Multi-level framework of open source software adoption

Wen Guang Qu, Zhiyong Yang and Zhongming Wang

Journal of Business Research, 2011, vol. 64, issue 9, 997-1003

Abstract: Numerous studies examine potential facilitators and inhibitors of open source software (OSS) adoption at the firm level. This study represents the first attempt to propose and test a multi-level framework, examining the effects of five country-level variables and two under-explored firm-level factors on firm OSS adoption. The findings suggest that a country's uncertainty avoidance orientation has a positive impact on OSS adoption, whereas power distance orientation and economic development have a negative impact on OSS adoption. In addition, uncertainty avoidance at the country level sets boundaries for the effect of firm-level IT-based networks in a way that the impact of proprietary IT-based networks becomes stronger, but that of open IT-based networks becomes weaker when uncertainty avoidance is high rather than low. The study also develops public policy implications from these findings.

Keywords: Multi-level; OSS; adoption; Uncertainty; avoidance; Power; distance; Individualism; IT; competence; Economic; development; IT-based; networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:64:y:2011:i:9:p:997-1003

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