Understanding the motivations of open-soutce hardware developers : insights from the Arduino Community

Abstract

Following a change in the paradigm of innovation, much research has been focused on open innovation and user entrepreneurship. Most of this research is centered on open-source software communities as a main driver and tool for innovation initiatives. Moving towards physical objects instead of merely considering software, the emerging topic of open-source hardware deserves closer attention. This study aims to elicit the motivations of open-source hardware developers, in order to develop an understanding of how to manage innovation initiatives in this field. Focusing on the most prominent open-source hardware prototyping platform, Arduino, the results of a survey among community members indicate that developers are mostly motivated by intrinsic and internalized extrinsic factors. Moreover, an interview with a practitioner in the field of open-source hardware reveals interesting insights that can be used to develop a corporate environment conducive to innovation. Focusing on innovation both from a corporate and individual point of view, this study presents a number of strategies that can be employed to optimize undertakings in the field of open-source hardware.