While our technological understanding of service-oriented architecture (SOA) is maturing, an increasing number of companies have started to implement SOA with the goal to improve their IS landscapes' flexibility and their adaptability to changing business requirements. With the spread of SOA and its diverse implementations in practice, companies have reported mixed experiences, which comprise SOA success stories as well as failed SOA implementations. Consequently, decision-makers have the difficult task of evaluating the benefits of SOA in the short and long term - a prerequisite for every SOA business case.
Based on data from 60 SOA initiatives, this paper reviews the current state of SOA realization in industry. Its ultimate goal is to provide a realistic picture of companies' set priorities when implementing SOA, as well as the benefits they have achieved or plan to achieve. Our survey reveals that there are four types of SOA implementers, each of which achieve different benefits depending on the extent to which the SOA concepts and design principles are realized. Our results thereby add a new perspective to the debate on SOA's value and help SOA decision makers understand the consequences of their priorities when implementing SOA.