Knowledge of in-the-field software operation is still unrecognized as an essential pulse in the veins of software ecosystems. Although software-producing organizations are aware of the ecosystems in which they operate and their relationships with other ecosystem participants, all too often, vendors are unsuccessful in recognizing the potential value and role of such knowledge in their software ecosystems. This paper presents a classification of successful operational software ecosystem practices that may help software-producing organizations to effectively utilize and propagate knowledge of the in-the-field operation of their software, and therewith address challenges that result from ecosystem participation. Analysis of these practices confirms that infrastructures for acquisition, utilization and propagation of such knowledge, allow ecosystem participants to use the 'power of many' in increasing the quality and robustness of their software, and provide them with competitive advantage in terms of software quality, end-user satisfaction, ecosystem stability and ecosystem attractiveness.
['Henk van der Schuur', 'Slinger Jansen', 'Sjaak Brinkkemper']
The power of propagation: on the role of software operation knowledge within software ecosystems