Engineering solutions to software problems: Some institutional and social factors shaping change

Software is the core of information technology systems, the major factor i n system costs and the main source o f system malfunctions. The software development process is currently characterized as a labour-intmsive craft activity which has resisted automa- tion. Software engineering covers a set of approaches which are intended to address the long-standing twin problems of low productizlity in software development and the poor quality of software products. It encompasses a range of tools, methods and procedures which aim to assert a n engineering culture to displace existing ad hoc processes. Many governments have supported programmer of software engineering R&D. This article argues that the adoption of sotiware engineering is mediated and resisted by social, organizational, cultural and in~titutionat factors. These are identified and their implications discussed.