Open Source Project Management-from a Behavior Control Perspective

행위 통제 관점에서 바라본 오픈소스 프로젝트 관리

  • 조준기 (미국 클레어몬트대학 대학원)
  • Published : 2008.08.31

Abstract

With the successful arrival of quality free/open source software, open source ISD(Information System Development) projects have been drawing attention from academic researchers. However, there have been few efforts to examine the managerial aspect of open source ISD projects. This study use a case research methodology to explores the management of open source projects, especially from the perspective of behavior control. Through data analysis and discussion, the study found that various practices related to behavior control were exercised to obtain participants' shared goals, although specific instances vary in each case. This finding is contradictory to the views of some researchers who suggested open source ISD projects lack behavior control. For more comprehensive understanding, however, future research should also include controls of open source projects in terms of outcome control and self-control.

상업용 소프트웨어에 견줄만한 수준의 오픈소스 소프트웨어들이 등장함으로 인하여, 오픈소스 (정보시스템 개발) 프로젝트에 대한 학계의 관심이 고조되고 있는 가운데, 오픈소스 프로젝트의 관리경영측면에 관한 연구들은 막상 찾아보기 쉽지 않은 상황이다. 이러한 현실에서 본 논문은 기존의 전통적인 정보시스템 개발관리에 적용되는 경영관리 이론들이 오픈소스 프로젝트에도 그대로 적용될 수 있는 지를 살펴보고자 하는 학문적 관심에서 출발하여 사례연구 방법을 적용하여 행위통제의 관점에서 오픈소스 프로젝트들이 어떻게 관리되고 있는가 라는 문제를 연구하였다. 자료분석과 해석을 통해, 본 연구는 구체적인 사례들에 있어서 개별적인 차이들은 존재하지만, 전반적으로 오픈소스 프로젝트 관리에 있어 다양한 형태들의 행위통제가 이루어지고 있다는 사실을 확인하였다. 이러한 발견은 오픈 소스 프로젝트는 그 특성상 행위통제가 적용되기 어렵다고 보는 기존 일부 연구자들의 주장과 배치되는 내용이다. 오픈소스 프로젝트 관리에 관한 보다 더 포괄적인 학문적 이해를 위해서는 향후 결과통제와 자기통제까지 포함하는 보다 더 확대된 연구가 필요할 것으로 보인다.

Keywords

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