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Why develop open source software? The relative importance of non-pecuniary benefits, monetary rewards and open source licence type

Why develop open source software? The relative importance of non-pecuniary benefits, monetary rewards and open source licence type
Why develop open source software? The relative importance of non-pecuniary benefits, monetary rewards and open source licence type
A review of the basic theory of optimal open-source software contributions points to three key factors affecting the decision to contribute to the open-source development process: 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. Previous econometric studies that collect their own unique datasets also fall short because they generally measure the importance of only one supply factor in isolation. To fill the gap, I specify an estimable dynamic programming model of joint labour supply and open-source participation decisions that can provide empirical estimates of relative importance within a single unified framework of optimal decision-making.
software, open source, labour supply, dynamic programming
0266-903X
605-619
Sauer, Robert M.
60335a9a-c607-4934-8fa0-3942b46d1373
Sauer, Robert M.
60335a9a-c607-4934-8fa0-3942b46d1373

Sauer, Robert M. (2007) Why develop open source software? The relative importance of non-pecuniary benefits, monetary rewards and open source licence type. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 23 (4), 605-619. (doi:10.1093/oxrep/grm034).

Record type: Article

Abstract

A review of the basic theory of optimal open-source software contributions points to three key factors affecting the decision to contribute to the open-source development process: 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. Previous econometric studies that collect their own unique datasets also fall short because they generally measure the importance of only one supply factor in isolation. To fill the gap, I specify an estimable dynamic programming model of joint labour supply and open-source participation decisions that can provide empirical estimates of relative importance within a single unified framework of optimal decision-making.

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Published date: 2007
Keywords: software, open source, labour supply, dynamic programming

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 51826
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/51826
ISSN: 0266-903X
PURE UUID: 5673709a-45d8-4b6b-883b-a56a571401fa

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Date deposited: 03 Jun 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 10:18

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Author: Robert M. Sauer

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