Role of reputation cues in trust formation for a developer\u27s decision to join Open Source Software projects

Abstract

Level of contributors\u27 activity around an Open Source Software (OSS) project is one of the key factors in terms of its survival and success. There are several factors that affect a developer\u27s decision to join an OSS project, yet little research examined the influence of third-party assessments on a developer\u27s intention to join a project. Drawing on signaling theory, this manuscript explores how third-party assessment can influence a developers\u27 decision to join an OSS project. In order to test it, vignette survey study was conducted manipulating reputation, development experience, and a number of current OSS projects of existing developers in the OSS project. The findings suggest that all three signals have a positive influence on developer\u27s decision to join the OSS project. This suggests that projects seeking to expand the number of contributing developers should consider offering information about its star developers