The Consequences of One-Way and Two-Way Collaborative Processes in Online Knowledge-Construction Systems

• In Event: New Opportunities Offered by Media Technologies

Abstract

In light of recent developments in content and knowledge generation, we propose the concept of "one-way collaboration" to describe processes in which individuals pass their collaborative work from one person to the next rather than engaging in simultaneous discourse with one another. This form of collaboration, which is increasingly exhibited in online environments, offers certain advantages over traditional two-way collaborative interactions that place social pressures and other restrictions upon participants. Collaborative teams may engage in a mixture of one-way and two-way processes, falling along a spectrum between the two dichotomous poles. We intend to investigate the effects of these unique approaches by examining one-way and two-way collaborative processes on Wikipedia. Our study will show the relative impact of these forms of collaboration in terms of the progress made toward stable, "complete" articles depending on the relative balance of one-way and two-way collaborative processes in which contributors engage.

Authors

• Brian Christopher Britt, South Dakota State University

• Sorin Adam Matei, Purdue U