非營利組織之觸媒策略探討 – 以維基媒體基金會暨維基百科為例

Abstract

近十多年來，網際網路已成為一種產品/服務供應商以及廣告商要想接觸到客戶/觀眾所必須使用的重要工具。運用Web 2.0的概念所建立的網站，利用大眾的合力協作和使用者的集體協作，更在近幾年吸引了越來越多的關注。而許多非營利組織也跟上了這一趨勢，並藉由建立網站或網誌來提高公眾對該組織本身的注意，且激發在該組織所關心議題上的討論。然而，僅僅是得到重視或關注並不能保證該組織長期能夠獲得足夠的資金、得到有能力並願意奉獻的志工、並宣揚他們的價值觀以實現其使命。 維基百科，是一個免費、在線、且開放編輯的多語言百科全書，並且是充分利用Web 2.0精神最成功的非盈利性質網站。它設計了一個功能完善良好卻簡單易用的平台、隨著它演進的過程制定規則、並促進該網站內的交流，以鼓勵更多在編輯及網頁改良上的的貢獻。另一方面，它也將組織任務實施的進展透明地顯示給大眾、並提供高質量的免費服務給用戶，從而鼓勵更多的捐款。 本個案研究旨在探究維基百科平台策略的關鍵成功因素，以及了解它對產業造成的影響。本研究採用大衛 · 埃文斯和理查 · 施馬蘭西所提出的六步驟觸媒分析框架，目的在提供其他非營利組織一些建議，使他們不但能夠學習到維基百科這個獨特的個案，並且可以了解到它在平台設計上的一些原始策略思考。 在此論文中，會先簡易地就相關的概念和維基百科及維基媒體基金會的一些基本資料做說明，以作為接下去討論的基礎。接著藉由分析維基百科所特有的觸媒策略，以探討維基百科如何發現需求並找到一個廣大的平台社群；其Web 2.0服務設計如何增加使用者的參與；以及它如何動員並充分利用全球知識志工的力量，以實現目標所需最具成本效益的方法來做合適的資源分配。這項研究還探討了維基百科是如何將其工作成果展示給捐贈者，並有效結合工作成果和使命目標，更進一步激發源源不斷的捐贈。以及它是如何不斷演進並且和類似的組織/企業進行競爭。另外，維基媒體基金會的其他計畫和這些計畫的競爭力也在本研究中有延伸的探討。在論文的最後，除了一一列出歸結維基百科平台策略之關鍵成功因素，並且就筆者的觀察提供若干建議，希冀能有助於提升對此議題的注意，供今後討論。

For over a decade now, the Internet has become an important tool for the products/services providers as well as the advertisers to reach the customers/viewers. Websites built with the Web 2.0 concept, utilizing mass collaboration and collective work by the users, are attracting more and more attention in the recent years. Many non-profit organizations are following this trend and setting up Websites or blogs to draw public attention to or stimulate discussion over their concerned issues or the organizations themselves. However, by simply getting attention does not guarantee the organizations will be able to receive sufficient funding, acquire capable and willing volunteers, and advocate their values in order to achieve their missions in the long run. Wikipedia, a free online open-source multilingual encyclopedia, is among the most successful not-for-profit Websites that fully utilize the Web 2.0 spirit. It has designed a well functioned yet simple-to-use platform, formed policies along its evolving process, and activated interactions within the site in order to encourage more site-improving contributions. On the other hand, it also shows the public their progress towards the organization’s mission and provides quality free services to the users, thereby encourages more monetary contributions. This study seeks to pinpoint the key success factors of Wikipedia’s platform strategy as well as to understand its impact to the industry. Using the Six-step Analysis of Catalyst Framework, proposed by Evans and Schmalensee, this study aims to provide a piece of advice to the other nonprofits so that they could learn from Wikipedia’s unique case and some of the original strategic thoughts of its platform designs. In this thesis, an abstract view of the related concepts and essential information of Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation (WmF) is illustrated at first, which serves as the foundation for later discussion. Then in analyzing Wikipedia’s catalyst strategy through the framework, this study explores how Wikipedia locates its platform communities, designs its Web 2.0 service that increases user participation, and how it mobilizes the global intellectual volunteers and makes appropriate allocation of resources to achieve their goals in the most cost-effective way. This study further discusses how Wikipedia presents its work achieved to the benefactors and aligns it with their mission in order to fire up ongoing donations, and how it keeps evolving and competes with similar organizations or businesses. The other projects of WmF and their competitive statuses will also be talked over as an extended discussion. As conclusions, this thesis presents the key success factors of Wikipedia’s platform strategy and provides suggestions, which might help raise attention for future discussion.