Exploring the Process of Web-based Crowdsourcing Innovation

Since the concepts of "customer innovation" (2002) and “crowdsourcing” (2006) were introduced, researchers have focused their attention on the phenomenon of crowdsourcing innovation. Relevant research includes the crowd’s characteristics, the crowd’s applicability in different phases of developing innovations, and instrumental aspects of web-based crowd innovation. However, there has been no research on how requesters leverage the crowd to effectively generate innovations, especially via information systems. In this research, to explore the value of information systems in leveraging crowdsourcing innovation under different conditions, I conducted and compared two case studies. After analyzing (I) an innovative idea collection software and (II) a StarCraft –related crowdsourcing project, four stages in the web-based crowdsourcing campaign were identified: (1) identifying, (2) requesting, (3) evaluating and (4) retaining the crowd.