Assessing the Generalizability of Mobile Software Engineering Research Through Combined Systematic Methods

Mobile Software Engineering has emerged as a distinct subfield, raising questions about the transferability of its research findings to general Software Engineering. This paper addresses the challenge of evaluating the generalizability of mobile-specific research, using Green Computing as a representative case. We propose a systematic method that combines a mapping study to identify potentially overlooked mobile-specific papers with a focused literature review to assess their broader relevance. Applying this approach, we find that several mobile-specific studies offer insights applicable beyond their original context, particularly in areas such as energy efficiency guidelines, measurement, and trade-offs. The results demonstrate that systematic identification and evaluation can reveal valuable contributions for the wider Software Engineering community. The proposed method provides a structured framework for future research to assess the generalizability of findings from specialized domains, fostering greater integration and knowledge transfer across Software Engineering disciplines.