Wikipedia and e-Collaboration Research: Opportunities and Challenges

Wikipedia's precursor started in the year 2000 as a traditional online encyclopedia with content controlled by a small group of experts. In 2013 Wikipedia's current user-controlled incarnation was such a successful enterprise that an asteroid was named after it. The authors briefly discuss key opportunities and challenges in e-collaboration research on Wikipedia. The opportunities refer to studies on the impact of Wikipedia on individuals and organizations, as well as on the spontaneous formation of online communities. The main challenges discussed refer to the consensus-building nature of content creation in Wikipedia, making practical applications of findings somewhat limited, as well as data compilation difficulties.