Open source software (OSS) not only challenges the conventional ways of developing software, but it is also a basis for new business and business models. Companies that use OSS in their business need a comprehensive view on how to deal with the phenomena, not just one narrow view from a specific scientific discipline. To provide answers to the multifaceted phenomena 4 Finnish universities and 10 companies launched a multi-disciplinary Tekes funded project tiled OSSI- Managing Open Source Software as an Integrated Part of Business. The research project aims to build a management framework providing answers to companies´ practical challenges.

This report presents the results of the state-of-the-art analysis carried out by the OSSI research group in the fall 2005. Five articles, representing the viewpoints of technology, sociology, law, business, and value networks, give insights into OSS and its use as part of business. According to the focus of the OSSI project, the report deals with the following OS communities: GENOME, Eclipse, Debian, MySQL, and Laika.