Reward-based Crowdfunding. Influence of Virtuous and Entrepreneurial Orientation Rhetoric on Campaign Performance

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

2 Theory development and hypotheses

2.1 Crowdfunding overview

2.2 Virtuous and entrepreneurial orientation rhetoric

2.3 Social role theory

2.4 Social role theory, VO and EO rhetoric, and reward-based crowdfunding

2.4.1 VO and EO rhetoric, and reward-based crowdfunding

2.4.2 Sex, VO and EO rhetoric, and reward-based crowdfunding

2.4.3 Race, VO and EO rhetoric, and reward-based crowdfunding

2.4.4 Attractiveness, VO and EO rhetoric, and reward-based crowdfunding

2.4.5 Age, VO and EO rhetoric, and reward-based crowdfunding

3 Methodology

3.1 Sample and data collection

3.1 Dependent variables

3.2 Independent variables

3.4 Control variables

3.5 Moderating variables

3.6 Statistical analysis

4 Results

4.1 Main analysis

4.2 Robustness checks

4.3 Interaction of multiple demographic characteristics

5 Discussion

5.1 Limitations and future research

6 Conclusion

Research Objectives and Topics

This master's thesis examines the influence of virtuous and entrepreneurial orientation rhetoric on campaign performance in reward-based crowdfunding, utilizing social role theory to understand how demographic characteristics like sex, race, attractiveness, and age moderate these effects.

• The impact of virtuous (VO) and entrepreneurial (EO) orientation rhetoric on crowdfunding success.
• Application of social role theory to explain performance disparities among different demographic groups.
• Quantitative analysis of 8,459 Kickstarter campaigns using multilevel regression techniques.
• The interaction between rhetoric and founder demographics (sex, race, age, attractiveness).
• Generalizability of entrepreneurship theories within the unique context of online funding platforms.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 Introduction: Introduces the growing phenomenon of reward-based crowdfunding and establishes the research gap regarding the influence of specific rhetorical styles on campaign outcomes.

2 Theory development and hypotheses: Develops the theoretical framework using social role theory to hypothesize how VO and EO rhetoric impact crowdfunding performance across demographic groups.

3 Methodology: Details the sample of 8,459 Kickstarter campaigns and the use of computer-aided text analysis (CATA) to measure rhetoric and performance variables.

4 Results: Presents the findings from multilevel regression analyses, highlighting the varied impact of rhetoric based on founder demographics.

5 Discussion: Interprets the findings within the context of existing literature and discusses how social role theory explains the observed discrepancies.

6 Conclusion: Summarizes the study’s contributions to entrepreneurial research and provides practical recommendations for founders on the platform.

Keywords

Crowdfunding, Kickstarter, Virtuous Orientation, Entrepreneurial Orientation, Rhetoric, Social Role Theory, Campaign Performance, Demographic Characteristics, Sex, Race, Attractiveness, Age, Entrepreneurship, Funding, Text Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this study?

The study investigates how founders use virtuous and entrepreneurial rhetoric in their crowdfunding campaign narratives and how these rhetorical strategies influence fundraising performance.

What are the central themes of the research?

The work integrates entrepreneurial rhetoric with social role theory to analyze how demographic variables such as sex, race, age, and attractiveness moderate the relationship between communication style and funding outcomes.

What is the main research question?

The research explores how VO and EO rhetoric influence campaign performance in reward-based crowdfunding and how these effects are moderated by a founder's demographic profile.

Which scientific methods were employed?

The author conducted a quantitative analysis on a large dataset of 8,459 Kickstarter campaigns using computer-aided text analysis (CATA) and multilevel generalized linear models (GLM).

What does the main body of the work cover?

It covers theoretical background development, formulation of hypotheses, description of data collection (including face detection AI and text analysis), statistical methodology, and an extensive analysis of the results including three-way interaction effects.

What are the key keywords characterizing this work?

Key terms include crowdfunding, virtuous orientation, entrepreneurial orientation, rhetoric, social role theory, campaign success, and demographic moderation.

Why is social role theory important in this context?

Social role theory provides the lens to understand why certain demographic groups, such as women or racial minorities, face different perceptions and outcomes when using specific types of rhetoric compared to white males.

What unexpected results did the author find regarding racial minority females?

While the study found generally predictable patterns for other groups, racial minority females exhibited surprising results where they performed better with entrepreneurial rhetoric and were seemingly rewarded for violating conventional expectations associated with their social role.