Behind the Scenes: Small Decisions, Crowd-sized Impacts

My PhD research focuses on how crowds assert their control by directing resources to organizations, a process crucial yet less explored in current research. My series of projects aim to dissect the mechanics of crowd-controlled decision-making and its impact on various industries. The first project explores how this control is exerted in resource donations in humanitarian contexts with three donation modes: earmarking, non-earmarking, and what we newly term contingent earmarking – a mode that enables donors to set redistribution terms. The second project focuses on how this control is exerted in shape of resource pledges in crowdfunding contexts and the dynamics behind the withdrawal of this control. Crowds as backers often retract their decisions of support, thus causing pitches to fail. The third project examines how crowd-contributed ideas are refined by experts, exploring the conditions under which more experts on panels enhance or hinder the improvement of these ideas in collaborative innovation settings.

Hooria Sajjad started her PhD at KLU in September 2023 under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Christina Raasch and Prof. Dr. Maria Besiou. Her research focuses on exploring crowd controlled-decision making in various industries. Hooria graduated from Government College University (GCU) based in Lahore, Pakistan with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Management. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from University of Central Punjab (UCP) based in Lahore. She gained practical experience at Samba Bank, a subsidiary of Samba Financial Group, Saudi Arabia and at University of South Asia.