Publications
Publications
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(2,694)
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- Faculty Publications (634)
- 16 May 2000
- Research & Ideas
The Simple Economics of Open Source
generosity and knowledge-bearing have not really been guiding factors in other industries: so why would they dominate the computer field? Instead, they suggest, laboring on open source brings developers and... View Details
- March 2019 (Revised June 2019)
- Case
Global Sourcing at Nike
By: Nien-hê Hsieh, Michael W. Toffel and Olivia Hull
This case explores the evolution of Nike’s global product sourcing strategy, in particular ongoing efforts to improve working conditions at its suppliers’ factories. When the case opens in July 2018, Vice President of Sourcing Amanda Tucker and her colleagues in Nike’s... View Details
Keywords: Sourcing; Factory Conditions; Trade; Geography; Geographic Scope; Globalized Firms and Management; Corporate Accountability; Corporate Governance; Governance Compliance; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Innovation Strategy; Labor; Human Capital; Working Conditions; Supply Chain Management; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Labor and Management Relations; Complexity; Sports Industry; Fashion Industry; Oregon; Portland; Asia; North and Central America
- November 2023
- Case
Open Source Machine Learning at Google
Set in early 2023, the case exposes students to the challenges of managing open source software at Google. The case focuses on the challenges for Alex Spinelli, Vice President of Product Management for Core Machine Learning. He must set priorities for Google’s efforts... View Details
- May 2001
- Article
The Open Source Movement: Key Research Questions
By: Josh Lerner and Jean Tirole
The paper analyzes the incentives of individual programmers and of commercial companies to participate in open source projects. While these incentives are in our opinion well accounted for by the economic paradigm, much empirical and theoretical work is still needed to... View Details
- 2024
- Working Paper
The Value of Open Source Software
By: Manuel Hoffmann, Frank Nagle and Yanuo Zhou
The value of a non-pecuniary (free) product is inherently difficult to assess. A pervasive
example is open source software (OSS), a global public good that plays a vital role in the economy
and is foundational for most technology we use today. However, it is... View Details
- November – December 2011
- Article
Competitive Strategy for Open Source Software
By: Vineet Kumar, Brett Gordon and Kannan Srinivasan
Commercial open source software (COSS) products-privately developed software based on publicly available source code-represent a rapidly growing, multibillion-dollar market. A unique aspect of competition in the COSS market is that many open source licenses require... View Details
- 24 Feb 2020
- Research & Ideas
The Hidden Vulnerabilities of Open Source Software
underscore the importance of understanding where open source is most used and could be vulnerable to attack. The report, ‘Vulnerabilities in the Core,’ a Preliminary Report and Census II of View Details
- September 2023
- Technical Note
Free and Open Source Software and Hardware
By: Frank Nagle
This technical note surveys the concepts of free and open source software and hardware. It introduces the concepts in general, providing a brief history of their development and numerous examples of how companies employ them in practice. Further, it identifies various... View Details
- November 2023
- Article
Open Source Software and Global Entrepreneurship
By: Nataliya Langburd Wright, Frank Nagle and Shane Greenstein
This is the first study to consider the relationship between open source software (OSS) and
entrepreneurship around the globe. This study measures whether country-level participation on
the GitHub OSS platform affects the founding of innovative ventures, and where it... View Details
Perspectives on Free and Open Source Software
What is the status of the Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) revolution? Has the creation of software... View Details
- June 2025
- Technical Note
Open Source Software and Hardware Business Models
By: Frank Nagle and Richie Zitomer
Open source software (OSS) and open source hardware (OSH) have evolved from community-driven projects into mainstream phenomena with diverse commercial business models. In OSS, the source code is freely available for use, modification, and redistribution under open... View Details
- 11 Jan 2010
- Research & Ideas
Mixing Open Source and Proprietary Software Strategies
that market segment. We find that when the value of the complementary good and user innovation is low (meaning that the technical possibilities for users to improve the software are limited), the firm will choose a mixed View Details
- 09 Feb 2021
- News
Open Source Developers Could be Worth Billions
- June 2025
- Teaching Note
AI at QuantumBlack: McKinsey's Open Source Dilemma
By: Frank Nagle, Sam Boysel and Susan Pinckney
Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 725-433. The case describes the history of QuantumBlack. In 2015, McKinsey acquired data analytics company QuantumBlack. QuantumBlack produced Kedro, a ML data pipeline tool that helped McKinsey’s customers manage their data in an... View Details
Keywords: Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Change Management; Transformation; Customer Focus and Relationships; Decision Making; Financial Strategy; AI and Machine Learning; Digital Platforms; Technological Innovation; Copyright; Growth and Development Strategy; Market Timing; Risk and Uncertainty; Competition; Mergers and Acquisitions; Analytics and Data Science; Applications and Software; Open Source Distribution; Computer Industry; Consulting Industry
- May 29, 2018
- Article
A Study of NASA Scientists Shows How to Overcome Barriers to Open Innovation
By: Hila Lifshitz - Assaf, Michael Tushman and Karim R. Lakhani
- 02 Mar 2011
- Research & Ideas
Managing the Open Source vs. Proprietary Decision
Editor's note: In their new book, The Comingled Code: Open Source and Economic Development, HBS professor Josh Lerner and London School of Economics professor Mark Schankerman look at the impact of View Details
- 2010
- Book
The Comingled Code: Open Source and Economic Development
By: Josh Lerner and Mark Schankerman
Discussions of the economic impact of open source software often generate more heat than light. Advocates passionately assert the benefits of open source, while critics decry its effects. Missing from the debate is rigorous economic analysis and systematic... View Details
- March 2019
- Article
Open Source Software and Firm Productivity
By: Frank Nagle
As open source software (OSS) is increasingly used as a key input by firms, understanding its impact on productivity becomes critical. This study measures the firm-level productivity impact of nonpecuniary (free) OSS and finds a positive and significant value-added... View Details
The Comingled Code: Open Source and Economic Development
Discussions of the economic impact of open source software often generate more heat than light. Advocates passionately assert the benefits of open source while critics decry its effects. Missing from the debate is rigorous economic analysis and systematic economic... View Details