We analyze the relation between patents and the different business models available to firms in the software industry. The paper builds on Cusumano's work defining the differences among firms that sell products, those that provide services, and the hybrid firms that fall between those polar...

The role of intellectual property is examinedand, specifically, patents in the software industry. Especially considered arethe advantages and disadvantages of patents depending on firm size. Findingsare based on interviews with about 60 professionals in the software industry.The interviews...

A major shift toward open source software is underway as companies are more critically evaluating the cost effectiveness of their IT investments, seeing the benefits of collaborative development, and looking for ways to avoid vendor lock-in. At the same time, academics and industry visionaries...