Crowdfunding: Designing an effective reward structure

Many crowdfunding platforms allow developers maximum flexibility in terms of the number and types of rewards offered in a project. However, designing an effective reward structure continues to be a major challenge. This article empirically examines consumers’ responsiveness to different factors related to reward structures on crowdfunding platforms. We collected data from 2,262 rewards programs across 219 projects and applied a mixed Tweedie model to investigate the impact of various reward structures on the number of backers and the revenue generated at each reward tier. The results revealed a significant effect of reward limit setting on backers’ interest, but this effect varies by reward tiers. Higher tiers attenuate price sensitivity. The reward type matters as well: material rewards are better received than symbolic ones on crowdfunding platforms, but only in lower reward tiers. These findings have direct implications for launching crowdfunding projects that will be more effective in creating buzz and reaching their fundraising goals.

The Influence Of Coaching On Employee Perceptions Of Supervisor Effectiveness And Organizational Policies

This study investigates the effects of the use of coaching as a management style on supervisor effectiveness and key employee-related organizational policies. Specifically, we examine the direct effects of coaching on employee perceived supervisor effectiveness and organizational work-family balance support, as well as the impact of supervisory effectiveness on employee perceived effectiveness of organizational rewards programs. Ordinal regression was used to test the hypotheses, and data from 134 undergraduate and graduate business students enrolled in a Northeast university who indicated that they were currently employed on a full-time basis support these relationships. Results show that the degree to which employees view their supervisor as acting as a coach positively influences perceived supervisor effectiveness and organizational work-family balance support. Additionally, results support the notion that organizational work-family balance support also leads to perceived supervisor effectiveness which, in turn, positively influences employee perception regarding the effectiveness of organizational rewards programs.