@article {Crowston:2007, title = {The role of face-to-face meetings in technology-supported self-organizing distributed teams}, journal = {IEEE Transactions on Professional Communications}, volume = {50}, number = {3}, year = {2007}, pages = {185{\textendash}203}, abstract = {We examine the role of face-to-face meetings in the context of technology-supported self-organizing distributed or virtual teams, specifically Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) development teams. Based on a qualitative inductive analysis of data from interviews and observations at FLOSS conferences, we identify a variety of settings in which developers meet face-to-face, activities performed in these settings and benefits obtained. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, FLOSS developers generally do not meet face-to-face until the project is well under way. An additional benefit of face-to-face meetings is time away from a regular job and speed of interaction for certain kinds of tasks.}, keywords = {FLOSS}, doi = {10.1109/TPC.2007.902654}, attachments = {https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/070122.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and James Howison and Masango, Chengetai and Eseryel, U. Yeliz} } @conference {Crowston:2005b, title = {Face-to-face interactions in self-organizing distributed teams}, booktitle = {Academy of Management Conference}, year = {2005}, address = {Honolulu, HI}, abstract = {We explore the role of face-to-face meetings in the life of distributed teams using data from Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) development teams. Such distributed teams are part of many organizations{\textquoteright} new vision of management in the 21st century. Practitioner research has suggested the need for face-to-face meetings when a team is formed, but few studies have considered the role of face-to-face meetings during a team{\textquoteright}s life. Based on a qualitative inductive analysis of data from interviews and observations at FLOSS conferences, we identify a variety of settings in which FLOSS developers meet face-to-face, activities performed in these settings and benefits obtained. Contrary to prior research, we find that FLOSS developers generally do not meet until the project is well under way. We also find that an additional benefit of face-to-face meetings is time away from a regular job. We conclude by noting limitations in our data collection due to a focus on core developers in large projects and with directions for further research.}, keywords = {FLOSS}, attachments = {https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/FaceToFace\%20Interactions.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and James Howison and Masango, Chengetai and Eseryel, U. Yeliz} } @proceedings {Crowston:2005a, title = {A structurational perspective on leadership in Free/Libre Open Source Software teams}, year = {2005}, address = {Genova, Italy}, abstract = {In this conceptual paper, we present a structuration-based theory of leadership behaviours in self-organizing virtual distributed teams such as Free/Libre Open Source Software development teams. Such teams are often composed of members of relatively equal status or who are so disparate in background that formal organizational status seems irrelevant, reducing the usual leadership cues provided by organizational status and title. Building on a functional view of leadership and structuration theory, we suggest that leaders are individuals who develop team structures that then guide the actions of team members. Specifically, we examine structures of signification in the form of shared mental models, structures of domination in the form of role structures and structures of legitimation in form of rules and norms. The main contribution of our paper is the integration of various social theories to describe emergent leadership behaviours in distributed teams. We develop a set of propositions and illustrate with examples taken from Free/Libre Open Source Software development teams. We conclude by suggesting future research that might be conducted to test and further elaborate our theory.}, keywords = {FLOSS, Leadership}, attachments = {https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/crowston-final.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and Heckman, Robert and Annabi, Hala and Masango, Chengetai} } @conference {2004, title = {Effective work practices for software engineering}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2004 ACM workshop on Interdisciplinary software engineering research (WISER {\textquoteright}04)}, year = {2004}, pages = {18}, publisher = {ACM Press}, organization = {ACM Press}, address = {Newport Beach, CA, USA}, abstract = {We review the literature on Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) development and on software development, distributed work and teams more generally to develop a theoretical model to explain the performance of FLOSS teams. The proposed model is based on Hackman{\textquoteright}s [34] model of effectiveness of work teams, with coordination theory [52] and collective mind [79] to extend Hackman{\textquoteright}s model by elaborating team practices relevant to effectiveness in software development. We propose a set of propositions to guide further research.}, keywords = {FLOSS}, isbn = {1581139888}, doi = {10.1145/1029997.1030003}, attachments = {https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/p18-crowston.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and Annabi, Hala and James Howison and Masango, Chengetai} }