A MECHANISM FOR THE CONFIGURATION PROCESS OF COMMERCIAL OFF-THE-SHELF SOFTWARE: AN INTERPRETIVE CASE STUDY

Proper configuration of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) packaged software plays an essential role in consequent successful functioning of the software. The question now would be: how do groups that are in charge of the configuration of the software approach this process? Other questions follow: Is there a strict guideline to follow? Do all configurations of the same packaged software across organizations result in the same outcome? Are all configurations successful? What does define how the resulting software functions? In this paper, the process of configuration of COTS has been examined through the interactions of people who are in charge of the configuration with the software and with each other. We conducted an interpretive case study of a work order management system at a public organization to examine the abovementioned questions. We observed that, contrary to traditional ways of grouping relevant groups, people tend to group based on how they interpret various functionalities of the software. These groupings tend to happen when controversies occur. We used Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) as our guiding framework. We add to the theory by developing a mechanism of the configuration process of COTS. We do so by also introducing a holistic approach to applying SCOT to studying information systems.