Investigating the Non-Linear Relationships in the Expectancy Theory: The Case of Crowdsourcing Marketplace

Crowdsourcing marketplace as a new platform for companies or individuals to source ideas or works from the public has become popular in the contemporary world. A key issue about the sustainability of this type of marketplace relies on the effort that problem solvers expend on the online tasks. However, the predictors of effort investment in the crowdsourcing context is rarely investigated. In this study, based on the expectancy theory which suggests the roles of reward valence, trust and self efficacy, we develop a research model to study the factors influencing effort. Further, the non-linear relationships between self efficacy and effort is proposed. Based on a field survey, we found that: (1) reward valence and trust positively influence effort; (2) when task complexity is high, there will be a convex relationship between self efficacy and effort; and (3) when task complexity is low, there will be a concave relationship between self efficacy and effort. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.