Acquisitions and Open Source Software Development

Acquisitions and Open Source Software Development

53,49 €*

in Vorbereitung

Participation of firms in Open Source Software (OSS) development is steadily increasing. In fact, a substantial part of OSS projects today are developed in informal collaboration between firms and a community of voluntary contributors. As more and more firms are active in OSS, acquisitions of firms active in OSS development occur increasingly often. Yet, despite the economic and practical importance of OSS, research has so far overlooked this phenomenon. This dissertation explores this phenomenon of acquisitions of firms active in OSS development. Michael Vetter examines the role of OSS in the pre-acquisition phase and the impact of acquisitions on OSS development in the post-acquisition phase. Using qualitative and quantitative research methods, the author examines acquisition motives, acquisition likelihood, timing of acquisitions, and outcomes of acquisitions and discuss mechanisms behind variations across acquisitions.The findings from the studies contribute to research on acquisitions and OSS development while also providing insights into how to leverage OSS in target search, selection and evaluation processes as well as how to effectively manage acquisitions of firms active in OSS and the communities around them.


Introduction.- Background: OSS development and acquisitions.- Qualitative study: How does the involvement of firms in OSS matter in the pre-acquisition phase?.- Quantitative study: The role of OSS for likelihood and timing of acquisitions.- Mixed-methods study: The effect of acquisitions on Open Source Software development.- Summary and outlook.
ISBN 978-3-658-35083-3
Artikelnummer 9783658350833
Medientyp Buch
Auflage 1st ed. 2021
Copyrightjahr 2021
Verlag Springer, Berlin
Umfang XXIV, 192 Seiten
Abbildungen XXIV, 192 p.
Sprache Englisch