Expert-based Content: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encarta and Wikipedia

I was interested to read here recently in the Boston Globe that Britannica is coming out with a new business model, offering on-line content and new pricing models. From the article, it appears that they have thought clearly about their core competencies and unique value. They assert (and I think they are right), that there is still room for content developed and reviewed by experts. Their core market is schools and libraries. Their in-depth to complex subjects means that they will never cover the number of subjects offered by Wikipedia. They don’t need to.

At the same time, Microsoft announced that they are closing down their encyclopedia business, Encarta. Here’s an interesting discussion here on this from Neil Wilkof about the “innovator’s dilemma” and the “tragedy of the anti-commons.” Read more