Why do people contribute to open source software?

: the motivations of the different contributors to OSS projects, and how their participation is characterized

Abstract

Open source software has seen a significant evolution in the last few years. From relativelyniche products and free alternative solutions to mass commercial software, OSS has beenadopted by some of the largest companies in technology as a viable mean to create some ofthe most used programs and operating systems nowadays.The past research on this topic has approached the benefits of this perspective, the roleswithin the communities and the motivations of its contributors. However, there has not beenresearch that has approached a detailed definition of the profiles within these communities,and how these contributors are motivated.In this research, we defined four profiles within the OSS communities, based on personalitytraits, as well as taking into account the reasons that lead them to choose the project in whichthey participate. Furthermore, we characterized these profiles of contributors from the natureof their contribution in OSS projects to demographics. Finally, we assessed the mainmotivations that drive each of these groups, finding that there are significant differences ofmotivations between the profiles, particularly in an intrinsic level. Finally, we assessed thedifference between groups concerning reasons for contributors to increase their participation,and found, once again, that there are significant differences between groups in what wouldlead them to participate more. This research found that there is potential for organizations toselect the contributors that are a better fit for their communities, and target their motivationsand preferred incentives.

Date of Award	26 Jul 2017
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Cláudia Isabel de Sousa Costa (Supervisor)