Paper Number

1849

Paper Type

Complete

Abstract

The first release of an open-source software (OSS) project signifies a pivotal shift from task-oriented development to user-driven innovation. This paper investigates how a project's first release and external contributors' involvement influence OSS development and maintenance. Using a difference-in-differences framework and with a panel dataset from GitHub, our analyses reveal that OSS projects with a first release exhibit significantly higher activity levels, with focus towards maintenance-related work. Moreover, increased involvement of external contributors before the first release positively impacts subsequent project activities. Interestingly, involving external contributors too early could hinder innovation. This study offers valuable insights for researchers into open innovation and OSS development, presenting a new perspective on the first-mover advantage. For practitioners, the findings emphasize the need for a well-planned first-release strategy and the careful integration of external contributors, balancing user adoption, project activity, and the long-term success of OSS projects.

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Dec 15th, 12:00 AM

How Does Early Involvement of External Contributors Impact Open Source Software Development and Maintenance? Evidence from Github

The first release of an open-source software (OSS) project signifies a pivotal shift from task-oriented development to user-driven innovation. This paper investigates how a project's first release and external contributors' involvement influence OSS development and maintenance. Using a difference-in-differences framework and with a panel dataset from GitHub, our analyses reveal that OSS projects with a first release exhibit significantly higher activity levels, with focus towards maintenance-related work. Moreover, increased involvement of external contributors before the first release positively impacts subsequent project activities. Interestingly, involving external contributors too early could hinder innovation. This study offers valuable insights for researchers into open innovation and OSS development, presenting a new perspective on the first-mover advantage. For practitioners, the findings emphasize the need for a well-planned first-release strategy and the careful integration of external contributors, balancing user adoption, project activity, and the long-term success of OSS projects.

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