The Adoption of Software Process Improvement Programs in the English-Speaking Caribbean

Managing and improving the processes used to develop software products is widely accepted as one of the remedies to overcome the problem of poor quality systems being delivered. As a result, the IS community has adopted several software process improvement (SPI) programs. The tenets of these programs are grounded in the belief that a mature development process can increase the likelihood of producing high quality software products with the requisite requirements which should add business value. However, small firms in developing countries like the English-speaking Caribbean (ESC) are not aware nor adopting these SPI programs because they are seen as costly, time consuming and disruptive; hence, not realizing the potential benefits. This study examined the awareness, adoption and benefits of SPI programs in ESC software development firms. The result found that a slight majority (54.5%) of firms in the region are aware of SPI programs, with only 20% of those who are aware using any form of SPI programs in the development of software. These findings reinforces the need for SPI training in the ESC to articulate the compelling need for a change towards the adoption and use of SPI programs in software development

7P. A Preliminary Study of the Use of Software Process Improvement Initiatives in Jamaica

Despite the acknowledged strides that information and communications technologies (ICT) have made, the information systems (IS) community has been plagued with the delivery of low quality information systems (IS). This phenomenon gave rise to a variety of software process improvement (SPI) interventions, aimed at reducing variability in the software production process, as a precursor to improving IS quality. However, SPI initiatives have targeted fairly large organizations and SPI research has been conducted mainly in developed countries, and very little in developing countries and smaller organizations such as those in Jamaica and the English-speaking Caribbean. We sought in this research to ascertain the level of awareness and intention to use SPI programs in Jamaican software development firms. Preliminary indications of our study revealed that a large majority of these firms are not aware of SPI programs; neither do they intend to adopt any form of SPI effort in the near future. Our findings provided the basis to support the claim for future research to explore the underlying causes for this lack of awareness and non-adoption of SPI programs among Jamaican firms

Determinants of Process Maturity in English-speaking Caribbean Firms

For decades the IS community has been struggling with the delivery of low quality systems. Software process improvement (SPI) programs are accepted as one of the remedies to overcome this problem, with process maturity being a key element. A major contributor of process maturity is the capability maturity model integration (CMMI). However, most studies regarding process maturity and the determinants of IS quality have been conducted in large firms in developed countries. But it is imperative for software development firms both large and small to understand what is needed to deploy high quality systems. This study seeks to assess the determinants of process maturity in firms in the English-speaking Caribbean (ESC), using the established practices in the CMMI as a baseline for discussion and analysis. Applying PLS as the analytical tool, it was found that project monitoring and control, and verification and validation are major determinants of process maturity in the ESC. These findings can assist practitioners in their pursuit to produce higher quality software products, as well as provide a platform for further refinement of the research model by IS researchers

Identifying Key Software Development Practices in the English-Speaking Caribbean Using the Nominal Group Technique

This paper explains how a simplified process improvement framework was developed with practices from the capability maturity model integration (CMMI) model using the nominal group technique (NGT). The NGT was used to generate consensus on key software process improvement practices that are likely to lead to the improvement of the quality of information systems (IS) in the English-speaking Caribbean (ESC). We present the approach taken, the results derived, and the benefits of using this approach. NGT sessions, involving 30 IS professionals were conducted in four ESC territories to reduce and finalize a list of key software development practices that would be more suitable for ESC nations to focus on

Key influencing factors of information systems quality and success in Jamaican organizations

Despite major strides in information technology, the Information Systems (IS) community generally continues to suffer fromthe delivery of low quality and failed systems. The situation in the English-speaking Caribbean and in Jamaica in particular,is even more stark because interventions such as software process improvement (SPI) processes are neither well known norused. There is therefore a glaring need to understand the fundamentals of quality determinants in this domain to be able toprovide useful insights for improvement. A recent study has indicated that Jamaican developers are unaware of SPIapproaches and consequently the potential impact and role of process and people on IS quality. We have also included theperception of quality as a probable determinant of the success of even high quality IS. In this research in progress, we havedeveloped and proposed a research model and propositions to explore the impact of process, people and perception on ISquality and success. We hope to use it in Caribbean studies to provide much needed insights

Toward an Undergraduate MIS Curriculum Model for Caribbean Institutions

Colleges and universities in the United States with undergraduate programs offer undergraduate Management Information Systems programs in their business schools to complement and balance computer science and computer engineering curricula. Similar institutions in the English-speaking Caribbean, however, slant their computing studies overwhelmingly toward Computer Science , which produces technologists for the IT industry. Although the vast majority of their graduates are engaged in applying technology solutions to information problems in business organizations, these English-speaking Caribbean institutions offer limited MIS programs, which prepare graduates for such roles. This article examines undergraduate computing curricula in the Caribbean and compares them with others elsewhere in the world. It recommends that English-speaking Caribbean universities give similar prominence to MIS education in their business programs in order to equip graduates to create more effective IT-enabled business solutions

Agencification as a Strategy for Implementing Public Policy in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is one of 15 small developing states that comprise the regional integration grouping known as the Caribbean Community. Several agencies were recently created outside of the government using a strategy known as agencification to support the implementation of public policy in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. However, there is little available information explaining the rationale for the choice of the strategy, no evidence-based scholarly evaluation found on the effectiveness of these types of agencies, and therefore limited information on whether this strategy results in effective public policy. The purpose of this case study was to gain an in-depth understanding of these semi-autonomous agencies in the implementation of public policy in Trinidad and Tobago as part of the Caribbean Community. The central research question sought to explore the successes, failures, and experiences with executive agencies created through agencification. Principal-agent theory provided the theoretical framework for this qualitative case study. Using a purposive sampling strategy, data were acquired through interviews with 10 individuals representing public servants, agency officials, and academics and a review of public documents. The data were inductively coded and then organized across themes. The findings indicated that while the agencification strategy is being utilized with varying levels of success, several barriers and constraints hamper successful policy implementation. Positive social change implications of this study include direct recommendations for greater autonomy for the directorate of all agencies in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. These recommendations would serve to facilitate the implementation of the policies that they were created to support

Key Performance Indicators\u27 Effects on Public Sector Infrastructure Project Efficiency in Grenada

Grenada is 1 of 15 developing countries in Caribbean Community known as CARICOM. The infrastructure capital projects in these developing countries are plagued with an array of issues: unethical practices, inadequate supervision, lack of transparency and accountability, inadequate monitoring and evaluation, cost overruns, and inefficiencies. In the 1980s and 1990s, the International Monitory Fund and World Bank introduced a balanced scorecard engineered under the structural adjustment program, but it was unable to improve infrastructure project efficiencies. This qualitative case study sought to understand the role of management key performance indicators (KPIs) on public sector infrastructure capital project efficiency on the island of Grenada. An institutional assessment and development framework and a classical management theoretical framework methodology were used to explore the effects of management KPIs on public sector infrastructure capital projects efficiencies in developing countries. The research incorporated a constructivist philosophy that underpins the evaluation and perception of the government, the National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA), project teams, systems, and stakeholders. A purposive sampling strategy with elements of snowballing was used to obtain 12 representative participants for interviews, and a systematic approach of transcribing, coding, and thematic analysis was done. Findings indicate inadequacies in the BSC performance measure system on infrastructure projects, which justifies the use of comprehensive management KPIs. Positive social change implications of this study include recommendations for comprehensive management KPIs and policies to improve public sector infrastructure project efficiency in Grenada

Which "industrial policies" are meaningful for Latin America?

This paper’s main concern is to assess which "industrial policies" would be meaningful for Latin America nowadays. The first section considers definitions of "industrial policies" and their nature in the past. The second section centers on national growth experiences that may serve as paradigms for LAC economies. Section 3 is on economies which are growth paradigms and on their relevant policies. Section 4 is on present multilateral constraints on "industrial policies", especially in the case of subsidies and trade-related investment measures, as these have been considerably tightened as a result of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations. The following section analyses the link between macroeconomics and "industrial policies" both in relation to limitations imposed by macroeconomic instability on industrial policy and to how growth depends on the cost of investment on both micro and macroeconomic factors. Section 6 analyses industrial policy alternatives. The paper concludes with section 7 which is on policy recommendations seeking to improve criteria to pick winners where market failures are especially costly.

Diasporas and Development: An Assessment of the Irish Experience for the Caribbean

Dialogue on diasporas and their role in the development of the home country has grown in the last twenty years and Caribbean states have begun to identify ways they can engage their nationals residing abroad in this process. Those in the region looking to harness the power of the diaspora have turned their attention to the example of Ireland, a country with a large diaspora that has contributed significantly to its national advancement. By highlighting the lessons of the Irish experience, this paper argues that while the Caribbean’s diaspora has the desire to contribute and does help through remittances, there remain a number of challenges to this participation including perceptions of security and stability, establishing the conditions necessary for attracting investment and a lack of confidence in government institutions in the region