Knowledge Problems in Corrective Software Maintenance--A Case Study

Corrective software maintenance derives its importance not only from the huge costs it induces but also its importance to customer relations and ultimately, the software company´s revenues. In this paper, we address the knowledge problems in the corrective software maintenance process by applying the lens of Transactive Memory System (TMS). TMS is a theory of knowledge coordination in groups. We carry out a case study of the troubled corrective software maintenance process of a multinational ICT company. We discuss our empirical case from three key TMS manifestations: specialization, credibility and coordination. Our results show that TMS could offer a fruitful avenue for understanding and managing knowledge problems that lead to poor performance in such a process. Designers of a global software maintenance process should not only pay attention to the process structure and supporting IS but also to facilitating a well-functioning TMS.