The impact of socio-cultural factors and knowledge sharing to the success of global software development
Year: 2017
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Marjut Vornanen: The impact of socio-cultural factors and knowledge sharing to the success of global software development Master of Science Thesis, 67 pages, 6 attachment pages May 2017 This master's thesis examines the impact of socio-cultural factors and knowledge sharing to the success of global software development.Methods used in this study are literature review, qualitative semi-structured interviews, and quantitative data derived from a survey.The study is conducted using a case study approach.The subject of the case study was a large global software development project situated in Finland and India.The theory part of this thesis presents the current global software development research results with emphasis on Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions and Zahedi's and Christiansen's knowledge sharing challenges and practices.The study results were analysed based on these theories.The findings are inline with previous global software development studies.Based on the results seven knowledge sharing factors impacted negatively on the success of global software development in this case study project.These were employee turnover, hierarchical structures, gap in education and technological knowledge, shortcomings in maintaining group awareness, distance, lack of openness, and linguistic distance.The following six factors were not considered to have a negative effect on the success of the project: cost of knowledge sharing, low priority perception, limitations of tools, shortcoming in utilising existing tools, documentation problems, and lack of trust and rapport.Two major socio-cultural challenges in the case study project were power distance and language.
Author: Vornanen, Marjut
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2614270345