Leadership and Contribution Behavior in Online Communities

52 Pages Posted: 3 Jan 2019

See all articles by Divinus Oppong-Tawiah

Divinus Oppong-Tawiah

McGill University

Genevieve Bassellier

McGill University - Desautels Faculty of Management

Jui Ramaprasad

University of Maryland

Date Written: October 11, 2018

Abstract

Voluntary contributions from active members are critical for the sustainability of online communities (OCs). Yet how contributions evolve when active OC members transition to OC leaders is not well understood. We study this phenomenon in the context of the Wikipedia Request for Adminship (RfA) process, where any Wikipedia editor can seek promotion to admin status. Using data on 3664 RfA events held between 2004 - 2013 and the user contribution data of the 2768 unique candidates involved, we employ a regression discontinuity design to identify and estimate the causal impact of becoming an admin on candidates' subsequent contributions. We find that one month after RfAs, candidates who barely won their RfA bids contribute more than the counterfactual scenario where they do not win their RfA. However, the observed difference in contribution may be due to a disproportionately negative impact on unsuccessful candidates compared to successful candidates. We discuss implications of these results for leadership and sustainability of online communities.

Keywords: online communities, contribution behavior, regression discontinuity design

Suggested Citation

Oppong-Tawiah, Divinus and Bassellier, Genevieve and Ramaprasad, Jui, Leadership and Contribution Behavior in Online Communities (October 11, 2018). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3303546 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3303546

Divinus Oppong-Tawiah

McGill University ( email )

1001 Sherbrooke St. West
Montreal, Quebec H3A1G5 H3A 2M1
Canada

Genevieve Bassellier (Contact Author)

McGill University - Desautels Faculty of Management ( email )

1001 Sherbrooke St. West
Montreal, Quebec H3A1G5 H3A 2M1
Canada

Jui Ramaprasad

University of Maryland ( email )

Robert H. Smith School of Business
4313 Van Munching Hall
College Park, MD 20815
United States

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