How Firms Can Strategically Influence Open Source Communities [electronic resource] : The Employment of 'Men on the Inside' /
Lee, Viktor.author.
Firms have discovered that open source (OS) communities can be valuable sources of innovation. However, the access for firms to these communities turned to be intricate. One proven way of how firms can enter OS communities is via their personnel (“men on the inside”). Focusing on firm-sponsored OS communities, Viktor Lee detects the specific functions of MOI and how these individuals influence the community network by applying a comparative case study of two OSS firms. A netnographic and social network analysis of the community interactions of over 12,000 individuals was conducted. He concludes that firms can succeed in integrating a community into the firm’s development process with the help of the MOI.
Description based upon print version of record.
Vorwort/Preface; Acknowledgement; CONTENTS; Abstract; List of figures; List of tables and equations; List of abbreviations; Part A: Theoretical foundation; 1 Introduction; 1.1 Motivation of the dissertation; 1.2 Research objectives; 1.3 Structure of the dissertation; 2 Phenomenological background; 2.1 Men on the inside (MOI); 2.2 Community-based innovation; 2.3 Open source innovation; 2.3.1 Open source research; 2.3.1.1 A retrospection on the history of open source; 2.3.2 A bibliometric investigation in the field of open source innovation; 2.3.2.1 Methodology
2.3.2.2 Collection of bibliometric data2.3.2.3 Data analysis and representation; 2.3.3 Taking stock of the OSI research field; 2.3.3.1 Central problems and findings; 2.3.3.2 Social patterns of OSI: authors and networks; 2.3.3.3 The outlets of OSI; 2.3.4 Epistemological foundations and anchoring; 2.3.4.1 Most-cited documents; 2.3.4.2 Co-citation network clusters; 2.3.4.3 Reference to other dominant paradigms; 2.4 Implications of bibliometric findings and research gaps; 3 Theoretical foundation; 3.1 Theoretical building blocks and framework; 3.1.1 The management of (open source) innovation
3.1.2 Theoretical puzzles to explain and explore MOI3.2 Resource-based view; 3.3 Knowledge-based view; 3.4 Dynamic capabilities; 3.4.1 The borderline of resources and capabilities; 3.4.2 Classification and dimensions of capabilities; 3.5 Theories of key individuals in the innovation process; 3.5.1 Boundary spanners; 3.5.1.1 Characteristics of boundary spanning; 3.5.1.2 Roles of boundary spanners; 3.5.1.3 Boundary spanning in OSS communities; 3.5.2 Promotors; 3.5.2.1 Characteristics of promotors; 3.5.2.2 Roles of promotors; 3.6 Embeddedness and social capital; 3.6.1 Embeddedness
3.6.2 Social capital3.7 Research questions, propositions and hypotheses; Part B: Qualitative empirical study; 4 Case studies; 4.1 Case study approach; 4.1.1 Multilevel case study; 4.1.2 Case study framework; 4.2 Selection of comparative case studies; 4.2.1 Identification of cases; 4.2.2 eZ; 4.2.3 SilverStripe; 4.3 Interviews; 4.3.1 Semi-structured interviews; 4.3.2 Interview question design; 4.4 Netnographic analysis; 4.4.1 Transitioning from ethnography to netnography; 4.4.2 Netnographic software tool; 4.5 Data collection and processing (interviews & netnographic analysis)
4.5.1 Semi-structured interviews4.5.2 Netnographic database; 4.5.2.1 Forum data; 4.5.2.2 Data collection; 4.6 Case study validity; 5 Results; 5.1 Typology of MOI; 5.2 The capabilities of MOI; 5.2.1 Information processing; 5.2.2 External representation of the firm; 5.2.3 Providing expertise; 5.2.4 Managing processes; 5.2.5 Managing relations; 5.2.6 The impact of capabilities on resources; 5.3 Capability patterns (results from the netnographic analysis); 5.3.1 Information processing; 5.3.2 External representation; 5.3.3 Providing expertise; 5.3.4 Managing processes; 5.3.5 Managing relations
5.3.6 Overview of netnographic results
Diss.-- Technische Universitat Hamburg-Harburg, 2011.
Includes bibliographical references.
Firms have discovered that open source (OS) communities can be valuable sources of innovation. However, the access for firms to these communities turned to be intricate. One proven way of how firms can enter OS communities is via their personnel (“men on the inside”). Focusing on firm-sponsored OS communities, Viktor Lee detects the specific functions of MOI and how these individuals influence the community network by applying a comparative case study of two OSS firms. A netnographic and social network analysis of the community interactions of over 12,000 individuals was conducted. He concludes that firms can succeed in integrating a community into the firm’s development process with the help of the MOI.
Management.
Industrial management.
Innovation/Technology Management.