Organizational governance: Resolving insufficient practice and quality expectation in Small Software Companies.

Abstract

The quality of software products is among the most prevalent challenges threatening the software development primarily in small software companies (SSCs). These challenges are associated with insufficient practices affecting the production of software and the development processes. This paper explores the role of governance in streamlining software processes and practices to produce better quality software products. In a cross-sectional survey (n = 127), we reached out to software practitioners working in SSCs from four countries. We examined how SSCs engage in oversight and accountability and how SSCs perform management roles and activities, such as controlling, directing, and guiding in the process of developing software. Our findings indicate that although the SSCs minimally embrace governance practices, the smaller companies have a more challenging task embracing governance practices from the complexities arising out of these companies' structures. This study highlights the aspects of governance that need attention in the smaller category of SSCs. It proposes an organizational governance model to facilitate the SSCs in developing governance strategies to take advantage of the benefits of governance during software development.