Strategic Release and Co-Creation: Empirical Insights for Managing Open Source Software
45 Pages Posted: 6 Mar 2018 Last revised: 19 Dec 2023
Date Written: December 12, 2023
Abstract
Open-source software (OSS) is increasingly essential in business operations, but managing OSS projects is complex due to their open and collaborative nature. This complexity is particularly evident in release dynamics and user community co-creation, which have been largely underexplored and lack empirical analysis. In our study, we develop a dynamic structural model to analyze decision-making in OSS release and co-creation processes. Our findings demonstrate that OSS project outcomes are positively associated with new releases and co-creation efforts. In addition, it is also important for projects to weigh these benefits against the incurred costs. We highlight the role of team capacity as a crucial determinant of the costs of release and co-creation decisions. Through counterfactual simulations, we examine how additional resources impact OSS projects, offering insights into optimal resource allocation and strategic responses for project managers. These findings have broader applications in the management of technology-driven, crowd-sourced new product co-creation, extending beyond the scope of open-source software development and adoption.
Keywords: Release Decisions, Co-creation, Community Engagement, Open Source Software, Structural Model
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