MIT Sloan Management Review Article on Get More Ideas From the Crowd

  • 6m
  • Arvind Malhotra, Barry L. Bayus, Claudia Kubowicz Malhotra
  • MIT Sloan Management Review
  • 2021

The rise of crowdsourcing platforms as a potential source for innovative ideas presents a challenge: How do you attract contributors to work on your particular problem?1 Past research has demonstrated the importance of well-crafted problem statements as a means to attract more innovative solutions.2 But what really goes into a problem statement that engages the crowd? Do the statements that attract a large number of proposed ideas share common elements?

Our research sought to answer these questions by unpacking problem statements, word by word, to identify the characteristics that attract the most idea submissions. Our analysis points to guidelines for managers tapping crowdsourcing sites on do’s and don’ts when writing a problem statement meant to attract solutions from creative freelancers.

About the Author

All of the authors are on the faculty of UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Claudia Kubowicz Malhotra (@claudiakm) is a clinical associate professor of marketing.

Arvind Malhotra (@arvmalhotra) is the H. Allen Andrew Professor of Entrepreneurial Education and professor of strategy and entrepreneurship.

Barry L. Bayus is the Roy O. Rodwell Distinguished Professor of Marketing.

Learn more about MIT SMR.

In this Book

  • MIT Sloan Management Review Article on Get More Ideas From the Crowd