Journal of Alternative Finance (ALF)
CALL FOR PAPERS
Special Issue: Crowdfunding Awareness, Attitudes, Intentions, and Behavior
Guest Editors
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Prof. Rotem Shneor
University of Agder, Norway
Rotem.shneor@uia.no
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Prof. Joe Cox
University of Portsmouth, UK
joe.cox@port.ac.uk
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Following two decades of crowdfunding industry development and growth, the time is right to both take stock of existing insights as well as explore new directions towards better understanding of crowdfunding awareness, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. These investigations should be considered with respect to multiple stakeholders engaged in different types of decisions, which are made within different contextual settings.
Current research investigates the antecedents of awareness, attitudes, intentions, and behavior while focusing on either fundraisers or backers. These studies often build on the theories of planned behavior (TPB), technology acceptance (TAM), the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and trust theory. Most studies to-date have focused on the engagement of funders in crowdfunding (Adamska-Mieruszewska et al., 2024; Baah-Peprah, 2023; Baah-Peprah et al., 2024; Baber, 2020; Baber & Fanea-Ivanovici, 2021; Cox Nguyen & Kang, 2018; Cox Nguyen Thorpe et al., 2018; Efrat et al., 2023; Munim et al., 2021; Ryu, 2024; Serwaah et al., 2024; Shneor & Munim, 2019; Shneor et al., 2021; Shneor et al., 2023; Wang & Yang, 2019; Zhai et al., 2021). However, fewer studies have examined adoption and use of crowdfunding by fundraisers (Davidson & Poor, 2015; Gleasure, 2015; Islam & Khan, 2019; Meghouar et al., 2023; Rykkja & Bonet, 2025; Shneor et al., 2024), with even fewer examining both topics (Estrin et al., 2018). Efforts have also been dedicated to the development of typologies of both fundraisers (Ryu & Kim, 2018) and backers (Bretschneider & Leimeister, 2017; Leclercq & Poncin, 2023; Ryu & Kim, 2016) based on their underlying motivations. Regardless, the perspectives of other stakeholders, such as those of platforms, regulators, and managers of traditional financial institutions (to name a few), remain ignored despite their relevance.
Overall, these studies reflected sentiments in earlier days of crowdfunding operations and maintained a clear focus on intentions and behavior. However, the drivers and consequences of earlier stages of the process of crowdfunding, such as awareness and attitudes, now require greater attention. In particular, those drivers related to intentions and behaviors also need to be revisited and reflected upon. Such explorations may employ or develop novel theoretical insights drawn from a range of backgrounds, including psychology, marketing, information systems, economics, entrepreneurship and finance.
The special issue invites papers that contribute to this body of research. We welcome a plurality of theoretical and methodological approaches. Submissions may engage in relevant literature reviews, conceptual development, theory development and/or testing. They may follow qualitative, quantitative, or mixed empirical designs. Furthermore, they may relate to well-established theories or seek to consider alternative ones.
Below we highlight key aspects for authors to consider:
Core themes.
Submissions should cover research dedicated to the understanding of antecedents and consequences of crowdfunding awareness, attitudes, intentions, and/or behaviors.
Stakeholders.
Submissions should consider the core themes as related to one or multiple of the following stakeholders, including (but not limited to):
· Fundraisers/campaign creators/borrowers/founders
· Backers/investors/lenders/funders
· Managers of crowdfunding platforms
· Managers of traditional financial institutions
· Regulators/policy makers
· Educators/trainers/mentors
Behavior and Decision Making.
Studies may explore a wide range of related behaviors and decisions, including (but not limited to):
- · Crowdfunding campaign launch choices by fundraisers
- · Selection of incentives offered to funders (equity, material rewards, etc.)
- · Crowdfunding campaign management strategies
- · Information disclosure choices in crowdfunding practice
- · Interplay and interaction between different types of backers
- · Crowdfunding campaign backing choices
- · Crowdfunding usage patterns
- · Crowdfunding platform launch
- · Crowdfunding platform campaign quality assurance and filtration strategies
- · Crowdfunding platform choice by fundraisers
- · Choice between use of platforms versus non-platform independent campaigns
- · Crowdfunding campaign cancellation or withdrawal by fundraisers
- · Non-economic incentives to participate in crowdfunding (prosocial motivations, egoism, etc.)
- · The role of personality type (e.g. narcissism, extroversion, introversion, etc.) in crowdfunding
- · The choice of campaign narratives and/or rhetorical styles
- · Longitudinal outcomes of campaigns (delivery, survival, profitability etc.)
- · The role of fundraiser and baker networks
- · Serial fundraising via crowdfunding
- · Serial backing via crowdfunding
Context.
Contextual settings and their implications, including (but not limited to):
- · Crowdfunding model (i.e., equity, revenue/profit-sharing, bonds, crowdlending/P2P lending, reward, donation, subscription, ICOs, STOs, etc.).
- · Socio-cultural conditions (i.e., social trust, individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, indulgence/restraint, religiosity, gender equality and egalitarianism, etc.)
- · Regulatory environment (i.e., dedicated, adapted, or no relevant regulation) and governance issues.
- · Industry/sector particularities (i.e., high vs. low Tech, real estate, cultural and creative, civic and public services, renewable/green energy, agriculture, etc.).
- · Periods of crises (i.e., war and security, plagues and health hazards, economic slowdown, financial crisis, trade wars, climate change, etc.).
Important Information
To be considered for publication in the special issue, a full version of manuscript should be submitted by January 30th, 2026. It is highly recommended to send an abstract to the guest editor(s) prior to the formal submission to ensure the relevance to the special issue and receive preliminary feedback before the submission deadline. The anticipated publication date of the special issue is Issue 1 of 2027.
Manuscript submission: Authors should submit their manuscripts through the journal's submission system at: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/alf. All submissions will be double-blind peer reviewed.
Manuscripts should be prepared following the author guidelines outlined in: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/journal-of-alternative-finance/journal203798#submission-guidelines
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Rotem Shneor
Professor
University of Agder
Kristiansand
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