Dynamics of Mirroring in Open-Source Software Projects

The Department of Supply Chain and Business Technology Management is proud to host Dr. Hani Safadi, professor of Management Information Systems at Terry College of Business, University of Georgia.

Dr. Safadi will present his working paper, "Dynamics of Mirroring in Open-Source Software Projects."

This talk is presented as part of the MIS Speaker Series. Please join us for an engaging session of learning and discussion.

Abstract:

The mirroring hypothesis posits a correspondence between organizational ties in a team and technical dependencies in its work. Mirroring is a cornerstone in understanding the development of complex technical systems. However, its application to Open-Source Software (OSS) suggests weak support. Why does mirroring prevalent in many complex systems appear absent in OSS, and what alternative mechanisms might explain evolutionary outcomes in OSS and similar distributed environments?

Departing from prior work examining mirroring as a static state of the system, this paper focuses on its unbroached dynamics. It conceptualizes mirroring both as a state and a process; and argues that its dynamics can provide a novel insight into evolutionary outcomes. It analyzes 1,279 projects over 20 years and finds that OSS projects vacillate between focusing and breaking the mirror and that this vacillation enhances project evolution. The findings advance research on mirroring by moving beyond its static notions to explore its processual dynamics and contribute new insights into OSS development by uncovering its antifragility, where sequencing mirroring misfits and fits enhances evolutionary outcomes.

About Hani Safadi

Dr. Hani Safadi is associate professor at Terry College of Business, University of Georgia. He is interested in online communities, social media, health IT, information systems development, and the application of computational techniques in management research. His research is published in outlets such as MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, Organization Science, Journal of the Association for Information Systems, and Journal of Medical Internet Research. He is Senior Editor in the Journal of the Association for Information Systems and a past Associate Editor at MIS Quarterly.