Inside a Secret Software Laboratory: An Ethnographic Study of a Global Software Package Producer - Softcover

Grimm, Christine

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3834933864 ISBN 13: 9783834933867

Publisher: Gabler Verlag, 2012

Synopsis

How does one of the world's biggest Enterprise Resource Planning (E.R.P.) suppliers develop software? How do Oracle, S.A.P., Microsoft and Co really work? Christine Grimm presents a first-hand account of a social researcher who entered the software laboratory of one of the biggest E.R.P. providers. Presenting an in-depth ethnography on how people act within such labs, she reveals the highly unexpected social character of programming and shows how the vendor reorganizes himself to find new ways to respond to the expectations of the market. Furthermore, the author highlights the informal practices when an E.R.P. system, as a defective or incomplete product, re-enters the supplier's labs. The book provides a window into what happens if bugs are dug up and emotions on both the supplier and customer sides are running high.

About this title

About the Author

Dr. Christine Grimm received her PhD in interdisciplinary research from the University of Edinburgh. She  works as a senior researcher in the research laboratory of a software provider.

 

From the Back Cover

How does one of the world’s biggest Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) suppliers develop software? How do Oracle, SAP, Microsoft and Co really work? Christine Grimm presents a first-hand account of a social researcher who entered the software laboratory of one of the biggest ERP providers. Presenting an in-depth ethnography on how people act within such labs, she reveals the highly unexpected social character of programming and shows how the vendor reorganizes himself to find new ways to respond to the expectations of the market. Furthermore, the author highlights the informal practices when an ERP system, as a defective or incomplete product, re-enters the supplier’s labs. The book provides a window into what happens if bugs are dug up and emotions on both the supplier and customer sides are running high.

Edition details

• Publisher: Gabler Verlag
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3834933864
• ISBN 13: 9783834933867
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 307