Maintaining the Heterogeneity in the Organization of Software Engineering Research
Yang Yue, Zheng Jiang, Yi Wang
TL;DR
The paper argues that software engineering benefits from a heterogeneous research ecosystem comprising funded, large-team work and hands-on, small-team inquiry. It analyzes how funding-driven incentives skew practice toward incremental results, erode mentorship, and suppress action research, while outlining two possible futures: one where the funded model dominates and another where hands-on approaches endure. By highlighting the value of both modes and the risks of homogenization, the authors urge the SE community to actively maintain heterogeneity to sustain innovation, relevance, and engagement with industry. The work emphasizes conceptual contrasts rather than empirical results, offering a policy-oriented perspective on research organization. Its practical impact lies in guiding researchers and institutions to balance incentives, mentorship, and methodological diversity.
Abstract
The heterogeneity in the organization of software engineering (SE) research historically exists, i.e., funded research model and hands-on model, which makes software engineering become a thriving interdisciplinary field in the last 50 years. However, the funded research model is becoming dominant in SE research recently, indicating such heterogeneity has been seriously and systematically threatened. In this essay, we first explain why the heterogeneity is needed in the organization of SE research, then present the current trend of SE research nowadays, as well as the consequences and potential futures. The choice is at our hands, and we urge our community to seriously consider maintaining the heterogeneity in the organization of software engineering research.