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.