Hill (2013)

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Title: Almost Wikipedia: Eight Early Encyclopedia Projects and the Mechanisms of Collective Action.
Author(s): Hill
Year: 2013
Citation: Hill, B. M. (2013). Almost Wikipedia: Eight Early Encyclopedia Projects and the Mechanisms of Collective Action.
Link(s): , Open Access
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Abstract

Before Wikipedia was created in January 2001, there were seven attempts to create English-language online collaborative encyclopedia projects. Several of these attempts built sus- tainable communities of volunteer contributors but none achieved anything near Wikipedia’s success. Why did Wikipedia, superficially similar and a relatively late entrant, attract a commu- nity of millions and build the largest and most comprehensive compendium of human knowl- edge in history? Using data from interviews of these Wikipedia-like projects’ initiators and extensive archival data, I suggest three propositions for why Wikipedia succeeded in mobilizing volunteers where these other projects failed. I also present disconfirming evidence for two im- portant alternative explanations. Synthesizing these results, I suggest that Wikipedia succeeded because its stated goal hewed closely to a widely shared concept of “encyclopedia” familiar to many potential contributors, while innovating around the process and the social organization of production.

Main Results of the Study

- Wikipedia attracted contributors because it was built around a familiar product.

- Wikipedia attracted contributors because it offered low barriers to contribution.

- Wikipedia attracted contributors because it offered low attribution and low social ownership of content.

Policy Implications as Stated By Author

Welfare can be promoted by flexible legal frameworks that allow the combination of product familiarity and innovative structures of organisation.


Coverage of Study

Coverage of Fundamental Issues
Issue Included within Study
Relationship between protection (subject matter/term/scope) and supply/economic development/growth/welfare
Relationship between creative process and protection - what motivates creators (e.g. attribution; control; remuneration; time allocation)?
Harmony of interest assumption between authors and publishers (creators and producers/investors)
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Effects of protection on industry structure (e.g. oligopolies; competition; economics of superstars; business models; technology adoption)
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Understanding consumption/use (e.g. determinants of unlawful behaviour; user-generated content; social media)
Coverage of Evidence Based Policies
Issue Included within Study
Nature and Scope of exclusive rights (hyperlinking/browsing; reproduction right)
Exceptions (distinguish innovation and public policy purposes; open-ended/closed list; commercial/non-commercial distinction)
Mass digitisation/orphan works (non-use; extended collective licensing)
Licensing and Business models (collecting societies; meta data; exchanges/hubs; windowing; crossborder availability)
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Fair remuneration (levies; copyright contracts)
Enforcement (quantifying infringement; criminal sanctions; intermediary liability; graduated response; litigation and court data; commercial/non-commercial distinction; education and awareness)

Hill, B. M. Almost Wikipedia: Eight Early Encyclopedia Projects and the Mechanisms of Collective Action. [1]


Abstract: Before Wikipedia was created in January 2001, there were seven attempts to create English-language online collaborative encyclopedia projects. Several of these attempts built sus- tainable communities of volunteer contributors but none achieved anything near Wikipedia’s success. Why did Wikipedia, superficially similar and a relatively late entrant, attract a commu- nity of millions and build the largest and most comprehensive compendium of human knowl- edge in history? Using data from interviews of these Wikipedia-like projects’ initiators and extensive archival data, I suggest three propositions for why Wikipedia succeeded in mobilizing volunteers where these other projects failed. I also present disconfirming evidence for two im- portant alternative explanations. Synthesizing these results, I suggest that Wikipedia succeeded because its stated goal hewed closely to a widely shared concept of “encyclopedia” familiar to many potential contributors, while innovating around the process and the social organization of production.


Propositions

- Wikipedia attracted contributors because it was built around a familiar product.

- Wikipedia attracted contributors because it offered low barriers to contribution.

- Wikipedia attracted contributors because it offered low attribution and low social ownership of content.

Method

- Multiple case study Analysis, interviews, digital content analysis

Discipline

- Sociology

Data

- Interviews and historical records on 8 failed wikipedia projects (founders and users) to interrogate incentives for participation

Interventions-Response

- Welfare can be promoted by flexible legal frameworks that allow the combination of product familiarity and innovative structures of organisation.