Why Develop Open Source Software? The Role of Non-Pecuniary Benefits, Monetary Rewards and Open Source Licence Type

Robert Sauer

No 3197, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: A review of the basic theory of optimal open-source software contributions points to three key factors affecting supply: non-pecuniary benefits, future expected monetary returns, and open-source licence type. This paper argues that existing large-scale software developer surveys are inadequate for measuring the relative importance of these three factors. Moreover, previous econometric studies that collect their own unique datasets generally measure the importance of only one supply factor in isolation. To fill the gap, I specify a dynamic programming model of joint labour supply and open-source contribution decisions that can provide empirical estimates of relative importance within a single unified framework.

Keywords: open-source; labour supply; dynamic programming; software (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C61 C80 J24 J44 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 28 pages
Date: 2007-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ino, nep-ipr and nep-pr~
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published - published in: Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 2007, 23 (4), 605-619

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Related works:
Journal Article: Why develop open-source software? The role of non-pecuniary benefits, monetary rewards, and open-source licence type (2007)
Working Paper: Why develop open-source software? The role of non-pecuniary benefits, monetary rewards, and open-source licence type (2007)
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