Lessons on Value Creation From the Open Source Phenomenon: Understanding the Impact of Work Structures, Contracts and Digital Platforms

Abstract

1 MOTIVATION AND PROBLEM STATEMENT In1the current digitally enabled collaborative environment, free (libre) and open source software (FLOSS) projects have become ubiquitous. Increasingly, both individuals as well as organizations are adopting FLOSS as a viable mode of software development because of the multifarious advantages it offers with respect to evolved coordination and motivational mechanisms. Further, organizations are discovering that FLOSS projects are often able to create software that surpasses proprietary software in terms of quality and functionality. For example, in a 2013 study of 750 C/C++ FLOSS projects, it was found that the quality of FLOSS projects surpassed that of proprietary software [1]. Prior research has examined several aspects related to FLOSS project value and has laid the groundwork for a deeper enquiry into the subject (e.g. Crowston, Wei, & Howison, 2012; Howison & Crowston, 2014). By building