Strategic Analysis Towards Deriving Competitive Advantage with the Use of FOSS: The Case of a South African University

Abstract

The Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) presents certain freedoms in the use of software that could enhance the impact of ICT in the society while the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) is yet to fully utilize these freedoms to their advantage. This study seeks ways of deriving competitive advantage with the use of FOSS in South African universities with specific reference to TUT. In other to achieve the above, the basics, problems and the benefits of FOSS are reviewed. Thereafter, the successful implementation of FOSS both in a developed country and a developing country are looked at. Furthermore, to enable an assessment of the possible impact of FOSS towards deriving competitive advantage, a SWOT analysis representing a synthesis between FOSS Strongpoint's, Weak points, and the Opportunities and Threats is presented in the South African context. Also done is an analysis based on the PESTE framework to identify the driving forces of change within the South African society in general as they relate to Political, Economic, Social Technological and Environmental factors that could have affected FOSS adoption. Similarly, Porter's 5 fundamental competitive forces are used to analyse the current FOSS phenomena towards the goal of enhancing FOSS adoption. A synthesis of these led to recommendations and concludes the study as a step towards increasing the awareness of FOSS and convincing users about the immense possibilities enabled by the silent revolution its double freedom in its enhanced form of Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) phenomenon towards deriving competitive advantage.