Investigating open source software creators through the lens of an entrepreneur

Richard G. Mathieu, Jeffrey L. May and Harry L. Reif

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2017, vol. 21, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: The purpose of our research is to explore the characteristics of the creators of open source software (OSS) and to determine if there is a connection between OSS creators and entrepreneurs. We begin with a review of the literature on OSS and entrepreneurship, and then develop a conceptual model that seeks to define what it means to be an entrepreneur. We use the conceptual model as a lens to examine if OSS creators can be classified as entrepreneurs via an exploratory multiple-case research approach based on OSSprojects found in the SourceForge repository. Our study establishes an association between the characteristics of an OSS creator and an entrepreneur.

Keywords: innovation; case study; open source software; OSS developers; open innovation; software development; entrepreneurs; entrepreneurship; conceptual modelling; entrepreneurial characteristics. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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