This thesis describes interpretative ideographic research using differences from a longitudinal questionnaire poll of the Information Systems (IS) development community of Hong Kong to identify those practitioners' organisations which are quickly adapting to changes in their environments. A maturity model of IS development practice, which is the main contribution of this research, was derived from the IS development literature. A number of case studies of the quickly adapting organisations in Hong Kong have been carried out with the intention of verifying the construct and utility of this model. The model examines an organisation's IS development practice through a number of dimensions. The dimensions are formed into the acronym AMMUS. The first such dimension is the degree of automation in the practice. Next is the sophistication of the methodologies deployed by the practitioners discerned from the rigour of application of the methodology, the form of the sequence in which stages of the development process may be visited and the paradigms on which the methodology is based. Another dimension of the model is the concern of the practitioners for measuring the quality and effectiveness of their work. User involvement is the next dimension and the way in which this is practised is arranged in a sequence. Finally, the scope of the problems normally tackled and the stages of the problem solving process are posited as useful dimensions for assessing the practice. The model has been found to be resilient and useful. It has been discovered that the use of certain of the dimensions of the model must be tempered with knowledge of additional factors. However, the model is found to be a useful tool for indicating to IS development management where their attentions are most likely to yield significant benefits.