A Theory of Crowdfunding: A Mechanism Design Approach with Demand Uncertainty and Moral Hazard

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2017
Volume: 107
Issue: 6
Pages: 1430-76

Score contribution per author:

8.043 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Crowdfunding provides innovation in enabling entrepreneurs to contract with consumers before investment. Under aggregate demand uncertainty, this improves screening for valuable projects. Entrepreneurial moral hazard and private cost information threatens this benefit. Crowdfunding's after-markets enable consumers to actively implement deferred payments and thereby manage moral hazard. Popular crowdfunding platforms offer schemes that allow consumers to do so through conditional pledging behavior. Efficiency is sustainable only if expected returns exceed an agency cost associated with the entrepreneurial incentive problems. By reducing demand uncertainty, crowdfunding promotes welfare and complements traditional entrepreneurial financing, which focuses on controlling moral hazard.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:107:y:2017:i:6:p:1430-76
Journal Field
General
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-29