This research investigates the premise that the likelihood of success of software reuse efforts may vary with the reuse strategy employed and hence, potential reuse adopters must be able to understand reuse strategy alternatives and their implications. We use survey data collected from seventy-one software development groups to empirically develop a set of six dimensions that describe the practices employed in reuse programs. The study investigates the patterns in which these practices co-occur in the real world, demonstrating that the dimensions cluster into five distinct reuse strategies, each with a different potential for reuse success. The findings provide a means to classify reuse settings and assess their potential for success.
