The industrialisation of software production - a knowledge management perspective
Date
2009-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
This research utilises theories of organisational knowledge creation from the field of
knowledge management to analyse the manner in which the industrialisation of the
software development industry is likely to occur. The aim of the research is to prove the
following hypothesis:
If the software development industry moves towards industrialisation, then
knowledge assets in the format of universal production templates will come into
being.
The research commences by providing background information on the state of practise
of software engineering by giving an overview of the changes in the industry over the
past four decades.
The software development industry is consequently presented from the viewpoint of the
proponents of a craftsmanship based approach to software development, and from the
viewpoint of those proposing that industrialisation will offer a solution to the problems
besetting the industry. In this discussion the terms industrialisation as well as economies
of scale and scope are defined. Potential paths and drivers that will allow the
industrialisation of the industry are presented – software factories as a path towards
industrialisation, and cloud computing as a driver for industrialisation.
In order to supply a knowledge management perspective, the theories of Ikujiro Nonaka
and Max Boisot are presented. These theories assume different perspectives on the
creation of organisational knowledge, but an attempt is made to reconcile the
differences between the two theories. Particular attention is paid to the economic
meaning and implications of knowledge, information and data as factors of production.
The concept of knowledge assets are examined in detail, and placed into the context of
software development.
In the last chapter the research and conclusions of the previous chapters are
consolidated, to prove the central hypothesis of this work.
Description
Thesis (MPhil (Informations Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
Keywords
Dissertations -- Information science, Theses -- Information science