Browse Theses

The increasing pressures on information systems (IS) departments to eliminate inefficiency in software development and produce applications within budgets and schedules have caused IS management to turn to computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools to automate the production of software and increase the quality of the resulting software product. Proponents of CASE tools predict their use will noticeably improve developer productivity and software quality, yet there is evidence that CASE tools may not fulfill expectations, and that their use may cause developer dissatisfaction. Research designed to investigate the characteristics of both successful and unsuccessful implementations of CASE technology is necessary to evaluate these claims and indications.

This research studied implementation practices differentiating successful and unsuccessful implementations of commercial CASE tools in IS departments. It is proposed that the organizational effort required to successfully implement CASE technology is a function of perceived characteristics of the CASE tool and expectations of the technology. Both individual and organizational implementation outcomes are studied.

The organizational level question was supported; the individual-level model was partially supported. However, in organizations with successful organizational implementation outcomes, the results at the individual level were not always successful. Similarly, companies achieving successful individual outcomes, did not always achieve the desired organizational results.

Although successful organizational implementation practices include senior IS management sponsorship of the tool and high levels of organizational communication and training, these variables were inversely related to individual outcomes. These results were synthesized to conclude that communication and training related to the CASE tools are necessary for successful organizational outcomes, but are detrimental to individual acceptance and usage if the communication is not accurate.

Realistic expectations of the tool were found to be more critical for successful individual implementation outcomes than were a priori perceptions of the tool, extending innovation diffusion theory which states that perceptions alone are important.

The research suggests that there is a set of activities which are likely to lead to the successful implementation of CASE tools.