Regina Lenart-Gansiniec,

The effect of crowdsourcing on organizational learning: Evidence from local

governments,
Government Information Quarterly,
2021,
101593,
ISSN 0740-624X,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2021.101593.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0740624X21000290)
Abstract: Modern local governments must learn in order to deal effectively with the
growing pressures of a rapidly changing environment. Crowdsourcing has entered the
stage of popularization and wide adoption as a part of local government. Based on
organizational learning perspective, this study develops a multi-level model of
learning from crowdsourcing and a joint relationship between crowdsourcing and
organizational learning in local governments. This paper adopts a multi-method
research approach: (1) the model was tested with partial least squares structural
equation modelling (PLS-SEM) using a survey of 205 local governments units in
Poland; (2) in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with 18 top managers from
18 local governments units in Poland. The empirical results show that: (1)
crowdsourcing has significantly positive affects on individual, group,
organizational levels of learning, feed-forward, and feed-back flows; (2) type of
crowdsourcing, such wisdom crowd, crowd creation, and crowd voting are linked with
organizational learning. Moreover, one type of crowdsourcing, such crowdfunding is
not related with organizational learning of local governments. These findings
contribute to both academic research and practical implications, advancing our
understandings of relationship between crowdsourcing and organizational learning in
local governments.
Keywords: Crowdsourcing; Organizational learning; Local governments