AbstractsComputer Science

Impact of National Culture Dimensions on Scrum Implementations

by Chengqian Zhao




Institution: Blekinge Institute of Technology
Department:
Year: 2015
Keywords: datavetenskap; computer science - software engineering; agile; scrum implementation; national culture dimension
Record ID: 1370973
Full text PDF: http://www.bth.se/fou/cuppsats.nsf/6753b78eb2944e0ac1256608004f0535/e8adf9c2f2667f20c1257e000049ba77?OpenDocument


Abstract

Context. Scrum is one of the most common used Agile method. It is based on empiricism. Scrum only provides a framework but the detailed implementations in practice are very different. and the environment has a big influence on it. National culture is proven to have an impact on Agile methodology. The implementation of Scrum practices should be influenced by national culture as well. Objectives. This paper reveals the relationship between national culture and Scrum implementation. It explores in which aspects that national culture has an influence on the implementation of Scrum practices and how the different national culture dimensions affect the implementations. Methods. A literature review is used to build a theoretical framework. This framework includes the potential relationships between national culture and Scrum practices, which are our hypotheses. Afterward, interview is used in a company that has Scrum teams in both Sweden and China. Their implementations of Scrum practices are interviewed and analyzed based on our hypotheses. Results. A framework of deducted relationship between Hofstede’s national culture dimensions and Scrum practices is built. National culture is found to have an influence on the implementations of five Scrum practices. Conclusions. National culture is found to have an influence on Scrum implementations. National culture through power distance dimension has the most impact on implementations of no title practice, manage burn down chart practice and no interference practice. National culture differences in the aspect of individualism dimension also affect the practice like no title in teams. Uncertainty avoidance degree in different nations also has the most impact on Scrum implementation such as using burn down chart practice and time-boxed dimensions. Moreover, influence from national culture in China makes the Scrum implementations more consistency than the influence from national culture in Sweden.