Knowledge Commons and Open Access[edit | edit source]
Understanding Knowledge as a Commons: From Theory to Practice. Edited by Charlotte Hess and Elinor Ostrom. MIT Press Cambridge: MA, 2007. Hardcover
Introduction by Hess and Ostrom: An Overview of Knowledge Commons This book provides essential overview of main themes dealing with open access, open source, knowledge commons and knowledge sharing. Contains 12 essays from various authors on three main sub-sections:
I. Studying the Knowledge Commons
II. Protecting the Knowledge Commons
III. Building New Knowledge Commons
Detailed Chapter contents and sample chapters: "MIT press website"
Open Source[edit | edit source]
Clive Thompson, "Build It. Share It. Profit. Can Open Source Hardware Work?," Wired Magazine, October 10, 2008, http://www.wired.com/techbiz/startups/magazine/16-11/ff_openmanufacturing?currentPage=all.
This article describes the open hardware business model and gives many examples of companies that are currently open sourcing their technologies. The many justifications for open-sourcing hardware include that hardware is able to be reverse engineered so easily that all hardware is virtually open source, and that costs are reduced significantly for the company because there are so many users adding input to the product. Two business models that are used are: *Service model: while units are sold, the majority of the profits are made through the selling of the services that no one but inventor could provide. *Compete: Understand that the products could be sold elsewhere for less, but try to stay ahead of the game. This works when the devices produced en masse in China are not the same quality that the inventor can provide. These models often work because when one opens the designs to a device, that person receives much acclaim in the hacker world. Other times, the inventor doesn't care about making a profit, for example David Rowe, who wants his telephone routers to be made cheaply for the developing world. Examples of open source companies include: Name Product Why it works Arduino Circuit boards They sells their services; people wanting to develop products (device that tells you when to water your plant) contact them for consulting support. When improvements are made to their products by users, they learn about them and change they product accordingly. Also, their product got a lot of free advertising by being open source (within the OS community, of course). VIA Lap tops WRT54G Wireless routers They are based on Linux, so hackers could make improvement on the device, increasing its value greatly, and thus the product could be improved and resold. David Rowe Telephone routers He actually wants firms in China to mass reproduce his product so that the cheapest possible router can be sold to the developing world. He was able to make improvements very quickly because he connected with other hackers online, thus decreasing R&D time and cost. Other interesting examples include IMB paying workers to contribute to Linux debugging; according to a prof at MIT, this model could be used to allow open source cars to be developed
Josh Lerner and Jean Tirole, (2002), Some Simple Economics of Open Source, The Journal of Industrial Economics, Volume 50, no. 2, pages 197-234, DOI: 10.1111/1467-6451.00174
- Abstract
There has been a recent surge of interest in open source software development, which involves developers at many different locations and organizations sharing code to develop and refine programs. To an economist, the behavior of individual programmers and commercial companies engaged in open source projects is initially startling. This paper makes a preliminary exploration of the economics of open source software. We highlight the extent to which labor economics, especially the literature on 'career concerns', and industrial organization theory can explain many of these projects' features. We conclude by listing interesting research questions related to open source software.
Lerner, Josh and Jean Tirole. (2005), The Economics Of Technology Sharing: Open Source and Beyond, Journal of Economic Perspectives, v19(2,Spring), 99-120.
- Abstract
This paper reviews our understanding of the growing open source movement. We highlight how many aspects of open source software appear initially puzzling to an economist. As we have acknowledge, our ability to answer confidently many of the issues raised here questions is likely to increase as the open source movement itself grows and evolves. At the same time, it is heartening to us how much of open source activities can be understood within existing economic frameworks, despite the presence of claims to the contrary. The labor and industrial organization literatures provide lenses through which the structure of open source projects, the role of contributors, and the movement's ongoing evolution can be viewed.
Georg von Krogh and Eric von Hippel, (2006),The Promise of Research on Open Source Software. Management Science 52, 7; pg. 975- 983 DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.1060.0560
- Abstract
Breaking with many established assumptions about how innovation ought to work, open source software projects offer eye-opening examples of novel innovation practices for students and practitioners in many fields. In this article we briefly review existing research on the open source phenomenon and discuss the utility of open source software research findings for many other fields. We categorize the research into three areas: motivations of open source software contributors; governance, organization, and the process of innovation in open source software projects; and competitive dynamics enforced by open source software. We introduce the articles in this special issue of Management Science on open source software, and show how each contributes insights to one or more of these areas.
Cristina Gacek and Budi Arief.(2004). The many meanings of open source, In Software, IEEE, Volume 21 Issue 1, Pages 34 - 40
- Abstract
Many software development methodologies are called "open source." However simply stating that a project is open source doesn't precisely describe the approach used to support the project. A multidisciplinary viewpoint can help determine those characteristics that are common to open source projects and those that vary among projects. These characteristics form the basis for a taxonomy of open source projects that's useful for analyzing and setting up projects. They also provide a starting point for understanding what "open source" means.
Richard Doyle, Erick Froede,David Saint John,Richard Devon, (2010) Understanding Open Source Design: A White Paper, In the Beginning Was the Noösphere: Community and Collaboration in Open Source Evolution of Technology, ASEE Proceedings, 2010.
Niels C. Taubert, "Balancing Requirements of Decision and Action: Decision-Making and Implementation in Free/Open Source Software Projects," Science, Technology & Innovation Studies 4, no. 1 (July 2008): 69-88.
Timo Pykäläinen, "Model for profiting from software innovations in the new era in computing," Technovation 27, no. 4 (April 2007): 179-193, doi:10.1016/j.technovation.2006.11.005.
The paper approaches the subject of open source software (OSS) from a slightly different perspective – it compares open and closed business models and examines the way companies go about profiting in these scenarios. It includes a very extensive literature review of innovation in business. It also includes a new model: a 3x3x3 matrix describing the relationships between technology, ideology and complementary assets.
Dell Nagy, Areej M. Yassin and Anol1 Bhattacherjee. 2010. Organizational adoption of open source software: Barriers and remedies. Communications of the ACM. vol.53 iss.3 pg.148 -151
- Abstract:
The article discusses barriers to greater adoption by firms of open-source software, and ways of surmounting those barriers. Barriers identified are: knowledge/ awareness, Legacy integration, Forking, Sunk costs and Technological immaturity. In some instances firms aren't aware that open-source options exist for their software needs. Perceptions of steep learning curves for open-source products can sometimes discourage a company, as can the existence of mission-critical, legacy software that open-source applications may not be compatible with. The Web site www.SourceForge.net provides an updated archive of open-source applications. Technology such as eXtensible markup language (XML) can be used to integrate legacy programs with open-source ones.
John Willinsky, (2005), The unacknowledged convergence of open source, open access, and open science, First Monday, Volume 10, Issue 8
- Abstract
A number of open initiatives are actively resisting the extension of intellectual property rights. Among these developments, three prominent instances (open source software, open access to research and scholarship, and open science) share not only a commitment to the unrestricted exchange of information and ideas, but economic principles based on (1) the efficacy of free software and research; (2) the reputation-building afforded by public access and patronage; and, (3) the emergence of a free-or-subscribe access model.
Krishnamurthy, Sandeep,An Analysis of Open Source Business Models. MAKING SENSE OF THE BAZAAR: PERSPECTIVES ON OPEN SOURCE AND FREE SOFTWARE, Joseph Feller, Brian Fitzgerald, Scott Hissam and Karim Lakhani, eds., MIT Press, Forthcoming. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=650001
Andrea Bonaccorsi and Cristina Rossi, "Why Open Source software can succeed," Research Policy 32, no. 7 (July 2003): 1243-1258, doi:10.1016/S0048-7333(03)00051-9.
- Abstract
Open software succeeds because of the behaviors of those involved in the project developments, and because of the unique licensing that it used. Developers are a part of the hacker culture, enjoy the creative process of development, receive benefits from being known as the person to debug certain problems, benefit socially from being a part of a community, and some support the ideologies of open source software itself. The authors investigate the leadership patterns that occur within the community, and propose that the compartmentability of software allows for multiple groups to focus on certain sections and maintain uniformity throughout the project.
Mikko Mustonen, "Copyleft--the economics of Linux and other open source software," Information Economics and Policy 15, no. 1 (March 2003): 99-121, doi:10.1016/S0167-6245(02)00090-2.
Lakhani, Karim R, Hippel, Eric von. "How open source software works: "free" user-to-user assistance" Research Policy 32, pg 923-943, 2003.
This paper explored the online help community of Apache in order to determine why users completed "mundane-but-necessary" tasks associated with open-source technology. The authors conducted a survey and examined usage of the Apache website between 1996 and 2000. They concluded that 98% of users feel satisfied with their use of the site because they learn by reading other people's problems and how they were solved. Other motivations for participating on the site include reciprocating help received previously, improving reputation, and enhancing the open-source software community. It was found that the amount of time users invested in the site was 9 times less than the amount of time that they saved from the learning they did on the site. In general, it was concluded that micro-studies of open-source systems would be useful to make general conclusions about open-source technologies.
Marit Hansen, Kristian Köhntopp, and Andreas Pfitzmann, "The Open Source approach -- opportunities and limitations with respect to security and privacy," Computers & Security 21, no. 5 (October 1, 2002): 461-471, doi:10.1016/S0167-4048(02)00516-3.
Eric A. Von Hippel, "Open Source Projects as Horizontal Innovation Networks - By and For Users," SSRN eLibrary (June 2002), http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=328900&rec=1&srcabs=650001.
Audris Mockus, Roy T. Fielding, and James D. Herbsleb, "Two case studies of open source software development: Apache and Mozilla," ACM Trans. Softw. Eng. Methodol. 11, no. 3 (2002): 309-346, doi:10.1145/567793.567795.
Magnus Bergquist and Jan Ljungberg, "The power of gifts: organizing social relationships in open source communities",Information Systems Journal 11, no. 4 (2001): 305-320.
Abstract: This paper describes the gift-giving culture as one that is derived from a culture of abundance, whereas a culture of scarcity results in a culture of exchange, where power is the measure of what you hoard, not what you give away. It examines closely the gift-giving culture of open-source communities (Linux), and gives examples of the complex social relationships that exist within them. It then goes on to draw parallels between this culture and that of the academic community. In the scientific, academic community, scientists are rewarded for their work using the peer review system.
M Krummenacker, "Problems with the Current Intellectual Pseudo 'Property' (IPP) System, Especially patents," 2000, http://web.archive.org/web/20200220041709/http://www.n-a-n-o.com:80/ipr/fi-gathering2/ipp-scenarios.html.
An article about problems that patents can cause. Includes interesting ideas about 'innovation sponsorship' (similar to producer coalitions, from Bruns).
F.Hecker,"Setting up shop: The business of open-source software," Software,IEEE 16, no. 1 (1999): 45-51, doi:10.1109/52.744568.
A very practical guide to any software business interested in open source strategies.
Patrick Y. K. Chau and Kar Yan Tam, "Factors Affecting the Adoption of Open Systems: An Exploratory Study," MIS Quarterly 21, no. 1 (March 1997): 1-24, doi:10.2307/249740.
This paper examines if and how open source design methods have been adopted in the organizational computing industry.
Eric Raymond, "The cathedral and the bazaar," Knowledge, Technology & Policy 12, no. 3 (1999): 23-49, doi:10.1007/s12130-999-1026-0.
A cornerstone in literature surrounding open source software. The cathedral development method is the current method of software development, which is very hierarchical and a top-down approach. The bazaar method, that of the open source software movements, is collaborative, grass-roots, and takes a very flat structure. Raymond examines this method through describing his own software development project and shares lessons learned about open software development.
Raghu Garud and Arun Kumaraswamy, "Changing Competitive Dynamics in Network Industries: An Exploration of Sun Microsystems' Open Systems Strategy," Strategic Management Journal 14, no. 5 (July 1993): 351-369, doi:10.2307/2486822.
Discusses the ability for Sun Microsystems to succeed in the computer system industry, and how they were able to maintain a competitive edge while sharing technical knowledge.
Ebert, Christof,. "Open Source Drives Innovation" IEEE Computer Society Press, May- June 2007, Volume 24, Issue 3.
- Abstract
This paper briefly outlines success and improvements of free and open source software where engineers using free and open source software (FOSS) have created many innovative products and solutions facilitating competition and open markets as well as innovation to meet new challenges (examples: Linux, MySQL, Apache, and Eclipse). It also offers a graph of technology innovation and process innovation, as well as guidelines for practitioners: criteria, budget, awareness, legal exposure, distribution and etc.
Fadi P. Deek and James A.M. McHugh, Open Source: Technology and Policy. Cambridge University Press, 2008, pp 335 (Hardcover)
Chapters:
- Open Source Internet Application Projects
- The Open Source Platform
- Technologies Underlying Open Source Development
- Demographics, Sociology and Psychology of Open Source Development
- Legal Issues in Open Source
- The Economics of Open Source
- The GNU Project
- Open Source in the Public Sector
- The Future of the Open Source Movement
Internet and digital economics: Principles, Methods and Applications.edited by Eric Brousseau and Nicolas Curien. Cambridge University Press, 2007. (Hardcover)
Essays of interest:
- Information Goods and Online Communities- Michael Gensollen
- Online consumer Communities: Escaping the Tragedy of the Digital Commons - Nicolas Curien et al
- Pricing Information Goods: free vs pay content- Marc Burreau and Virginie Lethiais
- Open software : knowledge openness and cooperation in cyberspace - Dominique Foray et al
- Network cooperation and incentives within online communities - Godefroy Dang Nguyen and Thierry Penard
- Simulating code growth in Libre (open source) mode - Jean-Michel Dalle and Paul A. David
- Mobile Telephony and Internet Growth: Impacts on Consumer Welfare - Gary Madden et al
Robert J. Thomas. What Machines Can't Do: Politics and Technology in the Industrial Enterprise. University of California Press. 1994 (Hardcover)
- Abstract provided by University of California Press
Robert J. Thomas argues that smart machines may not hold the key to an industrial renaissance. In this provocative and enlightening book, he takes us inside four successful manufacturing enterprises to reveal the social and political dynamics that are an integral part of new production technology. His interviews with nearly 300 individuals, from top corporate executives to engineers to workers and union representatives, give his study particular credibility and offer surprising insights into the organizational power struggles that determine the form and performance of new technologies.
Thomas urges managers not to put blind hopes into smarter machines but to find smarter ways to organize people. As U.S. companies battle for survival in an era of growing global competition, What Machines Can't Do is an invaluable treatise on the ways we organize work. While its call for change is likely to be controversial, it will also attract anyone who wishes to understand the full impact of new technology on jobs, organizations, and the future of the industrial enterprise.
Steve Weber, (2004), The Success of Open Source (hardcover), Harvard University Press, 312 pages
Table of Contents:
Preface
- Property and the Problem of Software
- The Early History of Open Source
- What Is Open Source and How Does It Work?
- A Maturing Model of Production
- Explaining Open Source: Microfoundations
- Explaining Open Source: Macro-Organization
- Business Models and the Law
- The Code That Changed the World?
Notes
Index
Open Source Appropriate Technology[edit | edit source]
Leveraging Information Technology, Social Entrepreneurship and Global Collaboration for Just Sustainable Development[edit | edit source]
Source: Joshua M. Pearce, Lonny Grafman, Thomas Colledge, and Ryan Legg, "Leveraging Information Technology, Social Entrepreneurship and Global Collaboration for Just Sustainable Development" Proceedings of the 12th Annual National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance Conference, pp. 201- 210, 2008.
This paper proposes the idea of an online Open Sustainability Network (OSN) that brings together people, ideas and resources regarding sustainable development from businesses, not-for-profit organizations, researchers, students, individuals and communities. It provides many examples of Web 2.0 functions that are related to sustainable development and suggests frameworks that could be used to link these initiatives, through partnerships like interlinking, cross-posting or convergence. It then discusses businesses and social entrepreneurs, and how creating a mechanism to share learning, such as the OSN, could benefit social entrepreneurs. Lastly, the paper identifies journals, organizations and programs that facilitate service learning, which enhance students' understanding of global issues, and proposes that they are a necessarily and valuable portion of the OSN.
Addressing Global Health Inequities: An Open Licensing Approach for University Innovations[edit | edit source]
Source: Amy Kapczynski et al., "Addressing Global Health Inequities: An Open Licensing Approach for University Innovations," Berkley Technology Law Journal 20 (2005): 1031-1114.
Finding Cures for Tropical Diseases: Is Open Source an Answer?[edit | edit source]
Source: Stephen M. Maurer, Arti Rai, and Andrej Sali, "Finding Cures for Tropical Diseases: Is Open Source an Answer?", PLoS Medicine 1, no. 3 (December 2004): 183-186.
- This paper says that the current models of encouraging pharmaceuticals to research and develop drugs curing tropical diseases that affects poor people aren't working. These methods are 1)asking governments and NGOs to subsidize drugs rates for developed countries and 2) to create non-profit venture capital firms. It proposes an open-source model for developing these drugs through a website (www.tropicaldisease.org). It describes how scientists could use chat pages and shared databases to make discoveries.
- The payment of scientists working on this database would not be monetary, but scientists would gain stature and enhance their reputation, as is similar to the motivations of the hacker community. The drugs would not be patented in order to ensure that retail costs remained low. Companies and universities would allow their workers to volunteer, and would even donate databases and resources because the value of their IP lies in North American and European medicines.
Open Source as appropriate technology for global education[edit | edit source]
Source:Patrick Carmichael and Leslie Honour, "Open Source as appropriate technology for global education," International Journal of Educational Development 22, no. 1 (January 2002): 47-53, doi:10.1016/S0738-0593(00)00077-8.
- Open source software is examined as a mechanism to enhance and enrich education in developed and developing nations.
Open-Source Software Development and Distributed Innovation[edit | edit source]
Source: Bruce Kogut and Anca Metiu, "Open-Source Software Development and Distributed Innovation," Oxford Review of Economic Policy 17, no. 2 (June 1, 2001): 248-264, doi:10.1093/oxrep/17.2.248.
- Discusses open source software (OSS). Includes interesting discussion about the possibility of OSS being used in the developing world to enhance availability of technology.
Openness and the solar industry[edit | edit source]
John H. Barton, "Patenting and Access to Clean Energy Technologies in Developing Countries," WIPO Magazine, March 2009, http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2009/02/article_0005.html.
The author discusses very briefly the possible effects of IP protection on renewables in Global South. He identifies the solar industry as one in which IP protection will not hinder development in Global South.
Chihiro Watanabe, Kouji Wakabayashi, and Toshinori Miyazawa, "Industrial dynamism and the creation of a "virtuous cycle" between R&D, market growth and price reduction: The case of photovoltaic power generation (PV) development in Japan," Technovation 20, no. 6 (June 2000): 299-312, doi:10.1016/S0166-4972(99)00146-7.
Outlines the growth of the solar industry in Japan. It provides information about the number of patents Japanese firms filed between 1980 and 1995, and discusses the effect of patents on the industry.
James Rannels, "The DOE office of solar energy technologies' vision for advancing solar technologies in the new millennium," Solar Energy 69, no. 5 (2000): 363-368, doi:10.1016/S0038-092X(00)00105-5.
This summary of the DOE's plan for solar energy briefly mentions the This Film Partnership as a program to forward the innovation of solar energy research, along with a number of other partnerships and programs.
Chihiro Watanabe, Youichirou S. Tsuji, and Charla Griffy-Brown, "Patent statistics: deciphering a 'real' versus a 'pseudo' proxy of innovation," Technovation 21, no. 12 (December 2001): 783-790, doi:10.1016/S0166-4972(01)00025-6.
