Innovation in the Indian Information Technology Industry: A Study of the Software Product Development Process

We examine the Indian context for software product development and build on the general literature on product development to develop an understanding of the software product development process in India. We do the latter by drawing from a detailed study of six specific software product development projects ofsix different Indian firms. The products were chosen to provide a variety of industrial contexts, types of firms, types of markets and levels of customisation. Based on a cross-product analysis on parameters such as product definition and positioning, choice of product, technology, product architecture and customisation, version management, marketing and product launch, reward and incentive systems, and quality systems, we draw implications for software product development by companies and for policy makers in the Indian context.