Beilak A. Aliev Hegel's Dialectical Method in Analyzing the Evolution of the Software Development Industry

DOI: 10.38050/2078-3809-2026-18-3-9-36

Abstract

The article presents a methodological approach to analysing the evolution of the software development industry based on G.W.F. Hegel's dialectical method. The central analytical principle is the idea of development through internal contradictions, reflected in the logic of the formation and removal (Aufhebung) of opposites as a key mechanism for the self-development of concepts and systems. Within the framework of the study, the Hegelian approach correlates with the provisions subsequently formulated in Marxist philosophy as dialectical laws – development through contradictions (instead of the opposition of ‘unity and struggle of opposites’), the transition from quantitative to qualitative changes, and the negation of negation – interpreted in this work as instrumental models for describing the stages of transformation of technological and organisational paradigms in the field of software development. Particular attention is paid to the application of the principle of movement from the abstract to the concrete, including in the interpretation of E.V. Ilyenkov, for the formalisation of historical and logical analysis of transitions between development methodologies (Waterfall, Agile, DevOps) and modern forms, conditioned by the spread of generative neural networks, low-code/no-code solutions, and intelligent automation. The scientific and practical value of applying the dialectical method in the context of analysing high-tech industries is substantiated. The article proposes a metamodel of dialectical analysis, intended for subsequent implementation in system dynamics and agent-based modelling tools. The work is philosophical and methodological in nature and is focused on forming an operational basis for further empirical and simulation studies. The limitations of the proposed approach and directions for further research are also considered, including the potential for predicting future changes in the software industry under the influence of artificial intelligence systems.

Keywords: dialectical method, Hegel, software development, evolution of the software industry, software development methodologies, Waterfall, Agile, DevOps, computer science, LLM, AI, low-code, no-code.

JEL: C18, C63, C87.

For citation: Aliev, B.N. (2026) Hegel's Dialectical Method in Analyzing the Evolution of the Software Development Industry. Scientific Research of Faculty of Economics. Electronic Journal, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 9-36. DOI: 10.38050/2078-3809-2026-18-3-9-36.

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