Examining Users’ Contribution in Open Source Software Communities

Abstract

ABSTRACT Open source software (OSS) communities rely on the high-quality codes contributed by community members. However, users often tend to acquire codes from the community and are reluctant to contribute their knowledge. Integrating the motivational theory and social capital theory, this article intends to explore users’ contribution in OSS communities. A mixed method of SEM and fsQCA was used to perform data analysis. We found that intrinsic motivations (flow experience and self-efficacy), extrinsic motivations (perceived reputation and reciprocity), social interaction ties, community identification, and common language positively affect users’ contribution intention. Trust has no effect on the contribution intention. The fsQCA results indicated that flow experience, perceived reputation, reciprocity and trust are the common core conditions of four configurations leading to contribution intention. The results suggest that OSS communities need to be concerned with users’ motivations and develop social capital in order to encourage their contribution.