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2011 | Buch

Open Source Product Development

The Meaning and Relevance of Openness

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Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Focus and scope

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Introduction
Abstract
A striking phenomenon in recent years has been the rise of open source software. Source codes are freely revealed via the Internet, allowing geographically distributed programmers to download and utilize the software, to suggest improvements to the community, or to make modifications themselves and to redistribute their modified code. A large number of successful examples of open source software programs have been developed and extensive research has been undertaken to analyze this phenomenon from different perspectives (von Krogh & von Hippel, 2006b).
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 2. Definition of terms
Abstract
Collaboration is a well-known attribute of online, multi-contributor projects such as open source software projects (Raymond, 1999a).
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 3. Perspectives from prior literature
Abstract
It is hard to imagine any topic more central to society than innovation. All change, whether revolutionary or evolutionary, requires innovation (Schumpeter, 1911, 1934).
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 4. Research design and methodology
Abstract
In the following chapter I attempt to clarify what will be studied throughout this thesis and how the data will be collected and analyzed. The term ‘Open Source Innovation’ will be defined and a conceptual framework for studying this topic will be presented. Along this framework I develop a more detailed set of questions for my research and propose resulting propositions to connect questions to data. In the last section my combination of research methodologies to best approach these questions and study the phenomenon of open source innovation will be explained.
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 5. Study 1: The open design landscape
Abstract
Until recently, limitations to the availability of successful empirical examples of open design projects have caused a noticeable gap in the scientific literature. In the following chapter I provide a quantitative study (n = 104) of relevant projects. My goal is to explore the landscape of open source development in the world of atoms, to analyze project characteristics, structures, and success, and to investigate similarities and dissimilarities to open source software development.
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 6. Study 2: Open design of tangible goods – A comparative case study
Abstract
At this early stage of research on the open design phenomenon keeping an encompassing view seems advantageous as discussed in Chapter 4. Drawing on six comparative case studies, I analyze the workings of open design in the following chapter.
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 7. Intermediate conclusions and implications for proceeding
Abstract
The potential of external volunteers for product (co-)development was demonstrated starkly by the success of OSS development in recent years. In view of this phenomenon, many experts from academia and practice suggest that the ‘open source model’ may be applicable to other industries. This assumption notwithstanding, little is known about the preconditions, opportunities and barriers of OS development in other domains, especially concerning the open design of physical products (Lerner & Tirole, 2002). My first two empirical studies aim to point out the recent upsurge of practical cases (Chapter 5 treating research question 1) and to derive first tentative findings on the mechanism of the open design model of new product development (Chapter 6 treating research question 2).
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 8. Survey approach
Abstract
To investigate the meaning and importance of openness from a community’s perspective, I need to approach open design projects. I hence decided to conduct a web-based questionnaire survey in 20 communities associated with projects developing physical products following an open source development methodology. The focus of this research is to explore the relevance of openness and its aspects and to draw conclusions on developer satisfaction. Particularly the difference between software and hardware components shall be investigated in close detail.
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 9. Study 3: The meaning of openness is not trivial
Abstract
In the following chapter one- and two-sample t-tests are performed to support or reject my research hypotheses blocks H1, H2, and H3 based on my survey results. I aim to analyze respondent’s attitude towards the importance of openness and its aspects and differences in these regards between software and hardware. In addition general perceptions of different degrees of openness shall be investigated.
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 10. Study 4: How openness impacts developer’s satisfaction and their contribution
Abstract
My third empirical study strikingly reveals that openness is important to developer communities and that this is not just a matter of course. Openness of software components is more important than openness of hardware components. Replicability is perceived less important than accessibility and transparency. Highly active developers indicate higher importance ratings than less active developers, while the duration of participation does not influence the indicated importance.
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 11. Discussion of findings
Abstract
In this thesis I argue that open source development does indeed seem feasible for tangible products and that open design is a rapidly evolving field holding a lot of opportunities.
Kerstin Balka
Chapter 12. Conclusions
Abstract
This research is grounded in the theory on productive resources and dynamic capabilities. Following Sanchez (2004), for example, firm-addressable resources outside a firm can and should be used to complement internal resources and capabilities. Chesbrough et al. (2006) were one of the first who systematically emphasized that firms can and should use external ideals and internal ideas, and internal and external paths to market, as they look to advance their technology. A concept, which they named open innovation and which today is widely accepted in theory and practice.
Kerstin Balka
Backmatter
Metadaten
Titel
Open Source Product Development
verfasst von
Kerstin Balka
Copyright-Jahr
2011
Verlag
Gabler
Electronic ISBN
978-3-8349-6949-1
Print ISBN
978-3-8349-3153-5
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-8349-6949-1