An Organizational Context for CASE Innovation

Practitioners and researchers have suggested that Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) technology can significantly improve productivity of programmer/analysts and quality of application systems. Before CASE can succeed, though, a particular organizational context must be created within an Information System Department. The paper describes the necessary context. This paper first briefly discusses the present state of CASE technology. A model for CASE adoption by Information System Departments is developed by drawing upon past research in organizational innovation, IS implementation, and systems development. An interview-based methodology is used to determine the most favorable context for implementing CASE technology and to perform a preliminary test of the proposed model. Implications for practice and avenues for future research are identified.