This thesis is a case study of software project escalation and termination. According to domestic and international literature, software projects often faces escalation phenomenon. Therefore, this thesis studied three cases of information-system development from two different areas. The first two cases are about A and B natural gas companies¡¦geographic information system. Company A¡¦s geographic information system lasted for eight years and ended with termination. Company B¡¦s geographic information system lasted for ten years. During these years, company B had changed three different software solution providers, but the project is still pending until today. The third case is about Company C¡¦s ERP system development. The project was initiated in December of 2002 after signing the contract. It was targeted to finish in 2004. Until July, 2007, this project is not completely finished yet. From the above three cases, the causes of software project escalation and termination were investigated. What leads to the escalation of software project? Why is the software project terminated? What is the root cause? This research integrated the theoretical framework of project escalation and termination from literature. The framework addresses four key factors of escalation: (1) Project factor (2) Psychological factor (3) Social factor (4) Organizational factor (Staw and Ross, 1987); and also two key factors for termination: (1) Economic factor and management factor behind it (2) Technical factor and management factor behind it(Ewusi-Mensah and Przasnyski, 1991). Based on these factors, this study finds out affecting elements behind those factors,and then verifies and modifies the research framework. Finally, this thesis brings up conclusion and suggestions, hoping to provide managers with some advices when developing a new software project, in order to minimize the loss caused by escalation and termination.

Thesis (M.Sc)--Athabasca University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-70).

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Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references.

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Carleton University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 157-163). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

In today's world of global software teams, managing members from multiple countries and cultures adds to an already complex mix of software productivity issues. While software team compositions have been researched based on tasks, personality, and role descriptions, few models exist to help software project managers reason about software teams with respect to culture. As more culturally diverse teams develop software products, software project managers need to manage teams based on cultural factors that will inevitably arise. This research examines the effect of culture on software project team management, and its impacts on software productivity, especially as it pertains to requirements engineering tasks. The main objective is to investigate how individuals from different cultures work together in software development projects, and to use that understanding to formulate a model for reasoning about key cultural factors. Communication is a critical part of software project team effectiveness. Hence, this research examines how cultural factors (e.g., language, attitudes, roles, social organization, and time) affect the communication process in software development projects. Based on an initial survey of multicultural teams, this research examines some of the issues that arise from diverse teams working together. The survey results led to language and attitudes as dominant aspects of communication that impact software productivity. Time, roles, and social organization also had considerable influence from the preliminary results. From these results, the research approach was refined and more specific survey instruments were designed to aid in identifying the critical factors that impact software productivity. The results of the second set of the surveys showed that various cultures have different attitudes and behaviors, which in turn have distinct impacts on productivity in terms of more rework and delay. Furthermore, multicultural teams have miscommunication issues with respect to differences in languages, attitudes, roles, time, and social organization. The effect of some cultural factors on communication and productivity vary from culture to culture. Based on the results of the surveys, a model for Multicultural Software Project Team Management is described. This model was substantiated with further surveys using software professionals with experience working on multicultural teams. / Ph. D.

This thesis investigates project risk management issues in smaller software teams. Certain gaps in the literature are identified. There is limited literature on what risk management techniques software practitioners use. The studies that are published tend to focus on large software teams. This thesis investigates what risks these smaller teams consider to be important. It also investigates what techniques are perceived to address these risks and how effective those techniques are considered to be. One of those risks is found to be of primary importance, yet this risk is not suggested by the project management literature. This thesis goes on to conduct a more in-depth exploration of that specific risk in the context of these smaller teams Interviews were selected as the most appropriate method to achieve the objectives of the thesis. Nineteen interviews in eight software organisations are conducted to collect data for this thesis. Three different perspectives on project risk were investigated. Those were the perspectives of the; service managers, project managers and developers. Hence a large store of rich information is collated. The results are analysed and a rich set of information is presented in this thesis. As a result of this research it is suggested that smaller software teams may find it useful to consider the 16 risks discussed in this research and how applicable those risks are to their individual organisation. Service managers may need to do more to raise the awareness of the importance of risks associated with ‘customer relationship issues’ within their own organisations. Three risks stood out as areas where future research might be most fruitful. They were; customer relationship issues, introduction of new technology and unrealistic schedules and budgets. Risks related to customer relationship issues were of particular significance and have tended to be over looked in the project management literature. It is submitted that research into standard project risk management approaches may need to be combined with business risk management approaches to gain a full understanding of the risks faced and addressed by these smaller teams.

Introduction: As information technology has been developing so rapidly, it affects all business processes. Project management is also greatly affected, as organizations world-wide constantly strive for competitive advantage, major tools were produced and manage-ment control of project progress throughout their lifecycle is becoming increasingly recog-nized for its importance. Problem: The study of software project management tools has aroused a great deal of in-terest in modern research circles as well as inspired extensive research in the area of mana-gerial science. However, there still seems to be confusion, disagreement and limited re-search regarding these concepts of job performance. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to examine, how project management tools can af-fect the efficiency in a software development project. Efficiency will be measured by time, from project start to finish, human and financial resources. Method: An electronic qualitative and partly quantitative questionnaires were sent to three sampled companies. In each company one Web programmer, one project manager and one executive level employee had filled out the questionnaires. The acquired data was then ana-lysed in relation to the frame of reference. Frame of Reference: Theoretical framework is build on a literature within software pro-ject management field, Iron/Golden Triangle, Productivity Paradox, Technology Accep-tance Model, and Software Project Management. Conclusion: To conclude the results of the study, after analyzing the data gathered from various companies implementing JIRA has in all cases resulted in increased product quality, more efficient and faster communication, as well as lower product development costs. This means that implementing JIRA can be beneficial for time, money and quality of software development.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains x, 66 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 43-44).

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 161 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 49).