Incremental or disruptive, what are software package upgrades and how to ensure their continuous adoption?

Abstract

Software package upgrades do not seem to receive sufficient attention from organizations. However, such upgrades are not to be taken lightly and should be taken into consideration as much as any other new system. Software package upgrades can be extensive, embedding in their components both incremental and/or disruptive elements. This thesis aims to illustrate this statement with a case study. Triangulation of data is used to analyze the response to a software package upgrade from different perspectives throughout an entire organization. This research aims to raise awareness on the importance of careful consideration of software package upgrades, and depicts the risks that might arise. The results identify 10 steps to be followed when a software package upgrade occurs, as well as a list of challenges that an organization should be ready to overcome.