Inductive design of maturity models: Applying the Rasch algorithm for design science research

Abstract

Maturity models are an established means to systematically document and guide the development of organizations using archetypal capability levels. Often, these models lack a sound foundation and/or are derived on the basis of an arbitrary design method. In order to foster the design of relevant and rigorous artifacts, this paper presents a method for maturity model construction that applies the Rasch algorithm and cluster analysis as a sound methodical foundation. The Rasch algorithm is widely used to improve scholarly intelligence and attainment tests. In order to demonstrate the application of the proposed method and to evaluate its usability and applicability, we present a design exemplar in the business intelligence domain. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.