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Fostering Voluntary Contributions to a Public Good A Large-Scale Natural Field Experiment at Wikipedia

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  • Jana Gallus

Abstract

This natural field experiment tests the effects of purely symbolic awards on volunteer retention in a public goods context. The experiment is conducted at Wikipedia, which faces declining editor retention rates. Randomization assures that receipt of the award is orthogonal to previous performance. The analysis reveals that awards have a sizeable and statistically significant effect on retention. The findings are noteworthy firstly for showing that symbolic awards with no career-related implications can positively impact behavior. Secondly, they indicate that the awards' motivating effect goes beyond serving reputational concerns and even positively affects recipients' private identity.

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  • Jana Gallus, 2015. "Fostering Voluntary Contributions to a Public Good A Large-Scale Natural Field Experiment at Wikipedia," CREMA Working Paper Series 2015-05, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    • Handle: RePEc:cra:wpaper:2015-05
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    2. Bruno S Frey & Jana Gallus, 2016. "Honors: A rational choice analysis of award bestowals," Rationality and Society, , vol. 28(3), pages 255-269, August.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • M52 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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