Software stories: three cultural perspectives on the organizational practices of software development

Abstract

Postindustrial organizations have come to depend upon the steady production and modification of software products to meet their competitive needs. This study reports insights into software development practices that were revealed through a cultural interpretation of organizational stories told by members of SWC, a company engaged in software development. Through interviews with 38 members of SWC, 83 stories were extracted and analyzed to identify their main themes. By grouping these content themes, we produced nine broader cultural themes that represented the organization's cultural context. Two management practices applied in SWC—development team organization and outsourcing—were subjected to an analysis in which cultural themes were interpreted from each of three perspectives proposed by Martin, J. [(1992) Cultures in Organisations; Three Perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press]: integration, differentiation, and fragmentation.

The interpretation provides a rich reading of SWC's cultural context. Despite management attempts to develop a unified culture based on collaboration and communication among development groups, the team approach to software development was problematic. Imposing teamwork upon groups that manifested distinct subcultural differences disturbed the work life of group members, and the change was only partially successful. SWC's management also sought survival and tighter strategic focus through an outsourcing arrangement. However, our interpretation identified significant difficulties created by the partnership between two organizations with very different cultures. The presence of the outsourcing partner also brought greater uncertainty and ambiguity because work priorities and practices were subject to constant renegotiation. Members from both organizations dealt with contradictions between their previous norms, values and work practices and those required by the new relationship.

Overall, our analysis demonstrates the importance of understanding the cultural foundation of management practices used in software development. These practices evoke interpretations from members of a culture, who collectively redefine what might have been intended. A cultural analysis may prepare management to move more gradually or to introduce special approaches to managing change.