Authors Terutaka Tansho Tetsuo Noda
License CC-BY-4.0
A Study of the Effect on Business Growth by Utilization
and Contribution of Open Source Software in Japanese
IT Companies
Tetsuo Noda, Terutaka Tansho
To cite this version:
Tetsuo Noda, Terutaka Tansho. A Study of the Effect on Business Growth by Utilization and Contri-
bution of Open Source Software in Japanese IT Companies. 10th IFIP International Conference on
Open Source Systems (OSS), May 2014, San José, Costa Rica. pp.216-217, �10.1007/978-3-642-55128-
4_32�. �hal-01373107�
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A Study of the Effect on Business Growth
by Utilization and Contribution of Open
Source Software in Japanese IT Companies
Tetsuo Noda and Terutaka Tansho
Shimane University, Japan
nodat@soc.shimane-u.ac.jp, tansho@riko.shimane-u.ac.jp
Abstract. To analyze how OSS effects business growth both through simple
use and by deeper engagement as a stakeholder in OSS community, we did
questionnaire research to Japanese IT companies in 2012 and 2013. We
analyze the progress of utilization and contribution of OSS, and the impact on
business growth indicators by them.
1 Introduction
It has become commonplace for business enterprises to use OSS in their business
activities. As a result, utilization of OSS only for cost reduction has become no
longer a factor of obtaining the competitive advantages for them. The logic we
understand as framing this such engagement is that the competitive edge that comes
from technical advantages delivered by using OSS, and - using the same logic - it is
therefore indispensable for them to contribute or participate in the development
process of OSS. To verify this hypothesis, we questioned utilization and contribution
of OSS, and business indicators to Japanese IT companies in 2012 and 2013.
2 Correlation between Utilization and Contribution of OSS
Table 1. Correlations between utilization and contribution of OSS
contribution Linux Apache Databases Ruby O.L. RoR contribution Linux Apache Databases Ruby O.L. RoR
utilization utilization
Linux .136 -.002 .004 .128 .083 .110 Linux .062 .009 -.013 .080 .032 .037
Apache .151 .135 .054 .149 .125 .111 Apache .072 .048 .012 .095 .013 .033
Databases .050 -.016 .052 .132 .098 .105 Databases .136 .086 .106 .083 .082 .043
Ruby .031 -.013 .007 .324** .114 .351** Ruby .098 .057 .044 .461** .164 .320**
Other Languages .144 .161* .189* .099 .272** .140 Other Languages .139 .114 .144 .208* .217* .257**
Ruby on Rails .087 .086 .065 .331** .159 .420** Ruby on Rails .180* .141 .129 .400** .239* .343**
Survey Results in 2012 (n=191) Survey Results in 2013 (n=146)
**
Spearman's rank correlation coefficient 1% level of significance, * 5% level of significance
First, the correlations between utilization and contribution of companies in many
OSS technology types are not shown in both years. As for these OSS technologies,
Japanese IT companies are still “free riders.” On another front, the correlation
between Ruby and Ruby on Rails in this context is shown. And those of Other
Languages between Apache and Databases technologies are also shown.
2 Tetsuo Noda and Terutaka Tansho
3 Effect on Business growth by OSS utilization and contribution
Table 2. Correlations between business growth and utilization of OSS
Growth Rate of Sales Prospect of Sales Growth of Employee Prospect of Employee
Growth Rate of Sales Prospect of Sales Growth of Employee Prospect of Employee
(present period) Growth Rate Number Number’s Growth Rate
(present period) Growth Rate Number Number’s Growth Rate
(subsequent period) (present period) (subsequent period)
(subsequent period) (present period) (subsequent period)
Linux .191 **
.245 **
.207 **
.133 Linux .302** .194 *
.159 .091
Apache .167* .220** .079 .066 Apache .189* .113 .129 .071
Databases .131 .222** .026 .067 Databases .306** .219* .201* .134
Ruby .135 .214** .063 .113 Ruby .207* .148 .149 .106
Other Languages .098 .176* .052 .092 Other Languages .237** .125 .164 .053
Ruby on Rails .055 .178* .061 .068 Ruby on Rails .171* .098 .132 .044
Survey Results in 2012 (n=191) Survey Results in 2013 (n=146)
**
Spearman's rank correlation coefficient 1% level of significance, * 5% level of significance
From the survey result in 2012, the subsequent period prospect of sales growth rate is
impacted by utilization of OSS. At the same time, the survey result in 2013 shows
that the present period of sales growth rate is impacted. It turns out that the sales
growth rate prediction by utilization of OSS expected from the reference fiscal year
appears in the following fiscal year.
Table 3. Correlations between business growth and contribution of OSS
Growth Rate of Sales Prospect of Sales Growth of Employee Prospect of Employee Growth Rate of Sales Prospect of Sales Growth of Employee Prospect of Employee
(present period) Growth Rate Number Number’s Growth Rate (present period) Growth Rate Number Number’s Growth Rate
(subsequent period) (present period) (subsequent period) (subsequent period) (present period) (subsequent period)
*
Linux -.091 .007 -.032 -.089 Linux .001 -.003 .108 .219
Apache -.031 .021 -.092 -.127 Apache .023 .018 .054 .215*
Databases -.036 .092 -.083 .020 Databases -.029 -.018 .071 .182*
Ruby .052 .047 .072 .058 Ruby .000 -.053 .054 .115
Other Languages .019 .057 -.029 .002 Other Languages .051 -.025 .127 .206*
Ruby on Rails .034 .075 .018 .049 Ruby on Rails .004 -.039 .046 .135
Survey Results in 2012 (n=191) Survey Results in 2013 (n=146)
**
Spearman's rank correlation coefficient 1% level of significance, * 5% level of significance
The contribution of OSS communities has an insignificant effect on sales growth.
But he survey result in 2013 shows that the prospect of employee number’s growth
rate (subsequent period) is impacted by contribution of OSS. Japanese IT companies
tend to expect direct sales growth by OSS practical use, and they might also expect
contribution to the development process of OSS leads to the increase of employee,
personnel training, and personnel adoption.
References
1. Noda, T., Tansho, T., Coughlan, S. : “Effect on Business Growth by Utilization
and Contribution of Open Source Software in Japanese IT Companies” , In
Petrinja, Etiel et al. (eds.): Open Source Software: Quality Verification,
Springer, pp. 222-231 (2013)