The failure of SDT diffusion: a case for mass customization

The implementation of software-development technologies (SD´s) is a process of mutual adaptation of the technology and the environment. Organizations that purchase an SDT from a vendor will almost inevitably need to adapt both the new technology and their environment-processes that can be costly. This study examines data related to the deployment of two SDTs that have been identified as problematic in diffusion and deployment-system development methodologies and computer-aided software engineering tools. The amount and nature of adaptation that must occur after adoption was found to affect the deployment of the SDTs studied. Based on these findings, a research framework is proposed, addressing the role of the SDT vendor in managing the environment for adaptation. The framework relates vendors´ production strategies to the amount of adaptation required, offering suggestions for moving technology adaptation into the production process. Within this framework, a research agenda for investigating the applicability of mass customization to SDTs is proposed