Start Date
12-13-2015
Description
This paper examines the attention put by IS researchers to the various contexts of the Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) phenomenon. Following a selective review of the IS literature on FOSS, we highlight some of the pitfalls that FOSS research encounter in its quest for theoretical progress. We raise awareness of these pitfalls' consequences for how we propose, test, and falsify theories about the FOSS phenomenon. We conclude by proposing an agenda for future research.
Recommended Citation
Carillo, Kevin and Bernard, Jean-Gregoire, "How Many Penguins Can Hide Under an Umbrella? An Examination of How Lay Conceptions Conceal the Contexts of Free/Open Source Software" (2015). ICIS 2015 Proceedings. 16.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2015/proceedings/ManagingIS/16
How Many Penguins Can Hide Under an Umbrella? An Examination of How Lay Conceptions Conceal the Contexts of Free/Open Source Software
This paper examines the attention put by IS researchers to the various contexts of the Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) phenomenon. Following a selective review of the IS literature on FOSS, we highlight some of the pitfalls that FOSS research encounter in its quest for theoretical progress. We raise awareness of these pitfalls' consequences for how we propose, test, and falsify theories about the FOSS phenomenon. We conclude by proposing an agenda for future research.