Exploring FLOSS implementation in the Public Sector: an empirically grounded framework

Growing research on Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) has addressed a variety of questions focusing on aspects ranging from open source development processes and developer motivation to economic and policy implications. Nevertheless, a few authors have examined the use of FLOSS and its implementation in organizations. Implementation studies represent a particularly promising area for information systems researchers in order to investigate the relationship between the distinctive properties of FLOSS and the processes of implementation and use. The goal of this paper is to contribute to this field of research by discussing a former multi-targeted research agenda and by defining an empirically grounded framework devoted to the adoption of FLOSS, drawn on the outcomes of an exploratory multiple case study involving 16 Italian public administrations.