International Workshop on Reuse Economics

Traditionally reuse economics has by and large concentrated on return on investment in formal, systematic reuse based on traditional cost-benefit models. Of prime importance in that context was cost savings, and more recently cost avoidance. Reuse was rationalized as a solution to minimizing wasteful consumption of resources through amortization of an artifact’s development cost over multiple uses. The world has evolved since then. First, increased uncertainty in the software sector and technology in general have gradually shifted the focus from cost savings and cost avoidance to strategic issues of value generation, value management and risk. How does reuse create value in the context of strategic business decision-making? Second, the scope of reuse has evolved from type and class libraries to the entire architectural design process. Reuse economics is thus of prime concern when choosing among competing technologies and paradigms, and when applying them in a given context. How can our understanding of reuse economics leverage technical decision-making? Third, the value of software today is determined to a considerable degree by external market forces. What impact does reuse have on market perception of software value? The goal of this workshop was to bring together interested practitioners and researchers to exchange ideas and experiences, discuss current and emerging practices, and introduce next-generation concepts.