Interpretation and Discussion of Empirical Measures

Abstract

I consider open source communities to be strategic assets for firms. They are a source of inspiration for new ideas, a forum for product refinement and design, as well as representing opportunities for product creation and exploitation. Nevertheless, open source communities rely on the voluntary contributions of participants providing new input of content, developing innovative outcomes, suggesting product improvements, managing the community organization, and distributing the community good. Attracting contributors is a key challenge for communities and the focus of this study. Participation does not follow a classic hierarchy, but depends on the satisfaction of user needs. I aim to discover user preferences and tradeoff decisions with respect to community determinants promoting the choice of a particular community.