from readwrite.com/2014/04/07/open-source-software-cost-recruiting-participation by @mjasay

(bold is my emphasis…)

…. While lowering costs remains the top reason companies elect to participate in open-source projects, they now view open source as a way to drive innovation, shorten time to market, and improve the quality of their software.

…. more than 50% of enterprises both using and contributing to open-source projects, a massive jump from just a few years ago.

All of this comes down to naked self-interest, of course.

…. the second-most-cited reason for engaging with open-source communities was to help enterprises attract and retain top talent. The best developers demand to work on open source.

…. This year the primary reason for participating in open-source communities is to help reduce costs.

…. 80% of the survey respondents say they use open source because of the advanced features it already has, and they want to add features, too. They also want to fix problems.

They want to innovate, in other words, and not on someone else’s schedule. But they also want a strong base. Open source means they don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

…. the truly successful app-dev[elopment] leaders will be those who focus on delivering constant value and incremental improvement to their business.

…. While source code is important for innovation, it’s also important for the far more mundane task of ensuring security. …. ”many more eyes” on the source code makes it more secure.

…. Open-source software is …. now driving the innovation agenda for the entire industry, offering higher-quality software and more room to shape that software to meet individual needs.