Maturity Models in Information Systems Research: Literature Search and Analysis

Abstract

This article collects and analyzes seventy-six maturity model articles that have been published in leading Information Systems (IS) journals and conference proceedings during the past fifteen years. We study the IS literature on maturity models from three different perspectives: a research perspective, which is particularly relevant for scholars who are interested in the design and adoption of maturity models; a publication perspective, which reflects the interests of authors and reviewers of maturity model articles; and a practitioner"s perspective, which is especially relevant for maturity model users and consultants. The results are interesting in several respects. From the research perspective, the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is the most dominant foundation of past IS research on maturity models. In contrast, theories on the design and adoption of maturity models are distinctly rare in our sample. The publication outlets that are considered feature quantitative and qualitative empirical research alike, but-with a decreasing number-purely conceptual research as well. Of late, past maturity model research can mainly be located in the area of IT and organizations, while the formerly very popular domain of IS development is of less interest today. As for the publication perspective, we find that the level of publication activity in the field has generally been increasing over the last fifteen years, with North American and European researchers dominating the academic discussion. Finally, with regard to the practitioner"s perspective, we compile advice on the practical application of maturity models from a critical analysis of the literature. It is hoped that the results can stimulate and guide future research in the field and inform the development and usage of theoretically sound maturity models in practice. Abstract 27 Database for Advances in Information Systems ProQuest Citation and abstract 2 Decision Support Systems EBSCOhost Abstract 0 European Conference on Information Systems AIS Electronic Library Abstract 5 European Journal of Information Systems ProQuest Citation and abstract 2 Information & Management ProQuest Citation and abstract 5 Information Resources Management Journal EBSCOhost Abstract 1 Information Systems ScienceDirect Abstract, title and keywords 0 Information Systems Journal WILEY Online Library Abstract 3 Information Systems Management EBSCOhost Abstract 10 Information Systems Research INFORMS Abstract and title 1 International Conference on Information Systems AIS Electronic Library Abstract 3 Abstract 1 Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce informaworld Abstract 1 Journal of Strategic Information Systems ScienceDirect Abstract, title and keywords 0 Mediterranean Conference on Information Systems AIS Electronic Library Abstract 1 MIS Quarterly EBSCOhost Abstract 1 Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems AIS Electronic Library Abstract 2 Total 76 Volume 29

Representing small business web presence content: the web presence pyramid model

“…The typical approach used in these models is that a business is expected to follow a logical path through distinct stages to achieve business transformation. Poeppelbuss et al (2011) suggested that these stage models fall into the category of maturity models.…”

Information management and technology strategy development in the UK's acute hospital sector: a maturity model perspective

“…Maturity models are frequently applied in organizations to assess the current state of development against some notional 'best state' and then to determine improvement measures to reach the desired best state (Poppelbuß et al, 2011).…”

Capability development with process maturity models – Decision framework and economic analysis

“…Maturity models are a tool for capability development that has become increasingly popular over the last few decades (Harmon, 2009;Pöppelbuß et al, 2011). Based on the assumption of predictable patterns of evolution and change, maturity models foster the development of capabilities along a path of predefined stages (Mettler, 2011).…”

“…One of the most popular tools from the BPM area that supports capability development is process maturity models (Pöppelbuß, Niehaves, Simons, & Becker, 2011). Although process maturity models recommend which capabilities an organization should develop, most of them do not help assess the extent to which capabilities should be developed.…”