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Software process tailoring (SPT) is a team-based and learning-intensive activity that addresses the particular dynamic characteristics of a development project. Because SPT critically influences how projects are conducted, its performance should be investigated. However, the extant literature lacks empirical evidence on how the underlying effects of SPT performance and its team-supportive factors operate and influence software project performance. From

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationships among absorptive capacity (AC), organisational culture (OC), and software process improvement (SPI) implementation success based on capability maturity model integration (CMMI). Specifically, the aim of this study is to understand the roles of potential and realised AC in SPI success. Design/methodology/approach This study proposes a research model and examines the relations among firm AC, SPI success, and OC. The authors surveyed 56 Taiwanese firms that adopted the CMMI-based SPI programme and received official certification. Findings The findings indicate that potential and realised AC have significantly positive effects on SPI success. In particular, realized (AC) partially mediates the effects of potential AC on SPI success. Furthermore, the effects of potential and realised AC on SPI success are significantly moderated by the adhocracy and hierarchy OCs, respectively. Research limitations/implications Given that the scope of this empirical study was limited to Taiwan, the findings might lack generalisability; however, this provides an opportunity for future research. Originality/value This is the first empirical study investigating the influence of AC on CMMI-based SPI success. The proposed research model also examines the moderating relationships of two types of OCs, namely adhocracy and hierarchy, on AC (potential and realized) and SPI success.

For improving the quality of teaching in higher education, besides the organisational focus or the result-oriented and momentary evaluations, attention can be paid to teachers and their 'teaching processes'. With this in mind, the information systems quality (ISQ) laboratory developed a process-oriented model that offered teachers a systematic and incremental way for superior teaching excellence. The model, which is termed teaching capability maturity model (T-CMM), is an application of total quality management and the software CMM/CMMI. However, unlike the CMM/ CMMI, which is for organisations, the ISQ's T-CMM is designed for individual teachers. Due to its novelty and interdisciplinary nature, the model is reviewed introductorily and its applied concepts and design examined, as well as evaluated in comparison with existing teaching methods. In summarising the roles of the T-CMM in teaching quality management, its value has been highlighted, for serving as a portable quality profile for teachers in pursuing their individual teaching careers.

Purpose Agile software development (ASD) has emerged as an active research area due to its enormous growth in popularity. The innovative differences between ASD and traditional development include the use of fundamentally different procedures, organizational structures and people, yet organizations still attempt to embrace ASD. Apparently, the underlying factors arousing organizations’ intent to adopt ASD are not well known and have not been well explained in the extant literature. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap for which the authors propose a conceptual framework based on the business process management (BPM) perspective to identify the environmental stimuli that affect an organization’s ASD adoption. Design/methodology/approach Proposition for a methodology approach is used to construct a theoretical framework based on existing literature and theories in BPM. Findings The framework recognizes external and internal environmental stimuli, including institutional isomorphic forces and interior enablers, such as top management championship, the culture type and resource readiness, which affect organizational ASD adoption decisions. Originality/value This paper consolidates both the internal and external environmental aspects of the stimuli that lead to ASD adoption and offers insight into creating a suitable context for ASD adoption.