Journal of Software Engineering1819-43112152-0941Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/jse.2017.123.133AL-AshmoriAmmar Mutahar RadBabak Bashari IbrahimSuhaimi 22017112Recently, software development industry is one of the most rapidly growing businesses and is considered as worthy economic activity of which the SMEs take the main role in such business. Somehow, most of SMEs cannot afford or successfully implement SPI framework like CMMI officially as a result of the financial requirements and difficulties associated to experience, effort and time constraints. The objective of this study is to present a study that investigates some alterative frameworks for SMEs, which take the advantage of CMMI model and agile approach. This study identifies the alternative frameworks advantages and limitations through a literature review. Additionally, a general comparison is provided to show the gap in this study area with some recommendations as guidelines for development of SPI framework for SMEs, based on CMMI and agile methodologies.]]>Maciaszek, L.A. and B.L. Liong,2006Munoz-Mata, M.A., J. Mejia-Miranda and C. Valtierra-Alvarado,201577115126Kouzari, E., V.C. Gerogiannis, I. Stamelos and G. Kakarontzas,20152015pp: 151159Almomani, M., S. Basri, A. Mahmood and A. Bajeh,20152015pp: 15Iqbal, J., R.B. Ahmad, M.H.N.M. Nasir, M. Niazi, S. Shamshirband and M.A. Noor,2015®-based software process improvement.]]>2015Martins, P.V. and A.R. da Silva,20102010pp: 453458Sommerville, I.,20119th Edn.,Ferreira, M.G. and R.S. Wazlawick,20115134142Pries-Heje, J. and J. Johansen,20102010Herranz, E., R. Colomo-Palacios and A.D.A. Seco,20152015pp: 127-139pp: 127-139Hansen, B., J. Rose and J.G. Tjorneho,200424457472Dangle, K.C., P. Larsen, M. Shaw and M.V. Zelkowitz,2005226875Khan, M.I., M.A. Qureshi and Q. Abbas,20102010pp: 576580Lukasiewicz, K. and J. Miler,20126416422Lina, Z. and S. Dan,20122012pp: 554557Habib, M., S. Ahmed, A. Rehmat, M.J. Khan and S. Shamail,20082008pp: 386391Khurshid, N., P.L. Bannerman and M. Staples,20092009pp: 38-49pp: 38-49Rahman, A.A., S. Sahibuddin and S. Ibrahim,20112011pp: 153158Dagnino, A.,20142014pp: 29282933Miramontes, J., M. Munoz, J.A. Calvo-Manzano and B. Corona,20162016pp: 71-85pp: 71-85Kreimeyer, M. and U. Lindemann,20102010pp: 11191130Khan, A.A.,20162016pp: 15801581Zhang, L. and D. Shao,20112011pp: 24022405