posted on 2012-01-25, 15:42authored byMaha Shaikh, Tony Cornford
Among various forms of innovation in industry structures and business models an increasing number of companies have
shown interest in aligning themselves to an open source software model as a means to capture intellectual energy, productive
software processes and relevant technical skills. This is evident both within small and niche businesses, but also within the
largest companies – a phenomenon known as open-sourcing. This paper presents findings from a field study of open-sourcing
of software development within two large, global technology companies. It reports on the ways in which open-sourcing is
accommodated within the corporate context, and assesses the innovative strategies managers use as they engage with this
phenomenon and seek to work co-operatively with open source communities. The analysis focuses on three primary areas
that emerge from the data and which are seen to require particular attention in such organizations; license and IPR regime;
community approach; and a modified development process.
History
Publication
The 15th Americas Conference on Informations Systems (AMCIS);2009