This
paper analyzes the managerial
model of Red Hat, Inc., the world's largest and most successful distributor of the open-source Linux
operating system. The paper discusses issues such as the structure of Red Hat's management team (particularly its focus on global sales and marketing), the grass-roots approach adopted by Red Hat, a SWOT analysis of Red Hat's strengths and weaknesses, and the role of R&D in Red Hat's success. Red Hat's business model and its attempt to make a profit off of a free product is also examined.