9.3. Recommendation for future research

The focus of this study was to study and clear up the contracting process in the software producing company. The perspective was chosen deliberately as the researcher’s interest is in the software company and its development. Research with this perspective had not yet been done, whereas there is extensive contracting and negotiation literature available that explains and benefits the viewpoints of the customer that is procuring applications and other software. However, to create a more accurate overall view of the whole contracting process the research should be continued and take the interplay of both customer and supplier under closer scrutiny. This would give an even better understanding of the whole process of contracting and affecting issues in it. In this further research the question of the typology (life cycle, evolution, dialectic and teleology) of the contracting process should also be taken into account, as well the development and possible change of the typology included.

During the research as well as the analysis processes several other ideas turned up that could be of interest and worthwhile to investigate more thoroughly. It would be interesting to study more closely the dialectic view in the negotiation situation. This study would illustrate the development of the negotiation stands of both parties during the whole software contracting process and the evolvement of the stands over time as the partnership develops. This research would also be of benefit if there were only a few companies under study, but over a longer period of time. Thus the researcher could get deeper into the subject.

From a pure business point of view the interplay of the COTS, tailored and MOTS business strategies and the evolution between these would be interesting to study in more detail (Rajala, Rossi et al. 2001). This is connected to the joint value creation process, forming and interplay of the whole network of contracts. This also includes the examination of the risks and rewards being part of the partnership and alliances that are formed by the networks of contracts.

Another central and important issue for further study is to examine the contracts used from a legal viewpoint. This study should also include the contemplation of the possibly needed transformation of the relevant contracts. In the words already discussed in Section 8.1. These changes in contracting call for more in depth studies and analysis of the theoretical and practical consequences about the effects these issues have on the workings of the individual companies, dyads and networks as well as on the predominant legal practices. In situations of disputes how should the contracts and attached documents be formulated to reflect the intent of both parties in an equal and intelligible manner?

The commonly used CMM[1], SPICE[2] and Bootstrap[3] software process assessment methods do not at the moment include specific software contracting process categories, ref. for further information (Kuvaja, Similä et al. 1994, Zahran 1998, SPICE 1999). Understanding the importance of the contracting process, it is valuable to develop the assessment descriptions for these methods. For example in the case of Bootstrap this would include the descriptions of the performed process, the process performance attributes that is composed of the achievement factors and the management practices. This study would also give more wisdom to construct a working legal plan.