Evaluation of Volunteering Capabilities in an Open-Source Software Community

Hariharan, Aadharsh

Evaluation of Volunteering Capabilities in an Open-Source Software Community

dc.contributor.advisor	Barcomb, Ann
dc.contributor.author	Hariharan, Aadharsh
dc.contributor.committeemember	De Carli, Lorenzo
dc.contributor.committeemember	Krishnamurthy, Diwakar
dc.date	2024-06
dc.date.accessioned	2023-12-21T21:47:59Z
dc.date.available	2023-12-21T21:47:59Z
dc.date.issued	2023-12-19
dc.description.abstract	Open-source software is a cornerstone of modern technology. Embodying principles of transparency, collaboration, and innovation, it nurtures a vibrant ecosystem that empowers individuals, businesses, and communities. Open-source software has impacted software development significantly; the longevity of open-source projects is essential to the entire field of software development. Challenges faced by open-source software communities include the management of contributors, effective utilization of them, retention of existing contributors, and recruitment of new contributors. For projects where most contributors are volunteers – which remains the case for several projects such as Gnome, Perl, and Python – attracting and retaining volunteers becomes crucial to success. Crowston (2011) argued that because of the high mobility of knowledge workers, even paid employees require personal motivation to participate in projects. In this sense, they should also be viewed as volunteers. Numerous studies explore the dynamics of open-source communities and volunteer contributions. This research has yielded models to assess the volunteering prowess of open-source software communities, and proposed solutions to address challenges. However, most studies have taken a collective approach, encompassing multiple open-source software communities, which presents a generalized perspective. Utilizing a fusion of quantitative and qualitative techniques, this research project gauges the degree of relevance and applicability of existing theories, models, and solutions within the unique context of the Perl and Raku community. This case study offers valuable insights into the community's existing skills, capabilities, and resources available for constructive contributions to growth and development. These insights are instrumental in identifying and implementing strategies to attract and retain volunteers within the community. Conflict within communities can be a significant factor in retaining volunteers, and the latter portion of the thesis emphasizes identifying techniques to address these challenges.
dc.identifier.citation	Hariharan, A. (2023). Evaluation of volunteering capabilities in an open-source software community (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/1880/117791
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher.faculty	Graduate Studies
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	Open-Source Software
dc.subject	Episodic Volunteering
dc.subject	Habitual Volunteering
dc.subject	Perl and Raku
dc.subject	PLSPM
dc.subject	Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis
dc.subject.classification	Information Science
dc.title	Evaluation of Volunteering Capabilities in an Open-Source Software Community
dc.type	master thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Engineering – Electrical & Computer
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Master of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent	I do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.