Special issue on open source software development

This special issue of Research Policy is dedicated to new research on the phenomenon of open source software development. Open Source, because of its novel modes of operation and robust functioning in the marketplace, poses novel and fundamental questions for researchers in many fields, ranging from the economics of innovation to the principles by which productive work can best be organized. In this introduction to the special issue, we provide a general history and description of open source software and open source software development processes, plus an overview of the articles.