Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Global Software Development Coordination Strategies - A Vendor Perspective

  • Conference paper
New Studies in Global IT and Business Service Outsourcing (Global Sourcing 2011)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing ((LNBIP,volume 91))

Abstract

Global software development (GSD) is often impeded by global distance which may be geographical, cultural, temporal or linguistic. This results in the requirement for specific strategies to coordinate a range of activities between client and vendor teams in the GSD environment which are different from a collocated setting. GSD literature recommends many coordination strategies, but tends to take the client viewpoint. However, these should also be viewed from the vendor perspective. This paper addresses this gap by presenting coordination strategies which we identified from GSD literature and an empirical research study which we carried out with vendor companies in India. Comparing these coordination strategies with relevant strategies in the human resource management section of the PMBOK® Guide, we have defined a set of strategies which can be used by GSD Project Managers when coordinating a project.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Sengupta, B., Chandra, S., Sinha, V.: A research agenda for distributed software development. In: Proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 2006), Shanghai, China, May 20-28, pp. 731–740 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Herbsleb, J.D., Moitra, D.: Global Software Development. IEEE Software 18(2), 16–20 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Carmel, E., Agarwal, R.: Tactical Approaches for Alleviating Distance in Global Software Development. IEEE Software 18(2), 22–29.26 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Casey, V., Richardson. I.: Uncovering the Reality within Virtual Software Teams. In: International Conference on Global Software Engineering, ICGSE 2006 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Ralyte, J., Lamielle, X., Arni-Bloch, N., Leonard, M.: A framework for supporting management in distributed information systems development. In: Proceedings of Second International Conference on Research Challenges in Information Science, RCIS, June 3-6, pp. 381–392 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bass, M., Paulish, D.: Global Software Development Process Research at Siemens. In: The 3rd Int. Workshop on Global Software Development (co-located with ICSE 2004), http://www.icse-conferences.org/2004/ (2004)

  7. Deshpande, S., Richardson, I.: Management at the Outsourcing Destination –Global Software Development in India. In: International Conference on Global Software Engineering (ICGSE 2009), pp. 217–225. IEEE, Limerick (2009)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  8. Herbsleb, J.D.: Global Software Engineering: The Future of Socio-technical Coordination. In: Future of Software Engineering (FOSE 2007). IEEE, Minneapolis (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kitchenham, B.: Procedures for Performing Systematic Reviews, Keele University and National ICT Australia Ltd., Technical Report Keele University Technical Report TR/SE-0401 and NICTA Technical Report 0400011T.1 (June 2004)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Deshpande, S., Beecham, S., Richardson, I.: A Literature Review of Coordination Strategies in Global Software Development, LERO, The Irish Software Engineering Research Centre, Technical Report 2010-07 (January 2011)

    Google Scholar 

  11. PMBOK® Guide. 4th edn., Project Management Institute, New Town Square, Pennsylvania (2008) ISBN-10: 1933890517 & ISBN-13: 978-1933890517

    Google Scholar 

  12. Begel, A., Nagappan, N., Poile, C., Layman, L.: Coordination in large-scale software teams. In: Proceedings of 2009 ICSE Workshop on Cooperative and Human Aspects on Software Engineering (CHASE), pp. 1–7. IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC (2009)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  13. Espinosa, J.A., Carmel, E.: The Effect of Time Separation on Coordination Costs in Global Software Teams: A Dyad Model. In: Proceedings of the 37th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (Hicss 2004) - Track 1, January 5-8, vol. 1. IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Malone, T.W., Crowston, K.: What is coordination theory and how can it help design cooperative work systems? In: Proceedings of the Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work CSCW 1990. ACM Press, Los Angeles (1990); reprinted in Marca, D., Bock, G. (eds.): Groupware: Software for Computer-Supported Cooperative Work. IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos (1992); also reprinted in Baecker, R.M. (ed.): Readings in Groupware and Computer Supported Cooperative Work. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Mateo (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Malone, T.W., Crowston, K.: The interdisciplinary study of coordination. ACM Computing Surveys 26(1), 87–119 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Carmel, E., Tija, P.: Offshoring Information Technology: Sourcing and Outsourcing to a Global Workforce. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2005)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  17. Goles, T., Wynne, W.C.: Information systems outsourcing relationship factors: detailed conceptualization and initial evidence. SIGMIS Database 36(4), 47–67 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Herbsleb, J.D., Mockus, A., Finholt, T.A., Grinter, R.E.: An empirical study of global software development: Distance and speed. In: Proceedings of International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 2001), Toronto, Canada, May 15-18, pp. 81–90 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Narayanan, S., Mazumder, S., Raju, R.: Success of Offshore Relationships: Engineering team structures. In: Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Global Software Engineering, ICGSE, October 16 - 19, pp. 73–82. IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Jalote, P., Jain, G.: Assigning Tasks in a 24-Hour Software Development Model. In: Proceedings of the 11th Asia-Pacific Software Engineering Conference, APSEC, November 30 - December 3, pp. 309–315. IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Milewski, A.E., Tremaine, M., Egan, R., Zhang, S., Kobler, F., O’Sullivan, P.: Guidelines for Effective Bridging in Global Software Engineering. In: International Conference on Global Software Engineering (ICGSE 2008), Bangalore, India, pp. 23–32 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Deshpande, S., Richardson, I., Casey, V., Beecham, S.: Culture in Global Software development - a Weakness or Strength? In: IEEE International Conferences on Global Software Engineering (ICGSE 2010), Princeton, USA, August 23-26 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Bradner, E., Mark, G., Hertel, T.D.: Team size and technology fit: Participation, awareness, and rapport in distributed teams. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication 48(1), 68–77 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Espinosa, J.A., Slaughter, S.A., Herbsleb, J.D., Kraut, R.E.: Coordination Mechanisms in Globally Distributed Software Development. In: First International Conference on Management of Globally Distributed Work, Bangalore, India (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Keith, M., Demirkan, H., Goul, M.: Understanding Coordination in IT Project-Based Environments: An Examination of Team Cognition and Virtual Team Efficacy. In: 42nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS, pp. 1–8 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Battin, R.D., Crocker, R., Kreidler, J., Subramanian, K.: Leveraging Resources in Global Software Development. IEEE Software 18(2), 70–77 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Begel, A., Nagappan, N.: Global Software Development: Who Does It? In: International Conference on Global Software Engineering (ICGSE 2008), Bangalore, India, August 17-20, pp. 195–199 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Bass, M., Herbsleb, J.D., Lescher, C.: Collaboration in Global Software Projects at Siemens: An Experience Report. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Global Software Engineering ICGSE 2007, August 27-30, pp. 33–39. IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Hogan, B.: Lessons Learned from an eXtremely Distributed Project. In: Proceedings of the Conference on AGILE 2006, July 23-28, pp. 321–326. IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Pichler, H.: Be successful, take a hostage or “outsourcing the outsourcing Manager”. In: Proceedings of the international Conference on Global Software Engineering, ICGSE, pp. 156–161. IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  31. Cataldo, M., Herbsleb, J.D.: Communication patterns in geographically distributed software development and engineers’ contributions to the development effort. In: Proceedings of the 2008 International Workshop on Cooperative and Human Aspects of Software Engineering, CHASE 2008, Leipzig, Germany, May 13, pp. 25–28. ACM, New York (2008)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  32. Sangwan, R., Bass, M., Mullick, N., Paulish, D.J., Kazmeier, J.: Global Software Development Handbook. Auerbach Publishers (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Holmström Olsson, H., Ó Conchúir, E., Ågerfalk, P., Fitzgerald, B.: Two-Stage Offshoring: An Investigation of the Irish Bridge. MIS Quarterly 32(2), 1–23 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Boden, A., Avram, G.: Bridging knowledge distribution - The role of knowledge brokers in distributed software development teams. In: Proceedings of the 2009 ICSE Workshop on Cooperative and Human Aspects on Software Engineering (CHASE), May 17, pp. 8–11. IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC (2009)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  35. von Wangenheim, C.G., Hauck, J.C.R., Zoucas, A., Salviano, C.F., McCaffery, F., Shull, F.: Creating Software Process Capability/Maturity Models. IEEE Software 27(4), 92–94 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Strauss, A., Corbin, J.: Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Casey, V.: Leveraging or Exploiting Cultural Difference? In: The 4th IEEE International Conference on Global Software Engineering (ICGSE). IEEE, Limerick (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Ojha, N.V., Halla, T., Austen, R., Greyb, S.: Trust in software outsourcing relationships: An empirical investigation of Indian software companies. Information and Software Technology 48, 345–354 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Miles, M.B., Huberman, A.M.: Qualitative Data Analysis: An expanded sourcebook, 2nd edn. Sage, London (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  40. Kuzel, A.J.: Sampling in qualitative inquiry. In: Crabtree, B.F., Miller, W.L. (eds.) Doing Qualitative Research. Research Methods for Primary Care Series, vol. 3, pp. 31–44. Sage, Newbury Park (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Morse, J.: Qualitative nursing research: A contemporary dialogue. Sage, Newbury Park (1989)

    Google Scholar 

  42. Library of Congress. Federal Research Division – Country Profile: India (December 2004), http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/India.pdf (retrieved August 11, 2009)

  43. Richardson, I., Ó HAodha, M., Casey, V.: Software Testing and Global Industry: Future Paradigms. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Cambridge (2008) ISBN: 97801-4438-0109-6

    Google Scholar 

  44. Carmel, E.: Building your Information Systems from the Other Side of the World: How Infosys manages time differences. Management Information Systems Quarterly -MIS Quarterly Executive 5(1) (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  45. Amrit, C.: Coordination in software development: the problem of task allocation. SIGSOFT Softw. Eng. Notes 30(4), 1–7 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lero- Irish Software Engineering Research Centre, University of Limerick, Ireland

    Sadhana Deshpande, Sarah Beecham & Ita Richardson

Authors
  1. Sadhana Deshpande
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sarah Beecham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ita Richardson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

    Julia Kotlarsky

  2. London School of Economics, London, UK

    Leslie P. Willcocks

  3. Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Ilan Oshri

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Deshpande, S., Beecham, S., Richardson, I. (2011). Global Software Development Coordination Strategies - A Vendor Perspective. In: Kotlarsky, J., Willcocks, L.P., Oshri, I. (eds) New Studies in Global IT and Business Service Outsourcing. Global Sourcing 2011. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 91. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24815-3_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24815-3_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-24814-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-24815-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation