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.