Monetary donations to an open source software platform

TitleMonetary donations to an open source software platform
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2009
AuthorsKrishnamurthy, S, Tripathi, AK
Secondary TitleResearch Policy
Volume38
Issue2
Pagination404 - 414
Date Published03/2009
ISSN Number00487333
KeywordsCollective action, Donation, Identification, incentives, metadata, MOTIVATION, Open source software platform, projects, Reciprocity, Relational commitment, sourceforge
Abstract

Online open source software platforms, such as Sourceforge.net, play a vital role in creating an ecosystem that enables the creation and growth of open source projects. However, there is little research exploring the interactions between open source stakeholders and the platform. We believe that the sustainability of the platform crucially depends on financial incentives. While platforms can obtain these incentives through multiple means, in this paper we focus on one form of financial incentives—voluntary monetary donations by open source community members. We report findings from two empirical studies that examine factors that impact donations. Study 1 investigates the factors that cause some community members to donate and not others. We find that the decision to donate is impacted by relational commitment with open source software platform, donation to projects and accepting donations from others. Study 2 examines what drives the level of donation. We find that the length of association with the platform and relational commitment affects donation levels.

DOI10.1016/j.respol.2008.11.004
Short TitleResearch Policy
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