I'm not aware of any research where that has been the primary focus. In most of my reading; the meaning of "open source" is either quoted from a source like FSF or not referenced at all.
However, there has been a lot written about open source from perspectives other than software engineers. From Convivial software: an end-user perspective on free and open source software (C. Mitcham 2009):
As noted at the
outset, from the end-user perspective what is important is
not so much the direct availability of the source code as
program or technical conviviality... From the perspective of end users, there is more with regard to free
expression or openness than technical source code transparency.
Another article, One size doesn't fit all: End users look for perfect 'fit' with open source code (L. Spinelli, Accounting Today, 2005) focusses a lot on how "anyone can change" an open source project, making it highly customisable.
the problem
with using a closed or proprietary
system was its inability to
bend to the company's inventory
processes, creating a need
for a third-party system.
In general, "open source" and "free software" tend to be used interchangeably, and there is more focus on the "free speech" aspect than the "free beer".
