A Comparative Case Analysis of Open Source Business Models

Abstract

A misconception about Open Source Software is that there is no such thing as an open source busi- ness model (Letellier, 2008). This misconception has endured for a long time because the history of the software industry has been driven by standardized proprietary software. Nowadays, more com- panies are generating considerable revenues through Open Source Software (OSS), and the research question we can extract from this is: how do businesses generate revenue with OSS? A comparative case analysis of 10 B2B OSS businesses in combination with a literature review and in-depth inter- views will answer this research question. With this research we aim to determine the success factors of OSS business models based on empirical data by applying the Software Business Model Frame- work. The results are formed into a blueprint and guideline for OSS focused start-ups which lead them in the establishment of a successful OSS business. Additionally, investors can use the blueprint as a prediction of the future of businesses. The expert-interviewees have shown several similarities between the business models. Overall, we can confirm that the sample consists of commercial open source businesses which apply a hybrid combination of Software Business Model components.