Exploitation and Exploration Networks in Open Source Software Development: An Artifact-Level Analysis

Author List: Temizkan, Orcun; Kumar, Ram L.;
Journal of Management Information Systems, 2015, Volume 32, Issue 1, Page 116-150.
Open source software (OSS) development is an increasingly important paradigm of software development. However, key aspects of OSS such as the determinants of project success and motivations of developers in joining these projects are not well understood. Based on organizational theory, we propose that OSS activities of patch development and feature request can be classified as exploitation (implementation-oriented) and exploration (innovation-oriented) activities, respectively. We empirically examine how the structure of social network affects the success of patch-development and feature-request networks in OSS projects, using a data set collected from the SourceForge database. Our results provide empirical support for the view that patch development and feature request are exploitation and exploration activities, respectively. Network structures differ due to team formation differences and have a differential impact on development success based on the type of activity. The concepts of ambidextrous developers and ambidexterity are explored in the context of OSS projects. Collectively, our results indicate that studying OSS projects at the artifact level could improve our understanding of OSS project success and team formation. This, in turn, could lead to better management of OSS projects. > >
Keywords: exploitation;open source software development; project success; social networks; software development; team formation
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#273 0.338 source open software oss development developers projects developer proprietary community success openness impact paper project associated activity phenomenon peripheral variety
#108 0.148 model research data results study using theoretical influence findings theory support implications test collected tested based empirical empirically context paper
#135 0.135 project projects development management isd results process team developed managers teams software stakeholders successful complex develop contingencies problems greater planning
#249 0.115 network networks social analysis ties structure p2p exchange externalities individual impact peer-to-peer structural growth centrality participants sharing economic ownership embeddedness
#254 0.091 level levels higher patterns activity results structures lower evolution significant analysis degree data discussed implications stable cluster exist relationships identify
#103 0.089 exploration climate technology empowerment explore features trying use employees intention examining work intentions exploring autonomy exploitation innovate feature understanding individual
#281 0.054 database language query databases natural data queries relational processing paper using request views access use matching automated semantic based languages