On a Preliminary Theory of Communication in Distributed Software Development: A Grounded Theory-Based Research

Abstract

Communication is one of the leading challenges faced by teams working in a distributed setting; yet, little has been theorized about how communication occurs in such context. Our long-term research goal is to construct a Communication Theory in Distributed Software Development, aiming to propose a theoretical foundation for future academic studies on the topic of communication and a reference for industry practitioners. To achieve this goal, we are using Grounded Theory, including an Exploratory Literature Review before the theory construction, to confirm the research gap. In this paper, we present a further preliminary version of the Communication Theory comprising six theoretical categories and 31 subcategories. The theory brings, up to know, a consolidated body of knowledge and points out the main concepts that define what communication is in distributed software teams.