Online Prosocial Microlending Decision Making: A Natural Experiment of Ebola Outbreak

2016 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ding, Yi; Xu, Haifeng; Yang, Lusi; Tan, Bernard C Y

Abstract: In 2014, a devastating Ebola virus epidemic burst in West Africa, which tremendo ... Expand

Abstract: In 2014, a devastating Ebola virus epidemic burst in West Africa, which tremendously impaired the economies in the affected areas. During this crisis, in addition to traditional donations, some new forms of prosocial behaviors, such as online prosocial microlending, were adopted to help people in and near the affected areas. In this study, we extend the spotlight and gradient model to investigate people’s online prosocial microlending decision making after natural disasters, which is both financial (rational) and prosocial (irrational) in nature. By leveraging the Ebola outbreak in 2014, we design a natural experiment to compare lender’s online prosocial microlending behavior before and after the disaster. We find that the average amount of online prosocial microlending in unaffected areas increases after the natural disaster and the increase is negatively related to the distance between the borrower and the affected areas. Collapse

Topics: natural hazard decision making website

Methods: experimental group Student's t-test parametric test natural experiment difference in differences

Theories: cognitive attention theory

Social innovations in outsourcing: An empirical investigation of impact sourcing companies in India

2015 | Journal of Strategic Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Sandeep, M. S.; Ravishankar, M. N.

Abstract: Impact sourcing – the practice of bringing digitally-enabled outsourcing jobs to ... Expand

Abstract: Impact sourcing – the practice of bringing digitally-enabled outsourcing jobs to marginalized individuals – is an important emerging social innovation in the outsourcing industry. The impact sourcing model of delivering Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing (IT–BPO) services not only seeks to deliver business value for clients, but is also driven by an explicit social mission to help marginalized communities enjoy the benefits of globalization. This dual focus has led to the ambitious claim that social value creation can be integral to (and not always by-products of) innovative IT–BPO models. Given the relative newness of the impact sourcing business model there is scarce research about how impact sourcing companies emerge and the process through which entrepreneurs build and operate such companies. This paper draws on a qualitative study of seven Indian impact sourcing companies and develops a process model of the individual-level motivational triggers of impact sourcing entrepreneurship, the entrepreneurial actions underpinning different phases of venture creation and the positive institutional-level influences on impact sourcing. The paper argues that since deeply personalized values are central to the creation and development of impact sourcing companies, the business model may not be easy to replicate. The analysis highlights an intensive period of embedding and robust alliances with local partners as crucial for the scalability and sustainability of the impact sourcing business model. It also emphasizes the role of ‘social’ encoding and mimicry in determining the extent to which impact sourcing companies are able to retain their commitment to marginalized communities. Collapse

Topics: entrepreneurship innovation management business model outsourcing business process management

Methods: qualitative interview case study business process modeling cross sectional research multiple case study