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I Am What I Pledge: The Importance of Value Alignment for Mobilizing Backers in Reward-Based Crowdfunding

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  • Kristian Roed Nielsen
  • Julia Katharina Binder

Abstract

Crowdfunding has emerged as an important alternative financing tool for entrepreneurs. Extant research on the antecedents of crowdfunding success have produced divergent results. By applying the cross-disciplinary lens of strategic linguistic framing, that is, framing campaign messages in a way that is salient and that resonates with the values of the audience, we experimentally examine the role of value framing for a successful campaign outcome. Our results indicate that altruistically framed campaigns have a higher chance for funding compared to campaigns that emphasize egoistic or environmental motives, but even more importantly, that message framing needs to be aligned with the personal values of the backers. As such, our study highlights important similarities between resource mobilization in social movements and in crowdfunding.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristian Roed Nielsen & Julia Katharina Binder, 2021. "I Am What I Pledge: The Importance of Value Alignment for Mobilizing Backers in Reward-Based Crowdfunding," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 45(3), pages 531-561, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:45:y:2021:i:3:p:531-561
    DOI: 10.1177/1042258720929888
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    Cited by:

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    2. Nesij Huvaj, M. & Darmody, Aron & Smith, Robert S., 2023. "Psychological ownership and disownership in reward-based crowdfunding," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    3. Junge, Louise Bech & Laursen, Iben Cleveland & Nielsen, Kristian Roed, 2022. "Choosing crowdfunding: Why do entrepreneurs choose to engage in crowdfunding?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    4. Megan Yuan Li & Charson Cancan Dong & Shige Makino, 2023. "Does a Past Category’s Success Influence Existing Entrepreneurial Fundraising?: A Legitimacy Spillover Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(6), pages 2263-2292, November.
    5. Zineb Aouni & Marek Hudon & Anaïs A Périlleux & Tyler Wry, 2024. "Crowdfunding social ventures: who rewards (or punishes) hybridity?," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/367191, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    6. Stavros Sindakis & Saloome Showkat & Jiafu Su, 2023. "Unveiling the Influence: Exploring the Impact of Interrelationships among E-Commerce Supply Chain Members on Supply Chain Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-27, December.
    7. Zineb Aouni & Marek Hudon & Anaïs A Périlleux & Tyler Wry, 2024. "Crowdfunding social ventures: Who will reward (or punish) hybridity?," Working Papers CEB 24-004, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    8. Jiao, Hao & Wang, Lindong & Yang, Jifeng, 2023. "Standing head and shoulders above others? Complementor experience-based design and crowdfunding success on digital platforms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).

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