Does crowdsourcing lead to better product design : the moderation of network connectivity

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the antecedents of design crowdsourcing decision-making, the impact of design crowdsourcing on new product performance and the moderating effect of network connectivity. Design/methodology/approach: The sample (n = 104) was collected from a leading social product development website; the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis and two-stage least square methods were used in the investigation. Findings: Three design attribute feature configurations (rational, emotional and kinesthetic value configurations) are conducive to firms’ adoption of design crowdsourcing and there are two configurations in which firms do not adopt design crowdsourcing. Design crowdsourcing influences new product performance positively. Network connectivity has an inverted U-shaped effect on the relationship between design crowdsourcing and new product performance. Originality/value: These findings not only enrich crowdsourcing and social network studies but also guide crowdsourcing firms to better manage their processes and community members.