Authors: Kristian Moller; Mika Westerlund; Risto Rajala
The purpose of this study is to explore the role of collective (non-economic) action as part of for-profitsoftware business models in different value systems. Particularly, the study focuses on voluntary noneconomicexchange between various actors with shared intentions in different business settings. Thiskind of collaboration based on shared intentions is regarded as strategic networks in the industrialnetwork approach (INA). Therefore, in addition to a review of earlier literature on collective action, wedraw on the discussion on strategic networks to establish a conceptual framework for distinguishingbetween different roles of collective action networks. In the empirical part of the study we analyze thetypes and roles of identified intentional collective action networks in software business through acomparative study of five cases. Our empirical findings indicate that the roles and characteristics ofcollective action vary systematically between different types of value systems. We recognize thatcollective (non-economic) exchange embodies different purposes in for-profit businesses andpossesses roles that include supporting existing business, facilitating incremental development ofcurrent business, and enabling the development of new business models of software companies.
Journal: ( – )
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Publish Year: 2005
Conference: Rotterdam, Netherlands (2005)