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Acceptance of software process innovations – the case of extreme programming

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European Journal of Information Systems

Abstract

Extreme programming (XP), arguably the most popular agile development methodology, is increasingly finding favor among software developers. Its adoption and acceptance require significant changes in work habits inculcated by traditional approaches that emphasize planning, prediction, and control. Given the growing interest in XP, it is surprising that there is a paucity of research articles that examine the factors that facilitate or hinder its adoption and eventual acceptance. This study aims to fill this void. Using a case study approach, we provide insights into individual, team, technological, task, and environmental factors that expedite or impede the organization-wide acceptance of XP. In particular, we study widely differing patterns of adherence to XP practices within an organization, and tease out the various issues and challenges posed by the adoption of XP. Based on our findings, we evolve factors and discuss their implications on the acceptance of XP practices.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the editorial board of the special issue and the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive feedback and helpful suggestions during the review of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information Systems and Decision Sciences, College of Business and Technology, Western Illinois University, U.S.A.

    George Mangalaraj

  2. Department of Information Systems and Operations Management, College of Business Administration, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington

    RadhaKanta Mahapatra & Sridhar Nerur

Authors
  1. George Mangalaraj
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  2. RadhaKanta Mahapatra
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  3. Sridhar Nerur
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Correspondence to George Mangalaraj.

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Mangalaraj, G., Mahapatra, R. & Nerur, S. Acceptance of software process innovations – the case of extreme programming. Eur J Inf Syst 18, 344–354 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1057/ejis.2009.23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/ejis.2009.23

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