SERVICE-ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE : AN INNOVATION PROCESS PERSPECTIVE

Abstract: In traditional information systems for the grocery retail trade, the different parts are strongly dependent of each other. Should one function change, the whole system must be rebuilt which is expensive and time consuming. The result is that many necessary process improvements are never done. Case company, a Nordic retail software vendor, in 2004 summarized what they regarded as a ‘cul-de-sac’. Building distributed store systems in which the same data appears in several places, creates a complexity which increases with new functions and which eventually becomes obstructive.The aim of this thesis is to attain a deeper understanding of service-oriented architecture (SOA) in order to increase and maintain personal treatment of the customers, while fulfilling business demands of changes and integration in enterprise systems. The aim is operationalised by one overall research question and seven sub-research questions.To answer the research questions, a longitudinal case study and a survey study were performed. Innovation theory is applied to the SOA adoption process.This thesis is composed of a series of seven articles, through different perspectives, with an innovation diffusion approach. The first offers lessons learned by a retail software provider and the role of the customer. The second article states SOA is to be a driver for personalization, i.e. different customers are treated differently. The third is about SOA being a driver for distributed decision support. The fourth describes a study on how to measure the effects certified solution architects have on business. The fifth article deals with enterprise architecture frameworks in practice. The sixth is mainly a literary study describing SOA maturity models. The sevenths article is devoted to a review of why the case company chose SOA as a foundation for their new generation of retail systems. SOA must show compatibility with existing mission critical systems, or the adoption may be blocked. Reinvention of the architectural framework eases SOA adoption.Implications for practice, is discussed, outlining, both, the great risks and the great opportunities. This thesis states that business driven SOA helps to manage full business processes and permit access to in-house and external systems.