Title: A structure for innovation reproduction in the Eclipse OSS ecosystem

Authors: Kazunori Mizushima; Yasuo Ikawa

Addresses: Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Graduate School of Knowledge Science, 1-1, Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292, Japan. ' Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Graduate School of Knowledge Science, 1-1, Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292, Japan

Abstract: In Open Source Software (OSS) development community supported by spontaneous volunteers, technical capabilities, hunger for fame and the satisfaction of contribution are said to be motivating factor for participation. In that community, vendors always play auxiliary roles, and integrate the result of OSS into their business activities. However, in the Eclipse OSS community, the main role of OSS development activities is taken over by vendors. The relationship between individuals and vendors is reversed. Therefore, it becomes important to maintain the motivation of the development community, promote innovation and link the activities to the profit of vendors. In other words, management of co-creation and competition are being conducted at the same time. This paper tries to clarify internal and external structures in an OSS ecosystem led by vendors considering the Eclipse community as one particular case. Also it constructs a co-creation model to promote sustainable development for an OSS ecosystem.

Keywords: open source software; ecosystems; innovation management; open innovation; innovation reproduction; Eclipse OSS; motivation; co-creation management; competition management; sustainable development; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2012.050867

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2012 Vol.6 No.4, pp.420 - 440

Received: 11 Jan 2012
Accepted: 10 Aug 2012

Published online: 31 Oct 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article