IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING RESEARCH GAPS IN DEVOPS: TOWARD STANDARDIZED FRAMEWORKS, SECURITY INTEGRATION, AND ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS

DevOps has become a central approach in contemporary software engineering, aiming to accelerate delivery cycles, enhance system reliability, and foster stronger collaboration between development and operations teams. However, despite its broad adoption, many organizations continue to experience inconsistent results, security shortcomings, and challenges in successful implementation. This study explores enduring research gaps in DevOps through the analysis of three closely connected areas: the absence of unified and standardized frameworks, the fragmented incorporation of security practices, and the limited attention given to organizational readiness. Using a survey-based research methodology supported by a critical review of existing literature, the study evaluates empirical insights gathered from DevOps practitioners across multiple industries in conjunction with prior academic research. The results indicate that current DevOps practices are predominantly driven by tools, security is unevenly integrated across the lifecycle, and organizational readiness remains insufficiently theorized and poorly operationalized. This research advances the field by conceptualizing DevOps as a socio-technical system and by outlining an integrative direction to inform future research and practical adoption. The study further discusses implications for theory building, organizational strategy, and the implementation of secure DevOps practices within post-pandemic, distributed work settings.