Utilizing firm-hosted online communities in software product business: A dimensional view

Abstract

This paper focuses on Firm-Hosted Online Communities (FOC) - communities that are hosted by organizations for commercial purposes. The purpose of this paper is twofold. Firstly, we will examine examples of existing FOCs in order to develop a broader view of how FOCs have been utilized in product business. This work results with a dimensional view illustrating some discovered opportunities with FOCs in firms' commercial product-related activities. Secondly, we will make an attempt to increase our opportunities to exchange FOC-related ideas with the research community and with companies by introducing a recently established research project focusing on the challenges and opportunities with FOCs. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.