Crowdsourcing application in marketing activities

Active deployment of information communication technologies between consumers' enables them contribute actively to various business activities. A crowdsourcing phenomenon is observed recently from perspectives ranging from users involvement in company's communication activities to various crowdfunding models. Aim of this paper is to explore crowdsourcing phenomena, analyse factors affecting consumers' involvement into crowdsourcing activities and explore crowdsourcing deployment in company's marketing activities. From the marketing perspective crowdsourcing might be deployed in various activities such as market research, communication, new products development and testing, innovative ideas development and others. Though companies should be aware of possible limitations and ethical issues related to crowdsourcing as well. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.