The Relationship Between Process Variability and Structural Connectivity in Open Source Software Development

Xinyu Li, Fang Zhou

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

In this paper, we seek to extend existing knowledge on the fluidity nature of open source software (OSS) communities. We propose a theoretical framework to explain how development processes from different OSS communities converge to multiplicity through their structural connectivity. We empirically investigate 200 OSS projects in terms of their process sequences and network structures where process variability is measured by sequence dissimilarity and developer mobility is captured by overlap of membership, respectively. We conclude that the structural connection between OSS communities through membership overlap is associated with the similarity between their development processes. Implications, limitations and future orientations of the research are provided.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationICIS 2017
Subtitle of host publicationTransforming Society with Digital Innovation
PublisherAssociation for Information Systems
ISBN (Print)9780996683159
StatePublished - 2018
Externally publishedYes
Event38th International Conference on Information Systems: Transforming Society with Digital Innovation, ICIS 2017 - Seoul, Korea, Republic of
Duration: 10 Dec 201713 Dec 2017

Publication series

NameICIS 2017: Transforming Society with Digital Innovation

Conference

Conference38th International Conference on Information Systems: Transforming Society with Digital Innovation, ICIS 2017
Country/TerritoryKorea, Republic of
CitySeoul
Period10/12/1713/12/17

Keywords

  • Development process
  • Event sequence analysis
  • Fluidity
  • Network structure
  • Online community
  • Open source software project
  • Social network analysis

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