diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/CompositeItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/CompositeItemWriter.java
index ff7cffb2a..233034fa5 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/CompositeItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/CompositeItemWriter.java
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
  */
 public class CompositeItemWriter<T> implements ItemWriter<T> {
 
-	private List<ItemWriter<? super T>> delegates;
+	private List<ItemWriter<T>> delegates;
 
-	public void setDelegates(List<ItemWriter<? super T>> delegates) {
+	public void setDelegates(List<ItemWriter<T>> delegates) {
 		this.delegates = delegates;
 	}
 
@@ -25,19 +25,19 @@ public class CompositeItemWriter<T> implements ItemWriter<T> {
 	 * Calls injected ItemProcessors in order.
 	 */
 	public void write(T item) throws Exception {
-		for (ItemWriter<? super T> writer : delegates) {
+		for (ItemWriter<T> writer : delegates) {
 			writer.write(item);
 		}
 	}
 
 	public void clear() throws ClearFailedException {
-		for (ItemWriter<? super T> writer : delegates) {
+		for (ItemWriter<T> writer : delegates) {
 			writer.clear();
 		}
 	}
 
 	public void flush() throws FlushFailedException {
-		for (ItemWriter<? super T> writer : delegates) {
+		for (ItemWriter<T> writer : delegates) {
 			writer.flush();
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformer.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformer.java
index 55f9c47c5..190c7f662 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformer.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformer.java
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ package org.springframework.batch.item.transform;
  * 
  * @author Robert Kasanicky
  */
-public interface ItemTransformer {
+public interface ItemTransformer<I,O> {
 
-	Object transform(Object item) throws Exception;
+	O transform(I item) throws Exception;
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriter.java
index 09a39d3d8..c185e89b1 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriter.java
@@ -10,14 +10,14 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * 
  * @author Robert Kasanicky
  */
-public class ItemTransformerItemWriter extends DelegatingItemWriter {
+public class ItemTransformerItemWriter<I,O> extends DelegatingItemWriter<I,O> {
 
-	private ItemTransformer itemTransformer;
+	private ItemTransformer<I,O> itemTransformer;
 
 	/**
 	 * Transform the item using the {@link #setItemTransformer(ItemTransformer)}.
 	 */
-	protected Object doProcess(Object item) throws Exception {
+	protected O doProcess(I item) throws Exception {
 		return itemTransformer.transform(item);
 	}
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public class ItemTransformerItemWriter extends DelegatingItemWriter {
 	 * @param itemTransformer will transform the item before
 	 * it is passed to {@link ItemWriter}.
 	 */
-	public void setItemTransformer(ItemTransformer itemTransformer) {
+	public void setItemTransformer(ItemTransformer<I,O> itemTransformer) {
 		this.itemTransformer = itemTransformer;
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/CompositeItemWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/CompositeItemWriterTests.java
index 22c174d80..84da253a8 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/CompositeItemWriterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/CompositeItemWriterTests.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
 public class CompositeItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 
 	// object under test
-	private CompositeItemWriter itemProcessor = new CompositeItemWriter();
+	private CompositeItemWriter<Object> itemProcessor = new CompositeItemWriter<Object>();
 	
 	/**
 	 * Regular usage scenario.
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@ public class CompositeItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 	 */
 	public void testProcess() throws Exception {
 		
-		final int NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS = 10;
+		final int NUMBER_OF_WRITERS = 10;
 		Object data = new Object();
 		
-		List<MockControl> controls = new ArrayList<MockControl>(NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS);
-		List<ItemWriter> writers = new ArrayList<ItemWriter>(NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS);
+		List<MockControl> controls = new ArrayList<MockControl>(NUMBER_OF_WRITERS);
+		List<ItemWriter<Object>> writers = new ArrayList<ItemWriter<Object>>(NUMBER_OF_WRITERS);
 		
-		for (int i = 0; i < NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS; i++) {
+		for (int i = 0; i < NUMBER_OF_WRITERS; i++) {
 			MockControl control = MockControl.createStrictControl(ItemWriter.class);
 			ItemWriter writer = (ItemWriter) control.getMock();
 			
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/DelegatingItemWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/DelegatingItemWriterTests.java
index ae7e11046..e60947b58 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/DelegatingItemWriterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/DelegatingItemWriterTests.java
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.support.DelegatingItemWriter;
  */
 public class DelegatingItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 
-	MockControl writerControl = MockControl.createControl(ItemWriter.class);
-	ItemWriter itemWriter;
-	DelegatingItemWriter delegatingWriter;
+	MockControl<ItemWriter> writerControl = MockControl.createControl(ItemWriter.class);
+	ItemWriter<Object> itemWriter;
+	DelegatingItemWriter<Object, Object> delegatingWriter;
 	
 	/* (non-Javadoc)
 	 * @see junit.framework.TestCase#setUp()
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ public class DelegatingItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 	protected void setUp() throws Exception {
 		super.setUp();
 		
-		itemWriter = (ItemWriter)writerControl.getMock();
-		delegatingWriter = new DelegatingItemWriter();
+		itemWriter = writerControl.getMock();
+		delegatingWriter = new DelegatingItemWriter<Object, Object>();
 		delegatingWriter.setDelegate(itemWriter);
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterTests.java
index f2eaeae20..1dc81b8c5 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterTests.java
@@ -12,17 +12,17 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
  */
 public class ItemTransformerItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 
-	private ItemTransformerItemWriter processor = new ItemTransformerItemWriter();
+	private ItemTransformerItemWriter<Object, Object> processor = new ItemTransformerItemWriter<Object, Object>();
 
-	private ItemTransformer transformer;
+	private ItemTransformer<Object, Object> transformer;
 	private ItemWriter<Object> itemWriter;
 
-	private MockControl tControl = MockControl.createControl(ItemTransformer.class);
-	private MockControl outControl = MockControl.createControl(ItemWriter.class);
+	private MockControl<ItemTransformer> tControl = MockControl.createControl(ItemTransformer.class);
+	private MockControl<ItemWriter> outControl = MockControl.createControl(ItemWriter.class);
 
 	protected void setUp() throws Exception {
-		transformer = (ItemTransformer) tControl.getMock();
-		itemWriter = (ItemWriter<Object>) outControl.getMock();
+		transformer = tControl.getMock();
+		itemWriter = outControl.getMock();
 		
 		processor.setItemTransformer(transformer);
 		processor.setDelegate(itemWriter);
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriterTests.java
index 681db1562..895736d95 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriterTests.java
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import org.springframework.xml.transform.StaxResult;
 public class StaxEventItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 
 	// object under test
-	private StaxEventItemWriter writer;
+	private StaxEventItemWriter<Object> writer;
 
 	// output file
 	private Resource resource;
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public class StaxEventItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 	public void testFlush() throws Exception {
 		writer.open(executionContext);
 		InputCheckMarshaller marshaller = new InputCheckMarshaller();
-		MarshallingEventWriterSerializer serializer = new MarshallingEventWriterSerializer(marshaller);
+		MarshallingEventWriterSerializer<Object> serializer = new MarshallingEventWriterSerializer<Object>(marshaller);
 		writer.setSerializer(serializer);
 
 		// see asserts in the marshaller
@@ -274,12 +274,12 @@ public class StaxEventItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 	/**
 	 * @return new instance of fully configured writer
 	 */
-	private StaxEventItemWriter createItemWriter() throws Exception {
-		StaxEventItemWriter source = new StaxEventItemWriter();
+	private StaxEventItemWriter<Object> createItemWriter() throws Exception {
+		StaxEventItemWriter<Object> source = new StaxEventItemWriter<Object>();
 		source.setResource(resource);
 
 		Marshaller marshaller = new SimpleMarshaller();
-		MarshallingEventWriterSerializer serializer = new MarshallingEventWriterSerializer(marshaller);
+		MarshallingEventWriterSerializer<Object> serializer = new MarshallingEventWriterSerializer<Object>(marshaller);
 		source.setSerializer(serializer);
 
 		source.setEncoding("UTF-8");
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/oxm/MarshallingObjectToXmlSerializerTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/oxm/MarshallingObjectToXmlSerializerTests.java
index e967024d4..90b72a9fb 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/oxm/MarshallingObjectToXmlSerializerTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/oxm/MarshallingObjectToXmlSerializerTests.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import org.springframework.oxm.XmlMappingException;
  */
 public class MarshallingObjectToXmlSerializerTests extends TestCase {
 
-	MarshallingEventWriterSerializer xmlSerializer;
+	MarshallingEventWriterSerializer<Object> xmlSerializer;
 
 	MockMarshaller mockMarshaller = new MockMarshaller();
 
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public class MarshallingObjectToXmlSerializerTests extends TestCase {
 	protected void setUp() throws Exception {
 		super.setUp();
 
-		xmlSerializer = new MarshallingEventWriterSerializer(mockMarshaller);
+		xmlSerializer = new MarshallingEventWriterSerializer<Object>(mockMarshaller);
 		writer = new StubXmlEventWriter();
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/callback/ItemReaderRepeatCallbackTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/callback/ItemReaderRepeatCallbackTests.java
index 36e2ce856..ffd281b91 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/callback/ItemReaderRepeatCallbackTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/callback/ItemReaderRepeatCallbackTests.java
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ public class ItemReaderRepeatCallbackTests extends TestCase {
 
 	public void testDoWithRepeat() throws Exception {
 		callback = new ItemReaderRepeatCallback<String>(new ListItemReader<String>(Arrays.asList(new String[] { "foo", "bar" })),
-				new AbstractItemWriter() {
-					public void write(Object data) {
+				new AbstractItemWriter<String>() {
+					public void write(String data) {
 						list.add(data);
 					}
 				});