THE OPEN SOURCE MODEL OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT IN SMALL BRAZILIAN COMPANIES

Abstract

Large companies in the information technology sector are opening the codes of strategic products to gain a competitive advantage. Under the philosophical paradigm of Critical Realism, the study aims to identify the mechanisms involved in the decision to adopt the open model of software development by small Brazilian companies. Using multiple case studies, the data were obtained from four Brazilian technology companies. The qualitative material collected in 2017 was analyzed using inductive and deductive methods, seeking evidence to corroborate the existing literature and identify eventual mechanisms associated with the specific context explored in this study. The main contributions of the study are the level of analysis, its anchoring in empirical data, the chosen context and the philosophical paradigm used by the authors. The study found that political instability and the high cost associated with adopting the open model of software development could be barriers for small companies wishing to adopt this model. The study also allows market managers to reassess their software development strategies.