Research areas
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS):
Software-as-a-Service as a new form of using software trough an internet connection without effort for installation and maintenance causes tremendous changes in the traditional software industry.
One research focus of the SEG is the analysis of the acceptance and quality of service as well as the opportunities and risks for SaaS from a users perspective.
Furthermore, we investigate the effects of SaaS business models on the value chain of the software industry.
Pricing- and Cooperation-Strategies for Service-vendors and -integrators:
We assume that the service oriented paradigm could lead to the appearance of value-chains within the software industry. In such a scenario a service-integrator could combine services delivered by different service-suppliers to specific packages and sell these to the customers. This would lead to the development of a so called two-sided market where there are several groups around one platform. The value the platform offers to one group depends on the size of the other group. The aim is to identify, compare and evaluate different pricing- and cooperation-strategies in such a scenario.
Pricing and license models for software products:
In this context we analyze which pricing and license models are favorable for software vendors. Regarding standard software we want to examine traditional license models as well as new trends in software pricing (e.g. performance-oriented or cooperative pricing). The major challenge for vendors of custom software is to estimate project expenses ex-ante and to implement pricing schemes accordingly, while considering e.g. behavioral-pricing theories.
Software development outsourcing:
In this research area we examine critical success factors of outsourcing projects, taking into account both the perspective of the outsourcing company as well as the outsourcing provider. We put special emphasis on the analysis of the criteria determining the decision between nearshoring and farshoring options.
Service oriented architecture (SOA):
The goal of this research area is the development of models for the economic evaluation of the SOA paradigm. One focus is to examine which effects open standards and the SOA paradigm have on software development. Considering the user’s perspective, our research aims at developing and applying a model for the evaluation of the migration to an SOA-based IT environment. An overall question is to what extent the SOA paradigm in combination with outsourcing or other cooperation strategies enables software providers to reduce vertical integration.
Value Chains in the Software Industry:
For a lot of industries the value chains are described and analyzed – for the Software Industry this is still missing. We want to catch up this and we want to highlight the influence on new technologies on the value chain. Also we want to analyze if we will get networked structures we know from for example from the automotive industry.
Economics of modularized software production:
During the software development process software vendors increasingly revert to modules, either being self-developed or purchased from other vendors. We want to examine how far this approach already implemented in other industries can also be utilized in the software industry. A major research question in this context is the impact of software modularization on software development costs.
Open Source Software uses in the business context:
The term Open Source is well known among CIOs. This kind of software is already established in fields close to system and development. But even for business applications like ERP and CRM systems the range of products is continuously expanding. Focus of this research area is to explore strategies and business models for providers as well as potentials for users of open source business applications. Based on this research impacts on the Software Industry will be derived.
The analysis of the depicted research questions will be based on empirical studies as well as theoretical analysis.