This space is being used to develop a response to the Ford Foundation's, "Digital Infrastructure Research RFP".
Problem Being Addressed (summary & interpretation of Roads & Bridges report - not a element in the Concept Notes template):
Much of the digital infrastructure on which commerce depends has been generated and is maintained through Open Source Software (OSS) projects and open communities. Open Source Software tends to be initiated, created, and maintained through social modes of production, rather than traditional capitalist modes of production in which the creator makes proprietary claims of ownership to maximize profits. Instead, the project freely distributes code and other resources under open licenses with the hope of maximizing social value through use not restricted by proprietary intellectual property claims. The process of social modes of production has generated significant innovation and in-turn has lowered the barriers for cycles of creativity and innovation through the development of gratis and libre digital infrastructure including frameworks, languages, standards, applications, development tools, etc. These intellectual assets have been used extensively by for-profit and public organizations as critical elements of their value chain and operations. Social modes of production frequently struggle to resource continuing maintenance of digital infrastructure products and services as the demand for their software product increases without corresponding levels of resources to supply maintenance and development. This problem is endemic to the mixing of production models, as traditional for-profit companies and corporatized public agencies prioritize maximization of profit, there is the tendency toward free-riding on OSS to increase profit margins and pass the additional revenues on to equity holders. It is in part the financial Free-Riding effect of start-ups, venture capitalists, and for-profit companies that has put the sustainability of OSS digital infrastructure at risk and along with it, the well being of the organizations that rely on it. The conundrum facing OSS communities and the users of OSS digital infrastructure is how to preserve and nurture the benefits of social modes of production, while also ensuring that corporate free-riding is reduced to a level that allows for product sustainability and growth.
Narrative Questions (from Concept Notes template)
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* Please note that the following responses are either first drafts or stubs. *
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What is your research question? (100)
The purpose of this study is to identify and systemize the types of information, its presentation, and methodology that will help corporate leaders who are responsible for financial resource allocation rationalize appropriate investment in OSS project communities and help OSS project community maintainers plan and prioritize investment of available resources to improve project maturity and reduce risk to product users.
Please clearly state any hypotheses relating to this question.
Hypothesis a: Organizations bound to the tradition of for-profit modes of production will respond with organizationally appropriate (based on ROI) levels of resource investment to ensure continued levels of profit realization.
Hypothesis b: Most companies using OSS digital infrastructure are unaware of the nature of social modes of production used by OSS communities.
Hypothesis c: Most companies using OSS digital infrastructure are not aware of the relative health of the OSS community that is responsible for maintenance and continued development of the digital infrastructure they are depending on.
Hypothesis d: Because of lack of appreciation of OSS modes of production and dependable sources of information of OSS project community health, corporate business decision makers are not in a position to make responsible and rational decision about levels of investment in the OSS communities ensuring the reliability of the distal infrastructure on which they depend.
Hypothesis e: Providing corporate business leaders who are responsible for financial allocation decisions with information in the form of an index indicating OSS “business readiness,” community maturity, capacity, and associated risk, will promote the rationalization of appropriate levels of resource investment, improve decision making for adoption and community participation, and investment based on enlightened self-interest.
Hypothesis f: Providing OSS project community leaders, maintainers, and governors who are responsible for financial allocation decisions with information in the form of an index indicating OSS “business readiness,” community maturity, capacity, and associated risk, will promote better planning, prioritization, and allocation of resources.
Why is this question important to answer? (200)
One of the most important enablers for successful self-managed distributed community is information to support decision-making. When users of OSS digital infrastructure are able to act rationality in their own enlightened self-interest, they will ensure that the OSS community on which they are dependent is resourced and has the capacity to manage risk. When OSS digital infrastructure maintainers have information that will help inform plans and prioritize resource investment, the community will mature, become more dependable, and “business ready.”
What research method(s) will you use to answer this question? (200)
Mixed methodology based on artifact reviews, surveys, and interviews supplemented by historiographical analysis of specific projects and corporate users.
What data or other resources will you use to answer this question? (200)
Publicly available information from project sites and forums.
Survey data.
Interviews
What is your vision of success? (200)
Guiding questions: Who is the audience for this work? What do you hope the near and long-term impacts of this work are on the digital infrastructure field? How will this work address the needs marginalized and under-represented communities?
Tell us more about the project team and collaborators. (200)
Guiding questions: Who will be working on this project? Who might you collaborate with, formal or informal? How does your team think about diversity with respect to this project and this problem space?