September 20, 2005

Shah Research Cited in "The Financial Times"

The phrase "open source" is most frequently associated with software development, however there are many industries and product classes characterized by "open-source style" development. "open source" style development is characterized by distributed effort and resource sharing among a wide variety of participants, many of whom contribute their time, skill, and effort voluntarily. For example, this tradition is strong within the electronics industry: ham radios, WiFi networks, applications that run on the internet, and even personal computers themselves, are all examples.

A September 19 article in "The Financial Times" by Elizabeth Biddlecomb cites research by Sonali Shah, assistant professor of business administration, on the windsurfing community in Hawaii. Writes Biddlecomb:

"In some instances lead users become manufacturers, commercializing their peer group's innovations, as is the case with Shah's example of surfers in Hawaii, while traditional manufacturers have adopted practices that mimic the behavior of users. But they most often operate separately from the user community, though some have been savvy enough to build upon user innovation."

Shah's research examines the social structures that support innovation and entrepreneurship as well as the processes underlying the formation of new industries and product markets. Of particular interest is the process by which individuals outside of firms and research institutions access the resources and information needed to develop innovative ideas.

"The Financial Times" article is available only by subscription.