This paper reviews the recent literature on the economics of open source software. Two different sets of issues are addressed. The first looks at the incentives of programmers to participate in open source projects. The second considers the business models used by profit-making firms in the open...

This paper analyzes free software under the light of commons theories, and tries to answer whether it is a managed or open access commons. It briefly presents commons studies and its main concepts, as well as the discussion on immaterial commons, arguing that goods’ intrinsic characteristics...

Existing data centers today are not ready to support IT organizations to meet the ever changing business demands. Therefore, next generation of data center like Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) is explored and expected to come to rescue. However, SDDC is relatively new since its inception in...

We develop a model to investigate the manner in which the pricing, profitability and protection strategies of the seller of a proprietary digital good respond to changing market conditions. Specifically, we investigate how the optimal strategy of a seller of proprietary software (such as...

This paper is an extension of the debate on the nexus between the strength of IPRs and prospects for knowledge economy. It assesses the relationships between software piracy and scientific publications in African countries for which data is available. The findings which reveal a positive nexus...

The paper discusses the "Rental right licenses" as newly introduced by Microsoft. The issue is of great importance. Currently, Microsoft is "testing" enforcement of these licenses in Korea and is likely to initiate similar claims in Europe. This article examines the relationship between...

This paper looks at the relationship between venture capital (VC) funds and patent assertion entity (PAE). These two types of entities rely heavily on patents most particularly in the software industry. This paper analyzes this relationship and argues that VC funds have fed into the PAE...

Six Sigma approach is considered as a very successful tool in manufacturing quality improvement. From the last two decades, Six Sigma has helped many companies e.g., Honda, American Express, Ford, Honda, General Electric, Sony, Hitachi, Motorola, Texas Instruments etc. to be successful. The goal...

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have long been considered as the principle driving force of Bangladesh's economy. Along with stimulating private ownership and entrepreneurial skills, SMEs are flexible and can adapt quickly to changing market demand and supply. The aim of this study was to...

This article provides an analysis of product variety and scope economies in the microcomputer software industry by using detailed firm-level and product-level information on firms' bundling of functionalities over application categories and computing platforms. We find that the management of...