Factors affecting the organizational adoption of service-oriented architecture (SOA)

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) takes an architectural approach to designing and implementing IT solutions. Although it is fast emerging as one of the major architectural styles to execute enterprise architecture management, academic empirical research on SOA adoption is scarce, with most studies focusing on qualitative analysis. This study investigates organizational SOA adoption in South Africa and combines the perspectives of the diffusion of innovations theory and the technology-organization-environment framework into one comprehensive model of SOA adoption. In order to validate the research instrument and to gauge the state of SOA adoption, an online survey was conducted among enterprise architects in South African organizations. The survey provides insights in the perceived risks, obstacles but also expected benefits of SOA adoption. The results also highlight a number of factors significantly influencing SOA adoption in South Africa. Use of multiple standards and platforms, compatibility, top management support, good governance and strategy, adequate human and financial resources, vendor support for integration and development tools are all significant factors for a fruitful SOA implementation. Finally, all of the above adoption factors as well as cost and complexity were also found to correlate significantly with the degree of success of the SOA implementation as perceived by the IT or EA department.