Abstract
This study explores the managerial perspectives towards open source software and networked innovation. We analysed six software companies who use open source software as a significant part of their product or service offering. The study found notable differences in managerial attitudes, expected benefits and key challenges related to open source software and its role in innovative activities. While all companies were using same pieces of software with open source communities, there were different levels of engagement in the development of the software and information flows between companies and communities. A deeper level of involvement enables the exchange of more than just the code: like ideas, influences, opinions and even innovations or parts of them. The differences in managerial views on open source and networked innovation may be explained by industry domains, value chain position and leadership style
Highlights
Various business models based on free and open source software (FLOSS) have been widely studied in academia (e.g. Bonaccorsi et al 2004, Favaro and Pfleeger 2011, Spiller and Wichmann 2002, Lerner and Tirole 2002)
This study was born from a desire to understand key factors and determinants that turn companies into ‘passive exploiters’ or ‘active contributors’ in FLOSS.The focus is on analysing the difference in managerial perspectives towards open source and networked innovation
The selected research approach is a multiple case study of six software companies which all utilise FLOSS intensively but differ in terms of their engagement with FLOSS communities.Theory-wise, the study benefits from Chesbrough’s (2003, 2006) open innovation paradigm and, builds on the difference between ‘external innovation’ and ‘open innovation’ which was proposed by West and Gallagher (2004, 2006)
Summary
Various business models based on free and open source software (FLOSS) have been widely studied in academia (e.g. Bonaccorsi et al 2004, Favaro and Pfleeger 2011, Spiller and Wichmann 2002, Lerner and Tirole 2002). There seems to be relatively little research into why some open source companies take a very proactive role as FLOSS developers/advocates while others only use publicly available FLOSS resources and minimise any community involvement. This difference is not evident from FLOSS business-model literature because most known business models can be linked with either approach. The selected research approach is a multiple case study of six software companies which all utilise FLOSS intensively but differ in terms of their engagement with FLOSS communities.Theory-wise, the study benefits from Chesbrough’s (2003, 2006) open innovation paradigm and, builds on the difference between ‘external innovation’ and ‘open innovation’ which was proposed by West and Gallagher (2004, 2006). External innovators mostly attempt to ‘work around’ conflicts of interest with FLOSS communities, while open innovators seek to establish maximum synergy with them to reap the benefits of pooled R&D
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