Bazaar by design: Managing interfirm exchanges in an open source service network

Joseph Feller, Patrick Finnegan, Brian Fitzgerald, Jeremy Hayes

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

As in many other sectors, competitive necessities are driving open source software companies to participate in cooperative business networks in order to offer the complete product and service offerings demanded by customers. This paper examines one such emerging business network archetype: an open source service network (OSSN). This type of business network is of particular interest as it not only addresses key challenges vis-à-vis OSS commercialization, but operates in a manner that overcomes exchange problems among participants by relying primarily on social mechanisms. The paper reveals the manifestation of social mechanisms in OSSNs and how these are used for coordinating and safeguarding exchanges between firms. Specifically, we illustrate the importance of (1) restricted access, (2) assessing the reputation of others, (3) a shared macroculture (goals and norms), and (4) collective sanctions for punishing firms who violate these goals and norms.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInformation Technology in the Service Economy
Subtitle of host publicationChallenges and Possibilities for the 21st Century: IFIP TC8 WG8.2 International Working Conference August 10-13, 2008, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
EditorsMichael Barrett, Elizabeth Davidson, Catherine Middleton, Janice DeGross
Pages173-188
Number of pages16
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008

Publication series

NameIFIP International Federation for Information Processing
Volume267
ISSN (Print)1571-5736

Keywords

  • Interorganizational systems
  • Network governance
  • Open source service network
  • Social mechanisms

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