"The effect of knowledge management on perceived software process improvement : Mediating effects of critical success factors and moderating effect of the use of information technology"
Abstract : Purpose – This study aims to present insights on the relationship between perceived software process improvement (PSPI) and information technology (IT)-enabled knowledge management (KM).
Design/methodology/approach – The respondents in the study involved employees in the software engineering (SE) organizations in national capital region in India.
Findings – The findings of the empirical study reveal that a significant relationship exists between the variables under investigation.
Research limitations/implications – The present study introduces a framework for identifying and applying the CSFs that influence the KM initiatives for PSPI in an SE organization.
Keywords: Critical success factors, Knowledge management, Software process improvement, Empirical software engineering, Indian software engineering organization
Introduction
Since the 1990s, academicians and practitioners in the software development community have shown a special interest in software process improvement (SPI); the increasing number of studies related to trends and developments in SPI demonstrates. SPI aims to develop improved quality, dependable and efficient software to enhance client satisfaction. The reference models capability maturity model (CMM), IDEAL, BOOTSTRAP and SPICE offer guidelines for SPI, and thus, facilitate improvement of the software product. The software development life cycle models such as spiral, V-model, agile, etc., define the chores and deliverables for software creation. This paper investigate the impact of critical success factors (CSFs) for IT-enabled KM in SPI methodologies for improvement in the software quality, initially by hypothetical assessment and then with empirical data.
Conceptual framework and hypothesis formulation
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Ha1. There is a significant relationship between KM and PSPI in the Indian software industry.
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Ha2. There is a significant relationship between KM and CSF in the Indian software industry.
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Ha3: CSF acts as a mediator in the relationship between KM and PSPI in the Indian software industry.
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Ha4. The relationship between KM and PSPI is moderated by IT in the Indian software industry.
Research Measures :
1. Determine Respondent and instrument design, from Knowledge management expert and quality managers from India.
2. Data Collection by SE organizations working across the national capital region in India.
3. Analytical Approach using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)
Result Research
From the table on the right, shows the macro results of the SPSS process carried out for Hayes (2013) analysis; This is to test H3, which states that CSF mediates the relationship between KM and PSPI.
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Changes in the independent variable strongly explain the supposed change in mediator (ie path c);
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The change in mediator strongly explains the change in the dependent variable (ie path b); and
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The previously significant relationship between the dependent and independent variables did not remain significant when pathways a and b were controlled, and a robust demonstration of mediation occurred when paths c was zero.
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The findings from this study also reveal that UIT acts as a moderator for the relationship between KM and PSPI. The introduction of information systems stimulates better distribution of information to all personnel, which in time facilitates diverse knowledge generation and transformation practices provided CSF exists. The interaction effect results reveal that the use of IT results in better PSPI when KM is carried out by hi tech software development companies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the results of the analysis by SE organizations will facilitate the development of a strategy for:
• Keep the CSF registry at various phases;
• Estimate their progress in the development process; and
• Understand the effect of the adapted approach on KM.
.From the analysis results that software organizations need to increase their KM and increase the CSF needed to achieve the desired goals in PSPI.
Journal : VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems. Vol. 49 No. 4, 2019 pp. 546-567 © Emerald Publishing Limited 2059-5891 DOI 10.1108/VJIKMS-11-2018-0106