Not invented here (NIH) is the tendency to avoid using or buying products,
research, standards, or knowledge from external origins. It is usually adopted by social,
corporate, or institutional cultures. Research illustrates a strong bias against ideas from the outside.
The reasons for not wanting to use the work of others are varied, but can include a desire to support a local economy instead of
paying royalties to a foreign
license
A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).
A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...
-holder, fear of
patent infringement
Patent infringement is the commission of a prohibited act with respect to a patented invention without permission from the patent holder. Permission may typically be granted in the form of a license. The definition of patent infringement may v ...
, lack of understanding of the foreign work, an unwillingness to acknowledge or value the work of others, jealousy,
belief perseverance, or forming part of a wider
turf war. As a social phenomenon, this tendency can manifest itself as an unwillingness to adopt an idea or product because it originates from another culture, a form of
tribalism and/or an inadequate effort in choosing the right approach for the business.
The term is typically used in a
pejorative sense. The opposite predisposition is sometimes called "proudly found elsewhere" (PFE)
or "invented elsewhere".
In computing
In computer programming, "NIH syndrome" refers to the belief that in-house developments are inherently better suited, more secure, more controlled, quicker to develop, and incur lower
overall cost
Overalls, also called bib-and-brace overalls or dungarees, are a type of garment usually used as protective clothing when working. The garments are commonly referred to as a "pair of overalls" by analogy with "pair of trousers".
Overalls we ...
(including
maintenance cost) than using existing implementations.
In some cases, software with the same functionality as an existing one is re-implemented just to allow the use of a different
software license. One approach to doing so is
clean room design.
See also
References
{{Fallacies
Anti-patterns
Appeals to emotion
Economics of intellectual property
Cognitive biases