Levels of Formality in FOSS Communities

One of the aspects of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) which may act as a significant deterrent to its adoption, is the method used to collaboratively develop the software and provide support through the use of communities. It is not until this method is examined more closely that its many advantages can be realised. The method can, however, seem very disorganised especially when compared with traditional proprietary development styles. A key difference between these two development approaches lies in the management of projects, and perhaps as a consequence, in the level of formality in the community environment. This paper presents the results of empirical survey research investigating FOSS community participants' views on the level of formality in FOSS, and the way in which this affects both development and support provision activities. The paper then concludes by analysing what can be learnt from the participant’s views

Impact of strategy, HRM Strength and HRM bundles on innovation performance and organizational performance

This study uses structural equation modeling to test a model of the impact of human resource management bundles on perceived organizational performance and innovation performance, on a large sample of companies. Strategic management orientation and innovation as a strategic factor are proposed to influence the existence of two types of HR bundles, functional flexibility and performance management, as well as contributing to stronger HR systems. HRM Strength, which integrates the metafeatures of an HRM system and provides a common interpretation of organizational goals, has a strong positive impact on both innovation and organizational performances. Finally, while both the functional flexibility and performance management bundles have a positive impact on organizational performance, they do not seem to affect innovation performance.

Knowledge Creation and Sharing in Organisational Contexts: A Motivation-Based Perspective

This paper develops a motivation-based perspective to explore how organisations resolve the social dilemma of knowledge sharing, and the ways in which different motivational mechanisms interact to foster knowledge sharing and creation in different organisational contexts. The core assumption is that the willingness of organisational members to engage in knowledge sharing can be viewed on a continuum from purely opportunistic behaviour regulated by extrinsic incentives to an apparently altruistic stance fostered by social norms and group identity. The analysis builds on a three-category taxonomy of motivation: adding ‘hedonic’ motivation to the traditional dichotomy of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Based on an analysis of empirical case studies in the literature, we argue that the interaction and mix of the three different motivators play a key role in regulating and translating potential into actual behaviour, and they underline the complex dynamics of knowledge sharing and creation in different organisational contexts

China’s Institutional Architecture: A New Institutional Economics and Organization Theory Perspective on the Links between Local Governance and Local Enterprises

We start our exploration of China’s institutional change by asking what the China experience can tell us about institutional economics and organization theory. We point to under-researched areas such as the formation of firms and the interplay between firms and local politics. Our findings support the dynamic capability approach which concentrates on activities rather than on pre-defined groups and models institution building as a co-operative game between the local business community and local government agencies. We find that the analysis of firms has to set in before they are formed by entrepreneurs and networks and we identify political management as a core competence of these two groups. While this contradicts the conventional view of clientelism or principle agent relations as institutional building blocks, we don’t propose competing models. Instead, we suggest focusing on a dynamic process in which the role of players can change. Faced with the spontaneous emergence of institutions, our concept of institutional architecture captures the fact that the two models can co-exist side by side and that, once the dichotomy between formal and informal institutions is given up, there can be a transition from local patron-client relations to local business-state coordination.entrepreneurship;dynamic capabilities;networks;institutional change;diversity and convergence of institutions

Knowledge Creation and Sharing in Organisational Contexts: A Motivation-Based Perspective

This paper develops a motivation-based perspective to explore how organisations resolve the social dilemma of knowledge sharing, and the ways in which different motivational mechanisms interact to foster knowledge sharing and creation in different organisational contexts. The core assumption is that the willingness of organisational members to engage in knowledge sharing can be viewed on a continuum from purely opportunistic behaviour regulated by extrinsic incentives to an apparently altruistic stance fostered by social norms and group identity. The analysis builds on a three-category taxonomy of motivation: adding ‘hedonic’ motivation to the traditional dichotomy of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Based on an analysis of empirical case studies in the literature, we argue that the interaction and mix of the three different motivators play a key role in regulating and translating potential into actual behaviour, and they underline the complex dynamics of knowledge sharing and creation in different organisational contexts.Knowledge sharing; tacit knowledge; motivation; incentives; organizational learning; human resource practices

The emergence of openness in open source projects : the case of openEHR

The meaning of openness in open source is both intrinsically unstable and dynamic, and tends to fluctuate with time and context. We draw on a very particular open-source project primarily concerned with building rigorous clinical concepts to be used in electronic health records called openEHR. openEHR explains how openness is a concept that is purposely engaged with, and how, in this process of engagement, the very meaning of open matures and evolves within the project. Drawing on rich longitudinal data related to openEHR we theorise the evolving nature of openness and how this idea emerges through two intertwined processes of maturation and metamorphosis. While metamorphosis allows us to trace and interrogate the mutational evolution in openness, maturation analyses the small, careful changes crafted to build a very particular understanding of openness. Metamorphosis is less managed and controlled, whereas maturation is representative of highly precise work carried out in controlled form. Both processes work together in open-source projects and reinforce each other. Our study reveals that openness emerges and evolves in open-source projects where it can be understood to mean rigour; ability to participate; open implementation; and an open process. Our work contributes to a deepening in the theorisation of what it means to be an open-source project. The multiple and co-existing meanings of ‘open’ imply that open-source projects evolve in nonlinear ways where each critical meaning of openness causes a reflective questioning by the community of its continued status and existence

Governance of Inter-Organizational Collaborations When Engaged in Open Innovation

L'ús del coneixement extern, a través de projectes oberts i de col·laboració amb els socis externs, permet a les empreses resoldre amb eficàcia i eficiència els seus problemes d'innovació, generant així un major acompliment de la innovació. No obstant, molts projectes d'innovació oberta i de col·laboració no han pogut completar els seus objectius, tal com s'havia planejat inicialment. Els acadèmics han tractat d'examinar aquest problema mitjançant l'estudi del mecanisme de govern del procés de col·laboració en les fases de formació i execució dels projectes. Si bé aquests estudis han aportat coneixements importants, encara es sap poc sobre la naturalesa de la dinàmica de col·laboració i els atributs dels projectes que afecten els mecanismes de govern. En resposta, aquesta tesi pretén establir una visió àmplia i clarificadora del govern de la innovació oberta i de col·laboració a través de l'abordatge de la següent pregunta general: com les empreses governen el procés de col·laboració amb socis externs per a augmentar la probabilitat que els seus projectes d'innovació oberta i de col·laboració es completin amb èxit? Tres preguntes específiques d'investigació es determinen per respondre a la pregunta general: 1) ¿com gestionen les empreses la dinàmica del procés de col·laboració amb fonts externes per completar amb èxit els seus projectes d'innovació oberta i de col·laboració? 2) ¿l'ús d'un procés formalitzat conjunt de tecnologia i desenvolupament ajuda a augmentar la probabilitat que un projecte d'innovació oberta amb fonts externes es completi amb èxit? 3) ¿quins modes d'innovació oberta trien els directius per a projectes que es caracteritzen per diferents nivells de complexitat i 'ocultació' del coneixement? Responem a aquestes preguntes combinant un anàlisi sistemàtic de casos creuats dels casos qualitatius de projectes oberts i de col·laboració i un estudi d'enquesta. Els resultats d'aquest estudi demostren que les empreses associades han de regular la tensió entre compartir i protegir el coneixement en els processos de col·laboració per a completar amb èxit projectes conjunts. D'altra banda, presento una forma alternativa de formalització en el procés de col·laboració, a més del control de la propietat intel·lectual (IP), per a regular la tensió entre compartir i protegir el coneixement. Finalment, els resultats indiquen que els atributs del projecte, específicament la complexitat i l'ocultació del coneixement necessari, afecten la selecció dels mecanismes de govern en projectes oberts i de col·laboració.El uso del conocimiento externo, a través de proyectos abiertos y de colaboración con los socios externos, permite a las empresas resolver con eficacia y eficiencia sus problemas de innovación, generando así un mayor desempeño de la innovación. Sin embargo, muchos proyectos de innovación abierta y de colaboración no han podido completar sus objetivos, tal y como se había planeado inicialmente. Los académicos han tratado de examinar este problema mediante el estudio del mecanismo de gobierno del proceso de colaboración en las fases de formación y ejecución de los proyectos. Si bien estos estudios han aportado conocimientos importantes, aún se sabe poco acerca de la naturaleza de la dinámica de colaboración y los atributos de los proyectos que afectan a los mecanismos de gobierno. En respuesta, esta tesis pretende establecer una visión amplia y clarificadora del gobierno de la innovación abierta y de colaboración a través del abordaje de la siguiente pregunta general: ¿cómo las empresas gobiernan el proceso de colaboración con socios externos para aumentar la probabilidad de que sus proyectos de innovación abierta y de colaboración se completen con éxito? Tres preguntas específicas de investigación se determinan para responder a la pregunta general: 1) ¿cómo gestionan las empresas la dinámica del proceso de colaboración con fuentes externas para completar con éxito sus proyectos de innovación abierta y de colaboración? 2) ¿el uso de un proceso formalizado conjunto de tecnología y desarrollo ayuda a aumentar la probabilidad de que un proyecto de innovación abierta con fuentes externas se complete con éxito? 3) ¿qué modos de innovación abierta escogen los directivos para proyectos que se caracterizan por diferentes niveles de complejidad y 'ocultamiento' del conocimiento? Respondemos a estas preguntas combinando un análisis sistemático de casos cruzados de los casos cualitativos de proyectos abiertos y de colaboración y un estudio de encuesta. Los resultados de este estudio demuestran que las empresas asociadas tienen que regular la tensión entre compartir y proteger el conocimiento en los procesos de colaboración para completar con éxito proyectos conjuntos. Por otra parte, presento una forma alternativa de formalización en el proceso de colaboración, además del control de la propiedad intelectual (IP), para regular la tensión entre compartir y proteger el conocimiento. Por último, los resultados indican que los atributos del proyecto, específicamente la complejidad y el ocultamiento del conocimiento necesario, afectan a la selección de los mecanismos de gobierno en proyectos abiertos y de colaboración.The use of external knowledge, through open and collaborative projects with external partners, enables firms to effectively and efficiently solve their innovation problems, thereby generating greater innovation performance. Yet many open and collaborative innovation projects have failed to complete their objectives as initially planned. Scholars have tried to examine this problem by studying the governance mechanism of collaboration process in both formation and execution phases of projects. While these studies have provided important insights, still little is understood about the nature of collaboration dynamics and the attributes of projects affecting governance mechanisms. In response, this dissertation seeks to establish a comprehensive and clarifying view of open and collaborative innovation governance through addressing the following overall question: How do firms govern the collaboration process with external partners to increase the likelihood that their open and collaborative innovation projects are successfully completed? Three specific research questions are framed to answer the overall question: 1) How do firms manage the dynamics of collaboration process with external sources to successfully complete their open and collaborative innovation projects? 2) Does the use of a formalized joint technology-development process help to increase the likelihood that an open innovation project with external sources is successfully completed? 3) Which open innovation modes do managers choose for projects characterized by different levels of complexity and ‘hiddenness’ of knowledge? We approach these questions with combining a cross-case systematic analysis of qualitative cases on open and collaborative projects and a survey study. The results of this study demonstrate that partnering firms need to regulate the knowledge sharing-protecting tension in collaboration processes to successfully complete joint projects. Moreover, I introduce an alternative form of formalization into the collaboration process, in addition to formal intellectual property (IP) control, to regulate the knowledge sharing-protecting tension. Finally, the results indicate that project attributes, specifically complexity and hiddenness of required knowledge, affects the selection of governance mechanisms in open and collaborative projects

Impact of Strategy, HRM Strength and HRM Bundles on Innovation Performance and Organizational Performance

This study uses structural equation modeling to test a model of the impact of human resource management bundles on perceived organizational performance and innovation performance, on a large sample of companies. Strategic management orientation and innovation as a strategic factor are proposed to influence the existence of two types of HR bundles, functional flexibility and performance management, as well as contributing to stronger HR systems. HRM Strength, which integrates the ‘metafeatures’ of an HRM system and provides a common interpretation of organizational goals, has a strong positive impact on both innovation and organizational performances. Finally, while both the functional flexibility and performance management bundles have a positive impact on organizational performance, they do not seem to affect innovation performance.N/