%0 Journal Article %J Innovation: Organization & Management %D 2021 %T Examining Open Innovation in Science (OIS): What Open Innovation can and cannot offer the science of science %A Susanne Beck %A Marcel LaFlamme %A Carsten Bergenholtz %A Marcel Bogers %A Tiare-Maria Brasseur %A Marie-Louise Conradsen %A Kevin Crowston %A Diletta Di Marco %A Agnes Effert %A Despoina Filiou %A Lars Frederiksen %A Thomas Gillier %A Marc Gruber %A Carolin Haeussler %A Karin Hoisl %A Olga Kokshagina %A Maria-Theresa Norn %A Marion Poetz %A Gernot Pruschak %A Laia Pujol Priego %A Agnieszka Radziwon %A Alexander Ruser %A Henry Sauermann %A Sonali Shah %A Julia Suess-Reyes %A Christopher L. Tucci %A Philipp Tuertscher %A Jane Bjørn Vedel %A Roberto Verganti %A Jonathan Wareham %A Sunny Mosangzi Xu %X

Scholars across disciplines increasingly hear calls for more open and collaborative approaches to scientific research. The concept of Open Innovation in Science (OIS) provides a framework that integrates dispersed research efforts aiming to understand the antecedents, contingencies, and consequences of applying open and collaborative research practices. While the OIS framework has already been taken up by science of science scholars, its conceptual underpinnings require further specification. In this essay, we critically examine the OIS concept and bring to light two key aspects: 1) how OIS builds upon Open Innovation (OI) research by adopting its attention to boundary-crossing knowledge flows and by adapting other concepts developed and researched in OI to the science context as exemplified by two OIS cases in the area of research funding; 2) how OIS conceptualises knowledge flows across boundaries. While OI typically focuses on well-defined organizational boundaries, we argue that blurry and even invisible boundaries between communities of practice may more strongly constrain flows of knowledge related to openness and collaboration in science. Given the uptake of this concept, this essay brings needed clarity to the meaning of OIS, which has no particular normative orientation toward a close coupling between science and industry. We end by outlining the essay’s contributions to OI and the science of science, as well as to science practitioners.

%B Innovation: Organization & Management %G eng %R 10.1080/14479338.2021.1999248 %0 Journal Article %J Internet Research %D 2021 %T Participation in Community-Based Free/Libre Open Source Software Development Tasks: The Impact of Task Characteristics %A Kangning Wei %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A Kevin Crowston %X

Prior research on participation in FLOSS development has focused mainly on factors at the individual and/or project levels. In this research, we focus on task characteristics and explore their impacts on participation in FLOSS development tasks. Analyzing tasks from five projects in two categories, we find differences in participation related to different task triggers and task topics. Further, our results suggest the mediating role of number of participants in the relationship between task characteristics and the number of messages and the moderating role of project type in the relationships between task characteristics and the number of participants.

%B Internet Research %V 31 %P 1177-1202 %G eng %N 4 %R 10.1108/INTR-03-2020-0112 %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/IR%20to%20share.pdf %0 Journal Article %J Communications of the Association for Information Systems %D 2020 %T Decision-Making Processes in Community-based Free/Libre Open Source Software Development Teams with Internal Governance: An Extension to Decision-Making Theory %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A Kangning Wei %A Kevin Crowston %X

FLOSS teams are an extreme example of distributed teams, prominent in software development. At the core of distributed team success is team decision-making and execution. The lack formal organizational structures to guide practices and the reliance on asynchronous communication might be expected to make decision making problematic. While there is a paucity of research in how organizations make IS development decisions, the research in FLOSS decision making models is limited. Decision-making literature in FLOSS teams is limited to the investigation of the distribution of decision-making power. Therefore, it is not clear which decision-making theories fit FLOSS context best, or whether novel decision-making models are required. Despite these challenges many FLOSS teams are effective. We adopted a process-based perspective to analyze decision-making in five community-based FLOSS teams. We identified five different decision-making processes, indicating FLOSS teams use multiple processes when making decisions. Decision-making behaviors were stable across projects despite different type of knowledge required. We help fill in the literature gap due to the lack of investigations the extent to which FLOSS decision mechanisms can be explained using classical decision-making theories. Practically, community and company leaders should use these decision processes to infrastructure that fits best with the FLOSS decision-making processes.

%B Communications of the Association for Information Systems %G eng %N 46 %R 10.17705/1CAIS.04620 %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/CAIS%20Journal%202nd%20Round%20Resubmission.pdf %0 Journal Article %J Information and Management %D 2017 %T Roles and politeness behavior in community-based Free/Libre Open Source Software development %A Kangning Wei %A Kevin Crowston %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A Heckman, Robert %K Core-periphery structure %K Open source software development %K Politeness behavior %X Community-based Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) development relies on contributions from both core and peripheral members. Prior research on core-periphery has focused on software coding-related behaviors. We study how core-periphery roles are related to social-relational behavior in terms of politeness behavior. Data from two FLOSS projects suggest that both core and peripheral members use more positive politeness strategies than negative strategies. Further, core and peripheral members use different strategies to protect positive face in positive politeness, which we term respect and intimacy respectively. Our results contribute to FLOSS research and politeness theory. %B Information and Management %V 54 %P 573-582 %G eng %N 5 %R 10.1016/j.im.2016.11.006 %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Group_maintenance%20paper%20to%20share.pdf %0 Journal Article %J Journal of the Association for Information Systems %D 2014 %T Editorial: The role of information systems in enabling open innovation %A Eoin Whelan %A Kieran Conboy %A Kevin Crowston %A Lorraine Morgan %A Matti Rossi %B Journal of the Association for Information Systems %V 15 %8 11/2014 %U http://aisel.aisnet.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1692&context=jais %N 11 %& Article 4 %R 10.17705/1jais.00381 %0 Journal Article %J Information & Management %D 2014 %T Group maintenance in technology-supported distributed teams %A Kangning Wei %A Kevin Crowston %A Li, Na %A Heckman, Robert %X In this paper we investigate group maintenance behavior in community-based Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) development teams. Adopting a sociolinguistic perspective, we conceptualize group maintenance behavior as interpersonal communication tactics—specifically, social presence and politeness tactics—that help maintain relationships among group members. Developer email messages were collected from two FLOSS projects with different development status and content-analyzed to identify frequently-used group maintenance tactics. We then compared the two projects on the group maintenance tactics used, finding differences that reflect changes in the project work practices. Our work contributes theoretically to FLOSS research and has practical implications for FLOSS practitioners. %B Information & Management %V 51 %P 297-309 %8 4/2014 %N 3 %R 10.1016/j.im.2014.02.001 %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Group_maintenance%20paper_part%20I_20140122_final.pdf %0 Journal Article %J ACM Computing Surveys %D 2012 %T Free/Libre Open Source Software Development: What we know and what we do not know %A Kevin Crowston %A Kangning Wei %A James Howison %A Wiggins, Andrea %X We review the empirical research on Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) development and assess the state of the literature. We develop a framework for organizing the literature based on the input-mediator-output- input (IMOI) model from the small groups literature. We present a quantitative summary of articles selected for the review and then discuss findings of this literature categorized into issues pertaining to inputs (e.g., member characteristics, technology use and project characteristics), processes (software development and social processes), emergent states (e.g., trust and task related states) and outputs (e.g. team performance, FLOSS implementation and project evolution). Based on this review, we suggest topics for future research, as well as identifying methodological and theoretical issues for future inquiry in this area, including issues relating to sampling and the need for more longitudinal studies. %B ACM Computing Surveys %7 2 %V 44 %8 02/2012 %G eng %R 10.1145/2089125.2089127 %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/CrowstonFLOSSReviewPaperPreprint.pdf %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Appendix%201%20Journal%20and%20Conference%20Names.pdf %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Appendix%202%20Coding%20Scheme.pdf %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Appendix%203%20Studies%20included%20in%20the%20review.pdf %0 Journal Article %J Journal of the Association for Information Systems %D 2011 %T Validity issues in the use of social network analysis with digital trace data %A James Howison %A Kevin Crowston %A Wiggins, Andrea %X

There is an exciting natural match between social network analysis methods and the growth of data sources produced by social interactions via information technologies, from online communities to corporate information systems. Information Systems researchers have not been slow to embrace this combination of method and data. Such systems increasingly provide "digital trace data" that provide new research opportunities. Yet digital trace data are substantively different from the survey and interview data for which network analysis measures and interpretations were originally developed. This paper examines ten validity issues associated with the combination of data digital trace data and social network analysis methods, with examples from the IS literature, to provide recommendations for improving the validity of research using this combination.

%B Journal of the Association for Information Systems %V 12 %8 12/2011 %U http://aisel.aisnet.org/jais/vol12/iss12/2/ %N 12 %& Article 2 %R 10.17705/1jais.00282 %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/JAIS.RA-JAIS-08-0130-ReferencesFixed.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the International Conference on Open Source Systems (OSS) %D 2010 %T Reclassifying Success and Tragedy in FLOSS Projects %A Wiggins, Andrea %A Kevin Crowston %X This paper presents the results of a replication of English & Schweik’s 2007 paper classifying FLOSS projects according to their stage of growth and indicators of success. We recreated the analysis using a comparable data set from 2006, with one additional point in time. We also expanded upon the original results by applying different criteria for evaluating the rate of new software releases for sustainability of project activity. We discuss the points of convergence and divergence from the original work from these extensions of the classification, and their implications for studying FLOSS development using archival data. The paper contributes new analysis of operationalizing success in FLOSS projects, with discussion of implications of the findings. %B Proceedings of the International Conference on Open Source Systems (OSS) %C Notre Dame, IN, USA %8 6/2010 %G eng %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/awigginsOSS2010Reclassifying.pdf %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/OSS2010AnalysisScripts.zip %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of The Fifth International Conference on Open Source Systems (OSS) %D 2009 %T Group Maintenance Behaviours of Core and Peripheral Members of Free/Libre Open Source Software Teams %A Scialdone, Michael J. %A Heckman, Robert %A Kevin Crowston %E Boldyreff, Cornelia %E Kevin Crowston %E Lundell, Björn %E Wasserman, Tony %K FLOSS %K Group Maintenance %X Group Maintenance is pro-social, discretionary, and relation-building behavior that occurs between members of groups in order to maintain reciprocal trust and cooperation. This paper considers how Free/libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) teams demonstrate such behaviors within the context of e-mail, as this is the primary medium through which such teams communicate. We compare group maintenance behaviors between both core and peripheral members of these groups, as well as behaviors between a group that remains producing software today and one which has since dissolved. Our findings indicate that negative politeness tactics (those which show respect for the autonomy of others) may be the most instrumental group maintenance behaviors that contribute to a FLOSS group‘s ability to survive and continue software production. %B Proceedings of The Fifth International Conference on Open Source Systems (OSS) %C Skövde, Sweden, 3-6 June %G eng %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/34finalmjs.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of The Fifth International Conference on Open Source Systems (OSS) %D 2009 %T Heartbeat: Measuring Active User Base and Potential User Interest in FLOSS Projects %A Wiggins, Andrea %A James Howison %A Kevin Crowston %E Boldyreff, Cornelia %E Kevin Crowston %E Lundell, Björn %E Wasserman, Tony %X This paper presents a novel method and algorithm to measure the size of an open source project’s user base and the level of potential user interest that it generates. Previously unavailable download data at a daily resolution confirms hypothesized patterns related to release cycles. In short, regular users rapidly download the software after a new release giving a way to measure the active user base. In contrast, potential new users download the application independently of the release cycle, and the daily download figures tend to plateau at this rate when a release has not been made for some time. An algorithm for estimating these measures from download time series is demonstrated and the measures are examined over time in two open source projects. %B Proceedings of The Fifth International Conference on Open Source Systems (OSS) %I Springer Boston %C Skövde, Sweden, 3-6 June %V 299 %P 94-104 %@ 978-3-642-02031-5 %G eng %R 10.1007/978-3-642-02032-2%5f10 %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/heartbeat.pdf %0 Conference Paper %B 4S conference %D 2009 %T Tales of the Field: Building Small Science Cyberinfrastructure %A Wiggins, Andrea %K FLOSS %B 4S conference %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/BuildingSmallScienceCyberinfrastructureFinal.pdf %0 Generic %D 2008 %T Asynchronous Decision-Making in Distributed Teams (Poster) %A Li, Qing %A Heckman, Robert %A Allen, Eileen E. %A Kevin Crowston %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A James Howison %A Wiggins, Andrea %K Decision-Making %K FLOSS %B Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work %C San Diego, CA %8 8–12 November %G eng %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/CSCW2008Poster11x17Draft.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the IFIP 2.13 Working Conference on Open Source Software (OSS) %D 2008 %T eResearch workflows for studying free and open source software development %A James Howison %A Wiggins, Andrea %A Kevin Crowston %K eResearch %K FLOSS %K Workflow %X This paper proposes a demonstration of eResearch workflow tools as a model for the research community studying free and open source software and its development. For purposes of background and justification, the paper first introduces eResearch as increasingly practiced in fields such as astrophysics and biology, then contrasts the practice of research on free and open source software. After outlining the suitable public data sources the paper introduces a class of tools known as scientific workflow frameworks, specifically focusing on one---Taverna---and introducing its features. To further explain the tool a complete workflow used for original research on FLOSS is described and the agenda for the live demonstration is outlined. %B Proceedings of the IFIP 2.13 Working Conference on Open Source Software (OSS) %C Milan, Italy, 7-10 September %G eng %R 10.1007/978-0-387-09684-1_39 %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/eResearchWorkflows.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on e-Social Science %D 2008 %T eSocialScience for Free/Libre Open Source Software researchers %A Kevin Crowston %A James Howison %A Wiggins, Andrea %K eScience %K FLOSS %X This abstract presents a case study of the potential application of eScience tools and practices for the social science research community studying Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) development practices. We first describe the practice of research on FLOSS to motivate the need for eScience. After outlining suitable public data sources, we describe our initial efforts to introduce eScience tools for FLOSS research, potential obstacles and how the use of such tools might affect the practice of research in this field. %B Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on e-Social Science %C Manchester, UK, 18-20 June %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/NCeSS2008CrowstonHowisonWiggins.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the Oxford e-Research 08 Conference %D 2008 %T Opportunities for eScience research on Free/Libre Open Source Software %A Kevin Crowston %A James Howison %A Wiggins, Andrea %B Proceedings of the Oxford e-Research 08 Conference %C Oxford, England, 11-13 September %G eng %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Opportunities%20for%20eScience%20research%20on%20Free.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the Oxford e-Research Conference 08 %D 2008 %T Replication of FLOSS Research as eResearch %A Wiggins, Andrea %A James Howison %A Kevin Crowston %X We are working to introduce the ideas of eResearch to a multi-disciplinary research domain: those researchers examining Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) and its development (Howison, Wiggins, & Crowston, 2008). The first phase of this work focused on building a repository for data on FLOSS teams, FLOSSmole (Howison, Conklin, & Crowston, 2006), and collaborating with other nascent data repositories in the field. Recently we have begun a second phase, which is to introduce another established principle of eResearch, that of broader collaboration through shared workflows accessing these data repositories. To provide an example of the potential value of this principle, we are replicating seminal FLOSS papers using eResearch approaches. This paper describes research outcomes and lessons learned from translating published literature into eResearch workflows. %B Proceedings of the Oxford e-Research Conference 08 %C Oxford, England, 11-13 September %G eng %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/ReplicationOfFLOSSResearch.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the IFIP 2.13 Working Conference on Open Source Software (OSS) %D 2008 %T Social dynamics of FLOSS team communication across channels %A Wiggins, Andrea %A James Howison %A Kevin Crowston %K FLOSS %X This paper extends prior investigation into the social dynamics of free and open source (FLOSS) teams by examining the methodological questions arising from research using social network analysis on open source projects. We evaluate the validity of data sampling by examining dynamics of communication centralization, which vary across multiple communication channels. We also introduce a method for intensity-based smoothing in dynamic social network analysis. %B Proceedings of the IFIP 2.13 Working Conference on Open Source Software (OSS) %I Springer Boston %C Milan, Italy, 7-10 September %P 131-142 %@ 978-0-387-09683-4 %G eng %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/DSNAWigginsIFIP.pdf %0 Generic %D 2008 %T Taverna Demo Screencast Redux %A James Howison %E Wiggins, Andrea %K Data Management %K FLOSS %X This is a shortened version of the Taverna Demo screencast by James Howison. It was edited by Andrea Wiggins for use in a data analysis lecture for the IST 400/600 course on Science Data Management. The reduced version is just over 14 minutes long and omits some of the more technical discussion to focus on the tool demo for a general audience. %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/TavernaDemoRedux.m4v %0 Generic %D 2008 %T Towards A review of the empirical FLOSS literature %A Kevin Crowston %A James Howison %A Kangning Wei %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A Li, Qing %K FLOSS %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/ReviewProgressReport.pdf %0 Generic %D 2007 %T Investigating the Dynamics of FLOSS Development Teams (Poster) %A Li, Na %A Li, Qing %A Kangning Wei %A Heckman, Robert %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A Liddy, Elizabeth D. %A James Howison %A Kevin Crowston %A Allen, Eileen E. %A Scialdone, Michael J. %A Inoue, Keisuke %A Harwell, Sarah %A Rowe, Steven %A McCracken, Nancy %A Wiggins, Andrea %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/HSDposter_8.ai_.pdf %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/HSDposter_8.pdf %0 Journal Article %J Information and Software Technology Journal: Special issue on Understanding the Social Side of Software Engineering, Qualitative Software Engineering Research %D 2007 %T Self-organization of teams in free/libre open source software development %A Kevin Crowston %A Kangning Wei %A Li, Qing %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A James Howison %X This paper provides empirical evidence about how free/libre open source software development teams self-organize their work, specifically, how tasks are assigned to project team members. Following a case study methodology, we examined developer interaction data from three active and successful FLOSS projects using qualitative research methods, specifically inductive content analysis, to identify the task-assignment mechanisms used by the participants. We found that ‘self-assignment’ was the most common mechanism across three FLOSS projects. This mechanism is consistent with expectations for distributed and largely volunteer teams. We conclude by discussing whether these emergent practices can be usefully transferred to mainstream practice and indicating directions for future research. %B Information and Software Technology Journal: Special issue on Understanding the Social Side of Software Engineering, Qualitative Software Engineering Research %V 49 %P 564–575 %G eng %N 6 %R 10.1016/j.infsof.2007.02.004 %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/060918.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the 39th Hawai'i International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-39) %D 2006 %T Core and periphery in Free/Libre and Open Source software team communications %A Kevin Crowston %A Kangning Wei %A Li, Qing %A James Howison %K FLOSS %X The concept of the core group of developers is important and often discussed in empirical studies of FLOSS projects. This paper examines the question, “how does one empirically distinguish the core?” Being able to identify the core members of a FLOSS development project is important because many of the processes necessary for successful projects likely involve core members differently than peripheral members, so analyses that mix the two groups will likely yield invalid results. We compare 3 analysis approaches to identify the core: the named list of developers, a Bradford’s law analysis that takes as the core the most frequent contributors and a social network analysis of the interaction pattern that identifies the core in a core-and-periphery structure. We apply these measures to the interactions around bug fixing for 116 SourceForge projects. The 3 techniques identify different individuals as core members; examination of which individuals are identified leads to suggestions for refining the measures. All 3 measures though suggest that the core of FLOSS projects is a small fraction of the total number of contributors. %B Proceedings of the 39th Hawai'i International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-39) %C Kaua'i, Hawai'i, January %G eng %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/CoreAndPeripheryInFreeLibre.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) %D 2006 %T Emergent decision-making practices in technology-supported self-organizing distributed teams %A Heckman, Robert %A Kevin Crowston %A Li, Qing %A Allen, Eileen E. %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A James Howison %A Kangning Wei %K Decision-Making %K FLOSS %X We seek to identify work practices that make technology-supported self-organizing distributed (or virtual) teams (TSSODT for short) effective in producing outputs satisfactory to their sponsors, meeting the needs of their members and continuing to function. A particularly important practice for team effectiveness is decision making: are the right decisions made at the right time to get the work done in a way that satisfies team sponsors, keeps contributors happy and engaged, and enables continued team success? In this research-in-progress paper, we report on an inductive qualitative analysis of 120 decision episodes taken by 2 Free/libre Open Source Software development teams. Our analysis revealed differences in decision-making practices that seem to be related to differences in overall team effectiveness. %B Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) %C Milwaukee, WI, 10–13 Dec %G eng %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Emergent%20Decision%20Making%20Practices%20In%20Technology%20Supported%20Self%20O.pdf %0 Generic %D 2006 %T Investigating the Dynamics of FLOSS Development Teams (Poster) %A Li, Qing %A Kangning Wei %A Heckman, Robert %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A Liddy, Elizabeth D. %A James Howison %A Kevin Crowston %A Allen, Eileen E. %A Inoue, Keisuke %A Harwell, Sarah %A Rowe, Steven %A McCracken, Nancy %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/hsd2006poster.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) %D 2005 %T Coordination of Free/Libre Open Source Software development %A Kevin Crowston %A Kangning Wei %A Li, Qing %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A James Howison %K Coordination %K FLOSS %X The apparent success of free/libre open source software (FLOSS) development projects such as Linux, Apache, and many others has raised the question, what lessons from FLOSS development can be transferred to mainstream software development? In this paper, we use coordination theory to analyze coordination mechanisms in FLOSS development and compare our analysis with existing literature on coordination in proprietary software development. We examined developer interaction data from three active and successful FLOSS projects and used content analysis to identify the coordination mechanisms used by the participants. We found that there were similarities between the FLOSS groups and the reported practices of the proprietary project in the coordination mechanisms used to manage task-task dependencies. However, we found clear differences in the coordination mechanisms used to manage task-actor dependencies. While published descriptions of proprietary software development involved an elaborate system to locate the developer who owned the relevant piece of code, we found that “self-assignment” was the most common mechanism across three FLOSS projects. This coordination mechanism is consistent with expectations for distributed and largely volunteer teams. We conclude by discussing whether these emergent practices can be usefully transferred to mainstream practice and indicating directions for future research. %B Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) %C Las Vegas, NV, USA, December %G eng %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Coordination%20of%20Free%20Libre%20Open%20Source%20Software%20Development.pdf %> https://floss.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/CoordinationFreeLibreOSSDevSlides.pdf