%0 Conference Paper %B OSS2006: Open Source Systems (IFIP 2.13) %D 2006 %T From Individual Contribution to Group Learning %A Hala Annabi %A Kevin Crowston %A Robert Heckman %K apache %K case study %X Open Source Software (OSS) groups experience many benefits and challenges with respect to the core group’s effectiveness. In order to capitalize on the benefits and minimize the challenges, OSS groups must learn not only on the individual level, but also on the group level. OSS groups learn by integrating individual contributions into the group’s product and processes. This paper reports on the characteristics of the learning process in OSS groups. The study utilized an embedded single case study design that observed and analyzed group learning processes in the Apache Web server OSS project. The study used learning opportunity episodes (LOE) as the embedded unit of analysis and developed and utilized three content analytic schemes to describe the characteristics of the learning process and the factors affecting this process. %B OSS2006: Open Source Systems (IFIP 2.13) %S IFIP International Federation for Information Processing %I Springer %P 77 - 90 %G eng %R http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/0-387-34226-5_8 %> https://flosshub.org/sites/flosshub.org/files/From%20Individual%20Contribution%20to%20Group%20Learning.pdf %0 Journal Article %J Software Process–Improvement and Practice %D 2006 %T Information systems success in Free and Open Source Software development: Theory and measures %A Kevin Crowston %A Howison, James %A Hala Annabi %K bug fixing %K developers %K downloads %K FLOSS %K flossmole %K page views %K popularity %K project success %K size %K sourceforge %K success %K team size %X Information systems success is one of the most widely used dependent variables in information systems (IS) research, but research on Free/Libre and Open Source software (FLOSS) often fails to appropriately conceptualize this important concept. In this paper, we reconsider what success means within a FLOSS context. We first review existing models of IS success and success variables used in FLOSS research and assess them for their usefulness, practicality and fit to the FLOSS context. Then, drawing on a theoretical model of group effectiveness in the FLOSS development process, as well as an online discussion group with developers, we present additional concepts that are central to an appropriate understanding of success for FLOSS. In order to examine the practicality and validity of this conceptual scheme, the second half of our paper presents an empirical study that demonstrates its operationalization of the chosen measures and assesses their internal validity. We use data from SourceForge to measure the project’s effectiveness in team building, the speed of the project at responding to bug reports and the project’s popularity. We conclude by discussing the implications of this study for our proposed extension of IS success in the context of FLOSS development and highlight future directions for research. %B Software Process–Improvement and Practice %V 11 %P 123–148 %R 10.1002/spip.259 %> https://flosshub.org/sites/flosshub.org/files/CrowstonHowisonAnnabi2006.pdf %0 Conference Paper %B OSS2005: Open Source Systems %D 2005 %T A structurational perspective on leadership in Free/Libre Open Source Software teams %A Kevin Crowston %A Robert Heckman %A Hala Annabi %A Chengetai Masango %X In this conceptual paper, we present a structuration- based theory of leadership behaviours in self-organizing distributed teams such as Free/Libre Open Source Software development teams. Such teams are often composed of members of relatively equal status or who are so disparate in background that formal organizational status seems irrelevant, reducing the usual leadership cues provided by organizational status and title. Building on a functional view of leadership and structuration theory, we suggest that leaders are individuals who develop team structures that then guide the actions of team members. Specifically, we examine structures of signification in the form of shared mental models, structures of domination in the form of role structures and structures of legitimation in form of rules and norms. The main contribution of our paper is the integration of various social theories to describe emergent leadership behaviours in distributed teams. We develop a set of prop... %B OSS2005: Open Source Systems %P 9-15 %U http://pascal.case.unibz.it/handle/2038/623 %0 Conference Paper %B Workshop on Open Source Software Engineering, International Conference on Software Engineering %D 2004 %T Towards a Portfolio of FLOSS project Success Measures %A Kevin Crowston %A Hala Annabi %A Howison, James %A Chengetai Masango %K bug fixing %K developers %K downloads %K project success %K sourceforge %K team %K team size %X Project success is one of the most widely used dependent variables in information systems research. However, conventional measures of project success are difficult to apply to Free/Libre Open Source Software projects. In this paper, we present an analysis of four measures of success applied to SourceForge projects: number of members of the extended development community, project activity, bug fixing time and number of downloads. We argue that these four measures provide different insights into the collaboration and control mechanisms of the projects. %B Workshop on Open Source Software Engineering, International Conference on Software Engineering %8 May %G eng %> https://flosshub.org/sites/flosshub.org/files/crowston04towards.pdf %0 Conference Paper %B Twenty-Fourth International Conference on Information Systems %D 2003 %T Defining Open Source Software Project Success %A Kevin Crowston %A Hala Annabi %A James Howison %X Information systems success is one of the most widely used dependent variables in information systems research. In this paper, we identify a range of measures that can be used to assess the success of open source software (OSS) projects. We identify measures based on a review of the literature, a consideration of the OSS development process and an analysis of the opinions of OSS developers. For each measure, we provide examples of how they might be used in a study of OSS development. %B Twenty-Fourth International Conference on Information Systems %8 December %G eng %> https://flosshub.org/sites/flosshub.org/files/crowstonannabihowison.pdf