ABSTRACT
Online crowdfunding is increasingly becoming an effective platform entrepreneurs use to fund their business ventures. However, there are complex interpersonal relationships and interactions which involve the exchange of non-financial resources which is not obvious by only focusing on the financial nature of the relationship. Drawing from the resource-based theory we demonstrate how resources which are available to a firm and which are valuable, rare, difficult to imitate and non-substitutable are able to position a firm for long-term success, superior performance and competitive advantage. In this chapter we also draw from the resource-exchange theory in looking at the exchange of resources and the mechanisms that facilitate this exchange in crowdfunding. This chapter reveals the exchange of various resources including: money, love, information, status, goods and services through mediated, unmediated and hybrid structures.
