Prosocial motivation and lending to the poor: evidence from an international crowdfunding platform

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Xie, Luqun; Ding, Yi; Li, Jiatao; Xu, Haifeng
• 署名单位: Shanghai Jiao Tong University; University of Warwick; Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/s41267-024-00751-1
• 发表日期: 2025
• 页码: 530-541
• 关键词: Prosocial motivation; poverty; Digital platform; Crowdfunding; Machine Learning

摘要

Employing a prosocial perspective, this study examines how crowdfunders' prosocial motivation influences their lending decisions on international crowdfunding platforms, addressing the global challenge of poverty alleviation. We posit that prosocially motivated crowdfunders, concerned about economic inequality and others' well-being, are more likely to lend to poorer borrowers to minimize inequality and improve welfare. Analyzing a large dataset from Kiva.org with machine learning techniques, we find that higher prosocial motivation indeed leads to the lending choice of poorer borrowers across borders. However, cultural distance weakens this relationship by creating cognitive and emotional barriers, while crowdfunders' platform experience and women-owned businesses strengthen it. These findings highlight how digital platforms enable prosocial motivations to cross national borders in poverty-reduction efforts, while revealing barriers and enablers in cross-border lending. Our study contributes to the international business literature by introducing a prosocial perspective to digital platform research and advancing methodological approaches through machine learning. For practitioners, we suggest strategies to enhance prosocial crowdfunding platforms' effectiveness, including cultural bridge-building initiatives, leveraging experienced users as mentors, and highlighting women-owned businesses. Policymakers can use these insights to create frameworks maximizing prosocial crowdfunding's impact on poverty alleviation. In recent years, the rise of digital platforms has opened up new possibilities for addressing global challenges like poverty. One innovative approach is through prosocial (intended to benefit others) crowdfunding platforms like Kiva, which allow people to lend money to entrepreneurs in developing countries without requiring collateral (assets pledged by a borrower to secure a loan) or charging interest. However, there's a gap in understanding how the motivations of these crowdfunders influence their decisions to lend across national borders. This study delves into the prosocial motivations of crowdfunders and how factors like cultural distance, experience, and the gender of business owners affect their lending choices.This study analyzed data from Kiva.org, the largest international prosocial crowdfunding platform. The researchers used machine learning (a type of artificial intelligence that allows computers to learn from data) techniques to assess the prosocial motivation of crowdfunders based on their self-reported reasons for joining Kiva. The study focused on transactions from 2010 to 2019, involving crowdfunders from five major countries and loans to borrowers across 28 countries. The key research question was whether crowdfunders with a higher prosocial motivation are more likely to support poorer borrowers, and how cultural distance, crowdfunder experience, and women-owned businesses might moderate this relationship.The results showed that crowdfunders with a strong prosocial motivation - defined as the desire to benefit others - are indeed more likely to lend to poorer borrowers. However, cultural distance (differences in social norms and languages) can weaken this effect, making it harder for crowdfunders to empathize with and understand borrowers from very different backgrounds. On the other hand, crowdfunders with more experience on the platform are better at overcoming these barriers, and loans for women-owned businesses tend to attract more support from prosocially motivated crowdfunders.The study concludes that while digital platforms can bridge the gap between lenders and borrowers worldwide, cultural differences still pose a challenge. However, experienced crowdfunders and a focus on women-owned businesses can enhance the impact of prosocial lending. These findings suggest that fostering a better understanding of cultural differences and supporting women entrepreneurs could be key to using digital platforms to address poverty more effectively. The research highlights the potential of individual actions, driven by a desire to do good, to contribute to solving global issues in the digital age.This text was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then reviewed by the author(s) to ensure accuracy. S'appuyant sur une perspective prosociale, cette recherche examine comment la motivation prosociale des financeurs participatifs (Crowdfunders) influence leurs d & eacute;cisions de pr & ecirc;t sur les plateformes internationales de financement participatif, relevant ainsi le d & eacute;fi mondial de la r & eacute;duction de la pauvret & eacute;. Nous postulons que les financeurs participatifs ayant une motivation prosociale, pr & eacute;occup & eacute;s par les in & eacute;galit & eacute;s & eacute;conomiques et le bien-& ecirc;tre d'autrui, sont plus susceptibles de pr & ecirc;ter & agrave; des emprunteurs plus pauvres afin de r & eacute;duire les in & eacute;galit & eacute;s et d'am & eacute;liorer le bien-& ecirc;tre. En analysant un vaste ensemble de donn & eacute;es provenant de Kiva.org & agrave; l'aide de techniques d'apprentissage automatique, nous constatons qu'une plus grande motivation prosociale conduit effectivement au choix de pr & ecirc;ter & agrave; des emprunteurs plus pauvres au-del & agrave; des fronti & egrave;res. Cependant, la distance culturelle affaiblit cette relation en cr & eacute;ant des barri & egrave;res cognitives et & eacute;motionnelles, tandis que l'exp & eacute;rience de plateforme des financeurs participatifs et les entreprises d & eacute;tenues par des femmes la renforcent. Ces r & eacute;sultats mettent en & eacute;vidence la mani & egrave;re dont les plateformes num & eacute;riques permettent aux motivations prosociales de franchir les fronti & egrave;res nationales dans le cadre des efforts de r & eacute;duction de la pauvret & eacute;, tout en r & eacute;v & eacute;lant les obstacles et les catalyseurs des pr & ecirc;ts transfrontaliers. Notre recherche contribue & agrave; la litt & eacute;rature des affaires internationales en introduisant une perspective prosociale dans la recherche sur les plateformes num & eacute;riques et en faisant progresser les approches m & eacute;thodologiques gr & acirc;ce & agrave; l'apprentissage automatique. Pour les praticiens, nous sugg & eacute;rons des strat & eacute;gies pour am & eacute;liorer l'efficacit & eacute; des plateformes de financement participatif prosocial, notamment des initiatives de rapprochement culturel, l'utilisation d'utilisateurs exp & eacute;riment & eacute;s comme mentors et la mise en avant d'entreprises d & eacute;tenues par des femmes. Les d & eacute;cideurs politiques peuvent utiliser ces informations pour cr & eacute;er des structures maximisant l'impact du financement participatif prosocial sur la r & eacute;duction de la pauvret & eacute;. Desde una perspectiva prosocial, este estudio examina c & oacute;mo la motivaci & oacute;n prosocial de los micromecenas (o crowdfunders, t & eacute;rmino adoptado en la jerga del financiamiento colectivo) influye en sus decisiones de pr & eacute;stamo en plataformas internacionales de financiamiento colectivo, abordando el desaf & iacute;o global de la mitigaci & oacute;n de la pobreza. Postulamos que los micromecenas motivados prosocialmente, preocupados por la desigualdad econ & oacute;mica y el bienestar de los dem & aacute;s, son m & aacute;s propensos a prestar a los prestatarios m & aacute;s pobres para minimizar la desigualdad y mejorar el bienestar general. Analizando un amplio conjunto de datos de Kiva.org mediante t & eacute;cnicas de aprendizaje autom & aacute;tico, descubrimos que una mayor motivaci & oacute;n prosocial efectivamente conduce a la elecci & oacute;n de prestar a prestatarios m & aacute;s pobres a trav & eacute;s de las fronteras. Sin embargo, la distancia cultural debilita esta relaci & oacute;n al crear barreras cognitivas y emocionales, mientras que la experiencia de los micromecenas en las plataformas y las empresas propiedad de mujeres la refuerzan. Estos resultados ponen de relieve c & oacute;mo las plataformas digitales permiten que las motivaciones prosociales traspasen las fronteras nacionales en los esfuerzos de reducci & oacute;n de la pobreza, al tiempo que revelan las barreras y los facilitadores de los pr & eacute;stamos transfronterizos. Nuestro estudio contribuye a la literatura sobre negocios internacionales al introducir una perspectiva prosocial en la investigaci & oacute;n sobre plataformas digitales y avanzar en los enfoques metodol & oacute;gicos a trav & eacute;s del aprendizaje autom & aacute;tico. Para los profesionales, sugerimos estrategias para mejorar la eficacia de las plataformas de financiamiento colectivo prosocial, incluyendo iniciativas de construcci & oacute;n de puentes culturales, el aprovechamiento de los usuarios experimentados como mentores y el & eacute;nfasis en las empresas propiedad de mujeres. Los responsables de pol & iacute;ticas pueden utilizar estos conocimientos para crear marcos que maximicen el impacto del financiamiento colectivo prosocial en la mitigaci & oacute;n de la pobreza. Empregando uma perspectiva prosocial, este estudo examina como a motiva & ccedil;& atilde;o prosocial dos financiadores coletivos influencia suas decis & otilde;es de empr & eacute;stimo em plataformas de financiamento coletivo (crowdfunding) internacionais, abordando o desafio global da redu & ccedil;& atilde;o da pobreza. Postulamos que financiadores coletivos prosocialmente motivados, preocupados com a desigualdade econ & ocirc;mica e o bem-estar de outros, s & atilde;o mais propensos a emprestar para mutu & aacute;rios mais pobres a fim de minimizar a desigualdade e melhorar o bem-estar. Analisando um grande conjunto de dados do Kiva.org com t & eacute;cnicas de aprendizado de m & aacute;quina, descobrimos que uma maior motiva & ccedil;& atilde;o prosocial realmente leva & agrave; escolha de empr & eacute;stimos para mutu & aacute;rios mais pobres em pa & iacute;ses estrangeiros. Entretanto, a dist & acirc;ncia cultural enfraquece essa rela & ccedil;& atilde;o ao criar barreiras cognitivas e emocionais, enquanto a experi & ecirc;ncia de financiadores coletivos na plataforma e neg & oacute;cios pertencentes a mulheres a fortalecem. Esses achados destacam como plataformas digitais permitem que motiva & ccedil;& otilde;es prosociais cruzem fronteiras nacionais nos esfor & ccedil;os de redu & ccedil;& atilde;o da pobreza, ao mesmo tempo que revelam barreiras e facilitadores no empr & eacute;stimo transfronteiri & ccedil;o. Nosso estudo contribui para a literatura em neg & oacute;cios internacionais ao introduzir uma perspectiva prosocial & agrave; pesquisa sobre plataformas digitais e avan & ccedil;ar abordagens metodol & oacute;gicas por meio do aprendizado de m & aacute;quina. Para profissionais, sugerimos estrat & eacute;gias que aumentem a efic & aacute;cia de plataformas de financiamento coletivo prosociais, incluindo iniciativas de cria & ccedil;& atilde;o de pontes culturais, alavancando usu & aacute;rios experientes como mentores e destacando neg & oacute;cios pertencentes a mulheres. Formuladores de pol & iacute;ticas podem usar esses insights para criar modelos que maximizem o impacto do financiamento coletivo prosocial na redu & ccedil;& atilde;o da pobreza. 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