Explaining Perceived Turnover in Open Source Software Projects based on Hygiene Factors

The success of open source software (OSS) projects heavily depends on sustained participation of project members. However, turnover of members and the ensuing instability have become very common. To better understand the turnover of members in OSS projects, we base our study on Herzberg´s two-factor theory to investigate whether hygiene factors will lead to members´ dissatisfaction. At the same time, we draw on Mobley´s model of withdrawal decision process to hypothesize the relationship between dissatisfaction and perceived turnover. We develop a research model and present hypotheses that should be tested in the future. To empirically assess this model, we intend to survey OSS project members through the largest development platform Sourceforge. This study will provide a new insight into how the turnover of members emerges in OSS projects. The findings of this progressive research will have implications for both practice and theory.