Strategies for Managing Computer Software Upgrades

The speed with which companies are bringing new software products to market is having a serious impact on information technology use in organizations. As vendors release new software products, customers are faced with the prospect of upgrading to the new software. If not managed properly, the upgrade might cost inordinate amounts of money and/or curtail employee productivity. How do organizations decide when to upgrade? How can an upgrade be completed without significantly affecting user productivity? To aid IT managers in answering these and other questions, this volume provides strategies for managing issues associated with the implementation of software upgrades. In addition, the book presents selected research papers that offer in-depth treatment of the most critical aspects of software upgrade management.