enhancement projects and 23 software applications in a large IBM COBOL environment. Results indicate that the use of a code generator in development is associated with increased software complexity and software enhancement project effort. The use of packaged software is associated with decreased software complexity and software enhancement effort. These results suggest an important link between software development practices and maintenance performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Rajiv D. Banker & Gordon B. Davis & Sandra A. Slaughter, 1998. "Software Development Practices, Software Complexity, and Software Maintenance Performance: A Field Study," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(4), pages 433-450, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:44:y:1998:i:4:p:433-450
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.44.4.433
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Rajiv D. Banker & Sandra A. Slaughter, 2000. "The Moderating Effects of Structure on Volatility and Complexity in Software Enhancement," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 11(3), pages 219-240, September.
    8. Yili Hong & Paul A. Pavlou, 2017. "On Buyer Selection of Service Providers in Online Outsourcing Platforms for IT Services," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 28(3), pages 547-562, September.
    9. Gregory Vial, 2023. "A Complex Adaptive Systems Perspective of Software Reuse in the Digital Age: An Agenda for IS Research," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(4), pages 1728-1743, December.
    10. Feng, Qi & Mookerjee, Vijay S. & Sethi, Suresh. P., 2006. "Optimal policies for the sizing and timing of software maintenance projects," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 173(3), pages 1047-1066, September.
    11. Rajiv Banker & Yi Liang & Narayan Ramasubbu, 2021. "Technical Debt and Firm Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(5), pages 3174-3194, May.
    12. Sriram Narayanan & Sridhar Balasubramanian & Jayashankar M. Swaminathan, 2009. "A Matter of Balance: Specialization, Task Variety, and Individual Learning in a Software Maintenance Environment," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 55(11), pages 1861-1876, November.
    13. Sundarraj, R. P., 2002. "An optimization approach to plan for reusable software components," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(1), pages 128-137, October.
    14. Wai Fong Boh & Sandra A. Slaughter & J. Alberto Espinosa, 2007. "Learning from Experience in Software Development: A Multilevel Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(8), pages 1315-1331, August.
    15. Jaime B. Windeler & Likoebe Maruping & Viswanath Venkatesh, 2017. "Technical Systems Development Risk Factors: The Role of Empowering Leadership in Lowering Developers’ Stress," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 28(4), pages 775-796, December.
    16. J. Alberto Espinosa & Sandra A. Slaughter & Robert E. Kraut & James D. Herbsleb, 2007. "Familiarity, Complexity, and Team Performance in Geographically Distributed Software Development," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(4), pages 613-630, August.
    17. Christopher Durney & Richard Donnelly, 2015. "Managing the Effects of Rapid Technological Change on Complex Information Technology Projects," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 6(4), pages 641-664, December.
    18. Rajiv D. Banker & Robert J. Kauffman, 2004. "50th Anniversary Article: The Evolution of Research on Information Systems: A Fiftieth-Year Survey of the Literature in Management Science," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(3), pages 281-298, March.
    19. Narayan Ramasubbu & Chris F. Kemerer, 2016. "Technical Debt and the Reliability of Enterprise Software Systems: A Competing Risks Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(5), pages 1487-1510, May.
    20. I. Robert Chiang & Vijay S. Mookerjee, 2004. "A Fault Threshold Policy to Manage Software Development Projects," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 15(1), pages 3-21, March.
    21. Likoebe M. Maruping & Viswanath Venkatesh & Ritu Agarwal, 2009. "A Control Theory Perspective on Agile Methodology Use and Changing User Requirements," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 20(3), pages 377-399, September.
    22. Joseph Sarkis & R.P. Sundarraj, 2003. "Evaluating Componentized Enterprise Information Technologies: A Multiattribute Modeling Approach," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 303-319, September.
    23. Iván Alfaro & Ranganathan Chandrasekaran, 2015. "Software Quality and Development Speed in Global Software Development Teams," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 57(2), pages 91-102, April.
    24. Ramanath Subramanyam & Narayan Ramasubbu & M. S. Krishnan, 2012. "In Search of Efficient Flexibility: Effects of Software Component Granularity on Development Effort, Defects, and Customization Effort," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 23(3-part-1), pages 787-803, September.
    25. Su, Taoyong & Hou, Wanrong & Levitas, Edward & Wu, Sibin, 2021. "Product Complexity and Strategic Alliance on Drug Approval," American Business Review, Pompea College of Business, University of New Haven, vol. 24(1), pages 36-53, May.

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