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1.
Context Open Source Software (OSS) development is a knowledge focused activity which relies heavily on contributors who can be volunteers or paid workers and are geographically distributed. While working on OSS projects contributors acquire project related individualistic knowledge and gain experience and skills, which often remains unshared with others and is usually lost once contributors leave a project. All software development organisations face the problem of knowledge loss as employees leave, but this situation is exasperated in OSS projects where most contributors are volunteers with largely unpredictable engagement durations. Contributor turnover is inevitable due to the transient nature of OSS project workforces causing knowledge loss, which threatens the overall sustainability of OSS projects and impacts negatively on software quality and contributor productivity.ObjectiveThe objective of this work is to deeply and systematically investigate the phenomenon of knowledge loss due to contributor turnover in OSS projects as presented in the state-of-the-art literature and to synthesise the information presented on the topic. Furthermore, based on the learning arising from our investigation it is our intention to identify mechanisms to reduce the overall effects of knowledge loss in OSS projects.MethodologyWe use the snowballing methodology to identify the relevant literature on knowledge loss due to contributor turnover in OSS projects. This robust methodology for a literature review includes research question, search strategy, inclusion, exclusion, quality criteria, and data synthesis. The search strategy, and inclusion, exclusions and quality criteria are applied as a part of snowballing procedure.Snowballing is considered an efficient and reliable way to conduct a systematic literature review, providing a robust alternative to mechanically searching individual databases for given topics.ResultKnowledge sharing in OSS projects is abundant but there is no evidence of a formal strategy or practice to manage knowledge. Due to the dynamic and diverse nature of OSS projects, knowledge management is considered a challenging task and there is a need for a proactive mechanism to share knowledge in the OSS community for knowledge to be reused in the future by the OSS project contributors. From the collection of papers found using snowballing, we consolidated various themes on knowledge loss due to contributor turnover in OSS projects and identified 11 impacts due to knowledge loss in OSS projects, and 10 mitigations to manage with knowledge loss in OSS projects.ConclusionIn this paper, we propose future research directions to investigate integration of proactive knowledge retention practices with the existing OSS practices to reduce the current knowledge loss problem. We suggest that there is insufficient attention paid to KM in general in OSS, in particular there would appear to an absence of proactive measures to reduce the potential impact of knowledge loss. We also propose the need for a KM evaluation metric in OSS projects, similar to the ones that evaluate health of online communities, which should help to inform potential consumers of the OSS of the KM status on a project, something that is not existent today. 相似文献
2.
The term ‘information’ is seldom given a careful definition and is in practice used in more than one sense. In particular there is often a failure to distinguish ‘information’ from concepts such as ‘knowledge’, ‘belief’ and ‘meaning’. One attempt to build a suitable conceptual scheme with a firm philosophical basis has been made by Dretske. In corporate contexts, the meaning and significance of information can be seen as lying in its contribution to the maintenance and development of ‘systems’ of activities. It follows that a competent analysis of corporate information requirements and a specification of the characteristics of data collection, communication and processing needed to satisfy them, both depend on an appropriate form of systems analysis. The methods used by Checkland and Wilson provide means of exploring the requirements, while the approaches of Beer and Espejo define patterns of information flow necessary for their realization. As advanced techniques of information processing develop, clearer understanding of such approaches and their theoretical basis will become important in exploiting their potential. 相似文献
3.
In this study, we explore the coordination performance of the geographically distributed software development teams by exploring OSS (Open Source Software) development dataset available through SourceForge.com. OSS team structures have traditionally been geographically dispersed and therefore, the coordination of post release activities such as testing efforts have been carried out by means of communication via electronic forms, such as email or message boards and forums. In our current communication-enriched environment, best practices for coordination are adopted by all software projects yet some still fail to achieve their target performance. Does team structure have any bearing on the performance outcome of the project? How does the communication between teams and their external parties affect ultimate success or failure of projects? We seek to answer above questions by applying existing theories and analytical methods from social networks for exploring the coordination performance of defect management activities found in OSS projects. We propose social networks based theoretical model for exploring distributed coordination structure and apply that for the case of OSS defect management process for exploring the structural properties, which induce the greatest coordination performance. The outcome of our suggest that there is correlation between certain network measures such as density, centrality and betweenness and coordination performance measures of defect management systems such as quality and timeliness. 相似文献
4.
Crafting the virtual prototype: how firms integrate knowledge and capabilities across organisational boundaries 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
Luciana D&#x;Adderio 《Research Policy》2001,30(9)
This paper examines the introduction of Integrated Software Technologies in Product Development focusing on their influence on organisational Experimentation and Prototyping practices. In particular, it explores the role of ‘virtual prototyping’ techniques, concepts and models in facilitating multi-functional processes coordination and multi-disciplinary knowledge integration. It argues that the role of software in supporting inter-functional cooperation and the coordination of knowledge and activities depends on the organisation’s ability to nurture integrating routines which support two-directional translation flows between ‘local’ (function-based) and ‘global’ (computer-embedded) knowledge and activity levels. These mechanisms also lie at the heart of dynamic capabilities’ creation and maintenance. 相似文献
5.
This paper examines the within-industry diversification of software small and medium enterprises that collaborate with the open source software community (OSS SMEs). In doing so, it offers new insights into the association between open innovation and diversification. We rely on arguments inspired by the literature and evidence collected through interviews with OSS SMEs’ top managers to investigate factors that favor or hinder within-industry diversification. First, in line with the mainstream diversification literature, we focus attention on the role of firm size. Second, in the spirit of the open innovation research, we concentrate on the mechanisms that OSS SMEs put in place to get access to the external resources of the OSS community. Econometric evidence on 100 European OSS SMEs shows that firm size is negatively associated to within-industry diversification, while OSS SMEs that have contributed to a larger number of OSS projects have a more diversified portfolio of software products. Furthermore, we provide preliminary evidence that the practice of authorizing firm programmers to contribute autonomously to OSS projects of their own choice during working hours may be positively associated to within-industry diversification only if OSS SMEs possess adequate internal technological resources. 相似文献
6.
Two property regimes for software development may be distinguished. Within corporations, on the one hand, a Private Regime obtains which excludes all outsiders from access to a firm's software assets. It is shown how the protective instruments of secrecy and both copyright and patent have been strengthened considerably during the last two decades. On the other, a Public Regime among hackers may be distinguished, initiated by individuals, organizations or firms, in which source code is freely exchanged. It is argued that copyright is put to novel use here: claiming their rights, authors write ‘open source licenses’ that allow public usage of the code, while at the same time regulating the inclusion of users. A ‘regulated commons’ is created. The analysis focuses successively on the most important open source licenses to emerge, the problem of possible incompatibility between them (especially as far as the dominant General Public License is concerned), and the fragmentation into several user communities that may result. 相似文献
7.
Do open source software (OSS) projects represent a new innovation model? Under what conditions can it be employed in other contexts? “Collective invention” regimes usually ended when a dominant design emerged. This is not the case with OSS. Firstly, the OSS community developed the institutional innovation of OSS licenses enabling OSS software to survive as a common property. Secondly, these licenses are mainly enforced by pro-socially motivated contributors. We characterize the conditions under which OSS communities develop and sustain pro-social commitments. We point out the vulnerability of these conditions to developments in patent legislation. 相似文献
8.
Xiaogang Chen Xue Li Jan Guynes Clark Glenn B. Dietrich 《International Journal of Information Management》2013
The extant studies have not empirically examined the possible team cognitive mechanisms that facilitate knowledge sharing in OSS teams, even though knowledge sharing is a cognitive task and an OSS team is a complex cognitive system. To fill this research gap, we adopt the perspective of transactive memory system (TMS) to explore the relationships among TMS, knowledge sharing, communication quality, and technical achievement of OSS teams. By analyzing data from 95 OSS projects with the partial least squares (PLS) method, our study demonstrates that several TMS dimensions have positive impacts on knowledge sharing behaviors and communication quality. Moreover, communication quality positively influences technical achievement of OSS teams. These findings provide useful implications for literature and practice. 相似文献
9.
Barry Boezman 《Research Policy》1978,7(4):384-405
Despite widespread dissatisfaction with the quality of scientific information employed in planning and policy-making in public agencies, relatively little is known about the scientific information acquisition behaviors of public managers. The purpose of this paper is to facilitate research on scientific information acquisition in public agencies by suggesting that: (1) planning and policy-making are ‘policy technologies’ and share certain attributes with more traditional technologies; (2) many propositions developed in the literature on information flows in R&D labs are, therefore, helpful in structuring thinking about information flows in public agencies; and (3) it may be possible self-consciously to design social and organizational structures so as to enhance informal flows of scientific information. After gleaning some of the propositions concerning scientific information flows from the R&D management literature, an ‘ideal design’ approach is employed to develop a model in which the social and organizational structures of a public agency optimize scientific information flow. 相似文献
10.
11.
Raúl J. Cano 《Endeavour》1996,20(4):162-167
Much of what we know about extinct organisms comes from traits that are not preserved in the fossil record. Until recently, morphological analysis was the only tool available for scientists to determine relationships for extinct fossil organisms. We now know that ‘ancient’ DNA can be preserved in the remains of extinct organisms. By targeting specific gene sequences, it may be possible to deduce biochemical characteristics and through sequence comparisons, to estimate the extent of evolutionary divergence. By comparing the amount and type of these changes, one could estimate how quickly some DNA ‘evolves’ relative to other segments, or which genes have the most flexibility or are more conserved over time. The compilation of these data would yield greater understanding of the physiology of extinct organisms and provide a much clearer picture of genetic change over time, and the mechanics behind ‘evolution’. 相似文献
12.
The detailed study of crystals and the dynamics of the melting process in two and three dimensions is a fundamental and interesting research topic, which is important for increasing our knowledge of solid state physics. In natural crystals, structure information can be obtained principally by Bragg-scattering of neutrons, electrons or photons on the crystal, followed by an analysis in Fourier space. Dynamical aspects cannot be investigated in these systems. Recently, a new crystalline system was discovered whose properties are such that the melting transition can be investigated in great detail — the ‘plasma crystal’. This article presents the results of such an investigation and shows evidence for the existence of intermediate phases between the solid, liquid and gaseous phases. The observed ‘structured’ phase transition may be specific for plasma crystals but, alternatively, it may indicate the existence of intermediate stages in the melting transition more generally. 相似文献
13.
Charles Cole 《Information processing & management》1997,33(6):715-726
The problem addressed in this article is to use Bertram Brookes' ‘fundamental equation’ as a starting off-point for a conceptual exercise whose purpose is to set out a method for calculating the information content of an information process. The knowledge structure variables in the Brookes' equation are first operationalized, following principles set out in Claude Shannon's mathematical theory of communication. The set of ‘a priori’ alternatives and the a priori probabilities assigned to each member of the set by the person undergoing the information process is the operational definition of the variable ‘K[S]’ from the ‘fundamental equation,’ which represent the person's knowledge structure ‘before’ the information process takes place. The set of ‘a posteriori’ alternatives and the revised probabilities assigned to each member of the set by the person undergoing the information process is the operational definition of the Brookes' variable ‘K[S + ΔS],’ which is the person's knowledge structure ‘after’ the information process takes place. To illustrate how the variables can be determined, an example of a information process is used from a recent real-life archeological discovery. 相似文献
14.
James Fleck 《Research Policy》1994,23(6)
In this paper some issues concerning the nature of technological development are examined, with particular reference to a case study of the implementation of Computer Aided Production Management (CAPM). CAPM is an example of a configurational technology, built up to meet specific organizational requirements. It is argued that there is scope in the development of configurations for significant innovation to take place during implementation itself, through a distinctive form of learning by ‘struggling to get it to work’, or ‘learning by trying’. Some policy implications are outlined in conclusion: the need to recognize the creative opportunities available in this type of development, and the need to facilitate industrial sector-based learning processes. 相似文献
15.
This paper examines the terminological confusion underlying the study of information use, and reviews the major studies in the field. The conclusion is that confusion in research methods is inextricably linked to a lack of clarity in terminology. Attention is drawn to the significance of different social and cultural contexts in shaping ‘information needs’, and a research scheme is evolved for the study of users of ‘professional information’ in Poland. 相似文献
16.
随着开源软件(OSS)的普及，作为其承载平台的开源软件社区，也得到了用户的广泛使用。但用户往往仅从社区获取开源软件或代码，而缺乏知识贡献的意愿，这将影响OSS社区的持续运营和发展。基于社会影响理论，本文建立了开源软件社区用户知识贡献行为模型，考察了顺从、认同、内化三种社会影响机制对用户行为的作用。研究收集了351份有效数据，采用结构方程模型(SEM)进行分析。研究结果显示，社会认可（认同机制）是影响开源软件社区用户知识贡献意愿的主要因素，群体规范（内化机制）对用户的贡献意愿没有显著作用，而主观规范（顺从机制）阻碍用户的贡献意愿形成。研究结果启示开源软件社区需重视建立用户的社会认同，从而促进其知识贡献行为，确保社区的成功。 相似文献
17.
Most of the literature on university–industry (U–I) linkages assumes that these linkages are beneficial per se. We question this assumption, suggesting that not all such linkages are equally helpful. In this paper, we explore the factors driving the formation of ‘valuable U–I linkages’, conceived as those linkages between universities and firms that have a higher potential to diffuse knowledge to other firms in their regional economy. Our empirical strategy combines case-study methodology with econometric techniques using data from two wine clusters in Chile and in Italy. The firm's knowledge base is found to be a key driver of ‘valuable’ U–I linkages. We conclude that selectivity should be encouraged among policy makers endeavouring to promote U–I linkages. 相似文献
18.
The role of the internet in information seeking. Putting the networked services in context 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
The author explores the place of the internet among other sources and channels in information seeking. Both qualitative and quantitative data were combined in the study. In 1997, the author conducted 23 theme interviews in Tampere, Finland, Secondly, the data of the national survey on the use of information technology at Finnish households conducted in 1996, based on the interviews of 2360 persons, aged 10–74 yr, were utilized. Both the features of job-related and nonwork information seeking will be discussed; however, the emphasis is on the latter. The conceptual framework of the study draws on the findings of the studies of computer-mediated communication and the uses and gratifications approach; the ideas of the ‘media richness’ theory and the ‘social influence’ theory are also utilized. E-mail and WWW appeared to be the most frequently used services in information seeking, but discussion groups and IRC were also utilized to some extent. The major research criteria for preferring the internet are the (relative) easiness of accessing a huge amount of data, savings in time and money, the opportunity to consult a number of experts simultaneously and a greater independence of certain time and place in information seeking. Thus far, the internet has not been able to supplant other sources and channels but rather complements them. This is evident, for example, in the utilization of electronic newspapers in the search for orienting information. 相似文献
19.
M. Teubal 《Research Policy》1982,11(6):333-346
This paper summarizes the pilot stage of a microeconomic study of the innovation performance through time of young, high-technology Israeli firms. It reports some results for a successful firm designing, producing and selling electronic instruments and systems. The paper begins by surveying some of the difficulties surrounding the collection and organization of data on R&D projects. One of them concerns the definition of the ‘Unit for Analysis’ - the R&D project. Three criteria are suggested for dividing the stream for innovative activities into R&D projects, and these are applied to group the tens of products, accessories and systems included in the analysis into nine projects. The paper subsequently defines a measure of “direct” project performance or profitability estimate - discounted operating profits per unit of fixed costs - and provides estimates based on R&D and sales data for the products of each project. The final sections analyze the variation of project profitability through time. The increasing profitability observed across generations of a product class is attributed to the adaptability of the firm to changes in the environment, particularly to the availability of new technology which requires the swift design and sale of more complex products. The qualitative history of the various projects suggests that this adaptability is due, to a large extent, to the skills, infrastructure and reputation of the firm accumulated from prior projects, i.e. that the “indirect” profitability of the latter is high. Some estimates of the indirect profitability of early projects are presented. A comparison of the spin-off mechanisms observed in the firm analyzed with those observed in firms of other industries is also undertaken. 相似文献
20.
Until a century or more ago disease was generally attributed to the presence of some undesirable feature. The realization that disease could be due to the absence of a desirable factor was revolutionary. During the 18th and 19th centuries, however, foundations were laid for the recognition in the 20th century that to prevent some diseases certain ‘accessory substances’—the vitamins—were essential in the diet. This article tells the story of their discovery, their current significance, and future trends in vitamin research. 相似文献