A multiple case study of small free software businesses associal entrepreneurships
Please always quote using this URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:29-opus4-63344
- Free/libre and open source software are frequently described as a single community or movement. The difference between free software and open source ideology may influence founders, resulting in different types of companies being created. Specifically, the relationship between free/libre software ideology and social entrepreneurships is investigated. This paper presents seven case studies of businesses, five of which were founded by people who identify with the free/libre software movement. The result is a theory that small businesses founded by free/libre software advocates have three characteristics of social entrepreneurships. First, social benefit is prioritized over wealth creation.Free/libre and open source software are frequently described as a single community or movement. The difference between free software and open source ideology may influence founders, resulting in different types of companies being created. Specifically, the relationship between free/libre software ideology and social entrepreneurships is investigated. This paper presents seven case studies of businesses, five of which were founded by people who identify with the free/libre software movement. The result is a theory that small businesses founded by free/libre software advocates have three characteristics of social entrepreneurships. First, social benefit is prioritized over wealth creation. Second, the business’s social mission is not incidental but is furthered through its for-profit activities, rather than supported by the company’s profits. Third, the company’s success is defined in part by the success of its social mission Free/libre software entrepreneurs who recognize their activities as social entrepreneurships can benefit from the existing literature on the unique challenges faced by socially-oriented businesses.…
Author: | Ann Barcomb |
---|---|
Persistent identifiers - URN: | urn:nbn:de:bvb:29-opus4-63344 |
Document Type: | Conference Proceeding |
Language: | English |
Year of publication: | 2015 |
Date of online publication (Embargo Date): | 2015/01/09 |
Publishing Institution: | Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) |
Publishing institution/conference data: | OpenSym, 11, 2015, San Francisco |
Release Date: | 2015/06/24 |
Tag: | free software; open source software; public good; small business; social ventures |
SWD-Keyword: | open source; social entrepreneurship |
Length/size: | 1-8 |
Original publication: | Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Open Collaboration (OpenSym 2015) |
Institutes: | Technische Fakultät |
CCS-Classification: | H. Information Systems |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | 0 Informatik, Informationswissenschaft, allgemeine Werke / 00 Informatik, Wissen, Systeme / 000 Informatik, Informationswissenschaft, allgemeine Werke |
open_access (DINI-Set): | open_access |
Licence (German): |