Continuous Strategy Process in the Context of Agile and Lean Software Development

This extended abstract introduces an ongoing research which elaborates the concept of continuous strategy with an aim to better address the contemporary challenges of strategy process within the field of software development. Theoretically the research draws on the strategy process and practice -literature and on the literature of agile and lean software development when conceptualizing continuous strategy. Empirically the research examines the emerging challenges in software companies' strategy process when they are pursuing continuous practices in software development. The tentative analysis revealed that the practices that stem from the more traditional, structured strategy process are not compatible with the more "continuous planning"-oriented organisational practices. Thus, there seems to be pressure for developing more continuous strategy process and practices. Furthermore, in other organisational processes, especially in team level, the practices relating to continuity are more successfully applied, than in strategic level.