Software Selection ProcessOrganizations are constantly looking to incorporate the latest technology into their business to increase efficiency, reduce costs, support growth and generally improve the way they the company operates. A company can choose to upgrade existing software, create a custom application, or purchase a new system that will meet the needs according to the defined requirements. After doing due diligence, a company may realize that it is underutilizing existing software and find that upgrading is a viable solution that will meet business needs. In the past, many companies believed they could reduce costs by building their own custom software, but this strategy often proved more costly with product management difficulties. Selecting and purchasing software for business needs is often the most justifiable option when considering a software vendor that has an established reputation for quality products, excellent product support, and proven expertise in your field. Based on the three options provided, this document will focus on the process of selecting new software. Shareholder issues and strategies will also be addressed before a discussion on how the software application will meet the needs of the company. Finally, decision matrices and criteria for a thoughtful evaluation of the software will be provided. Software Selection Process Organizations must continually review tools and applications to determine the need to refine and improve existing processes for efficiency or to prepare for anticipated growth. Both needs could make a difference in the company's level of competitiveness within individual sectors. Often a review of existing processes will lead to a breakthrough implementation...... halfway through the document ......success. ReferencesBurns, M. (2007, December). Top 10 mistakes in software selection. CA Magazine, 140(10), 14.Ellis, D., & Banerjea, D. (2007). Software selection successful. Quality, 46(8), 44-46,48. Retrieved September 12, 2008 from the ABI/INFORM Global database. Roberts, T. (2000, April 1). Perceptions of stakeholder involvement in implementing system development methodologies. Retrieved September 13, 2008, from http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/1155106-1.htmlShenk-Evans, D., & Zamor, R. (2007, April). Software selection. Community of IT Innovators (CITI). Retrieved September 12, 2008, from http://www.citidc.com/doc/whitepapers/CITI_SoftwareSelection.pdfSteps in the software selection process. (2008). International technology group. Retrieved September 12, 2008, from http://www.tgiltd.com/Software_Selection_Process_Steps.pdf.