Barriers of SMEs in Adopting Crowdsourcing and -working and Strategies to Overcome Them

ITeG Technical Reports. Kassel: Kassel University Press. 2023, ISBN 978‐3‐7376‐1135‐0, DOI: https://doi.org/doi:10.17170/kobra-202307278513

30 Pages Posted: 21 Aug 2023

See all articles by Anna Hupe

Anna Hupe

University of Kassel - Information Systems

Ulrich Bretschneider

University of Kassel

Kirsten Lange

University of Kassel

Tim Trostmann

University of Kassel

Lena Stubbemann

University of Kassel

J. M. Leimeister

University of St. Gallen; University of Kassel - Information Systems

Robert Refflinghaus

University of Kassel

Date Written: August 1, 2023

Abstract

Despite its undisputable benefits for firms, crowdsourcing and ‐working is currently rarely applied in small and medium sized enterprises (SME). Up to now extant literature provides only an incomplete picture of the barriers that hinder SMEs from adopting crowdsourcing and ‐working. Because of these incomplete insights on this phenomenon there is also a great deal of uncertainty on how to overcome these barriers. In the scope of an interview series with 15 SMEs we explore a range of different barriers. In a second round of interviews with crowdsourcing and ‐working experts (Delphi study) we reveal strategies that may help SMEs to overcome these barriers. The findings from these two studies not only expand the so far incomplete body of knowledge but also provide practical references for SMEs to overcome the barriers and to adopt crowdsourcing and ‐working for their value creation activities.

Keywords: crowdsourcing, crowdworking, small and medium sized enterprises, SME, qualitative interviews

Suggested Citation

Hupe, Anna and Bretschneider, Ulrich and Lange, Kirsten and Trostmann, Tim and Stubbemann, Lena and Leimeister, Jan Marco and Refflinghaus, Robert, Barriers of SMEs in Adopting Crowdsourcing and -working and Strategies to Overcome Them (August 1, 2023). ITeG Technical Reports. Kassel: Kassel University Press. 2023, ISBN 978‐3‐7376‐1135‐0, DOI: https://doi.org/doi:10.17170/kobra-202307278513, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4534960

Anna Hupe

University of Kassel - Information Systems ( email )

Pfannkuchstraße 1
Kassel, 34121
Germany

Ulrich Bretschneider

University of Kassel ( email )

Fachbereich 05
Nora-Platiel-Straße 1
34109 Kassel, Hessen 34127
Germany

Kirsten Lange

University of Kassel ( email )

Fachbereich 05
Nora-Platiel-Straße 1
34109 Kassel, Hessen 34127
Germany

Tim Trostmann

University of Kassel

Fachbereich 05
Nora-Platiel-Straße 1
34109 Kassel, Hessen 34127
Germany

Lena Stubbemann

University of Kassel ( email )

Fachbereich 05
Nora-Platiel-Straße 1
34109 Kassel, Hessen 34127
Germany

Jan Marco Leimeister (Contact Author)

University of St. Gallen ( email )

Varnbuelstr. 14
Saint Gallen, St. Gallen CH-9000
Switzerland

University of Kassel - Information Systems ( email )

Pfannkuchstraße 1
Kassel, 34121
Germany

Robert Refflinghaus

University of Kassel ( email )

Fachbereich 05
Nora-Platiel-Straße 1
34109 Kassel, Hessen 34127
Germany

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