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The economics of open source software for a competitive firm

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  • Richard Hawkins

Abstract

Large quantities of software, ranging from operating systems to web servers to games, are now available as “open source software” or “free software”. In many cases, this software is backed by large profit seeking corporations such as IBM. Traditional economic analysis is used to identify the costs and benefits to firms of using open source rather than proprietary solutions, particularly in the case of the firm releasing code to the world when not obliged to do so. Examples of large companies backing open source are examined in light of the profit motive. Additionally, open source is also analyzed as a quasi-public good. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 2004

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Hawkins, 2004. "The economics of open source software for a competitive firm," Netnomics, Springer, vol. 6(2), pages 103-117, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:netnom:v:6:y:2004:i:2:p:103-117
    DOI: 10.1007/s11066-004-2717-z
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Engelhardt, Sebastian v. & Freytag, Andreas, 2013. "Institutions, culture, and open source," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 90-110.
    2. Terrence August & Hyoduk Shin & Tunay I. Tunca, 2018. "Generating Value Through Open Source: Software Service Market Regulation and Licensing Policy," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 29(1), pages 186-205, March.
    3. Stephen M. Maurer & Suzanne Scotchmer, 2006. "Open Source Software: The New Intellectual Property Paradigm," NBER Working Papers 12148, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Greenstein, Shane & Nagle, Frank, 2014. "Digital dark matter and the economic contribution of Apache," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 623-631.
    5. Knut Blind & Torben Schubert, 2024. "Estimating the GDP effect of Open Source Software and its complementarities with R&D and patents: evidence and policy implications," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 466-491, April.
    6. Lanzi, Diego, 2009. "Competition and open source with perfect software compatibility," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 192-200, August.
    7. Andrea Bonaccorsi & Silvia Giannangeli & Cristina Rossi, 2006. "Entry Strategies Under Competing Standards: Hybrid Business Models in the Open Source Software Industry," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(7), pages 1085-1098, July.

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