5.3.3

Crowdfunding

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Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is an alternative way for businesses to raise capital by bypassing traditional banks. It collects small amounts of money from a large number of individuals, usually via online platforms.

Definition

Definition

Crowdfunding involves raising finance by asking a large number of people for a small financial contribution.
This process is typically managed through dedicated online platforms where entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to the public.
Entrepreneurs set a financial target and a time limit, using social media to market their campaign and attract potential backers.
Sometimes reward-based platforms offer products, experiences or shares in the business in return.

Types of crowdfunding

Types of crowdfunding

Reward-based: Backers receive non-financial rewards, such as early access to a new product or exclusive merchandise.
Equity-based: Investors contribute capital in exchange for a small percentage of share capital or equity in the company.
Debt-based: Also known as peer-to-peer lending, where individuals lend money to a business with the expectation that it will be repaid with interest.

Advantages of crowdfunding

Advantages of crowdfunding

Market validation: It allows businesses to test public interest in their product ideas before starting full-scale production.
Marketing exposure: Launching an online campaign helps build a loyal community of customers who act as brand ambassadors, generating publicity and social media attention.

Disadvantages of crowdfunding

Disadvantages of crowdfunding

Idea theft: Publicly sharing a business model on an open platform exposes the concept to competitors who may copy it.
Delivery pressure: Failing to fulfil promises or ship rewards on schedule can cause severe damage to a brand's reputation.
No guarantee of success: The business invests significant time and effort in creating the campaign with no certainty of raising the money.

Real-life examples

Real-life examples

Brewgooder: The craft beer company famously bypassed banks by using equity crowdfunding campaigns to raise millions directly from customers.
Monzo: Raised £1 million in just 96 seconds via equity crowdfunding in 2016, rapidly increasing investor value as the digital bank expanded.
Chapel Down: Secured £3.9 million from over 3,500 backers, demonstrating how campaigns can successfully convert loyal customers into invested shareholders.

1

What is Business?

1.1

Nature & Purpose of Business

1.1.1Why Businesses Exist 1.1.2Business Aims & Objectives 1.1.3End of Topic Test - The Nature of Business

1.2

Different Business Forms

1.2.1Key Business Terms 1.2.2Sole Traders 1.2.3Limited Liability 1.2.4Non-Profit Organisations & Social Enterprises 1.2.5Social Enterprises 1.2.6Franchising 1.2.7Shareholders 1.2.8End of Topic Test - Different Businesses 1.2.9A-A* (AO3/4) - Franchising at Blockbuster

1.3

Businesses Operate Within an External Environment

1.3.1External Environments 1.3.2A-A* (AO3/4) - Interest Rates in the UK

2

Managers, Leadership & Decision Making

2.1

Management, Leadership & Decision Making

2.1.1Managers 2.1.2Management Theories 2.1.3Management vs Leadership 2.1.4Leadership Styles 2.1.5End of Topic Test - Management

2.2

Management Decision Making

2.2.1Scientific Decision Making 2.2.2Influences on Decision Making 2.2.3Intuition Decision Making 2.2.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Cost Leadership 2.2.5End of Topic Test - Management Decisions

2.3

Role & Importance of Stakeholders

2.3.1Stakeholders

3

Marketing Management

3.1

Setting Marketing Objectives

3.1.1Setting Marketing Objectives 3.1.2Market Calculations

3.2

Understanding Markets & Customers

3.2.1Market Research 3.2.2Methods of Market Research 3.2.3Interpreting PED & YED

3.3

Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning

3.3.1Segmentation 3.3.2Niche & Mass Markets 3.3.3Market Mapping

3.4

Using the Marketing Mix

3.4.1Marketing Mix 3.4.2Pricing Decisions & Price Skimming 3.4.3Pricing Decisions & Price Penetration 3.4.4Promotional Decisions 3.4.5Promotional Decisions 2 3.4.6Promotional Decisions 3 3.4.7Distribution Decisions 3.4.8Distribution Decisions 2 3.4.9Social Media & Influencers 3.4.10Digital Marketing 3.4.11Evaluating Digital Marketing 3.4.12A-A* (AO3/4) - The Marketing Mix & Promotion 3.4.13A-A* (AO3/4) - Pricing & Competition

4

Operational Management

4.1

Setting Operational Objectives

4.1.1Setting Operational Objectives

4.2

Analysing Operational Performance

4.2.1Operations Data 4.2.2Capacity 4.2.3A-A* (AO3/4) - The Problem with Operations Data

4.3

Increasing Efficiency & Productivity

4.3.1Productivity & Efficiency 4.3.2Lean Production 4.3.3Technology & Efficiency 4.3.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Toyota Production System

4.4

Improving Quality

4.4.1Measuring & Identifying Quality 4.4.2Total Quality Management 4.4.3Evaluating Total Quality Management 4.4.4Quality Assurance & Quality Control

4.5

Managing Inventory & Supply Chains

4.5.1Inventory 4.5.2Improving the Supply Chain 4.5.3Outsourcing

4.6

Business & The External Environment

4.6.1Business Considerations from Globalisation

5

Financial Management

5.1

Setting Financial Objectives

5.1.1Setting Financial Objectives 5.1.2Influences on Financial Objectives 5.1.3Profit 5.1.4Revenue & Costs 5.1.5Cash-Flow & Budgets

5.2

Analysing Financial Performance

5.2.1Break-Even & Profitability Analysis 5.2.2A-A* (AO3/4) - Assessing Financial Performance

5.3

Sources of Finance

5.3.1Internal Sources of Finance 5.3.2External Sources of Finance 5.3.3Crowdfunding 5.3.4Factors for Financing 5.3.5A/A* (AO3/4) - Debt

5.4

Improving Cash Flow & Profits

5.4.1Improving Cash Flow & Profits

6

Human Resource Management

6.1

Setting Human Resource Objectives

6.1.1Setting Human Resource Objectives 6.1.2Human Resource Management

6.2

Analysing Human Resource Performance

6.2.1Analysing Human Resource Performance 6.2.2Analysing Human Resource Performance 2

6.3

Improving Org Design & Human Resource Flow

6.3.1Organisational Design 6.3.2Human Resource Flow

6.4

Improving Motivation & Engagement

6.4.1Motivating & Engaging Employees 6.4.2Different Incentives 6.4.3Evaluating Incentives 6.4.4Taylor's Theory 6.4.5Maslow's Theory 6.4.6Herzberg's Theory 6.4.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Amazon & Netflix Org Design 6.4.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Taylorism & Jack Welch

6.5

Improving Employer-Employee Relations

6.5.1Improving Employer-Employee Relations

7

Strategic Position of a Business (A Level Only)

7.1

Mission, Objectives, Strategy

7.1.1Business Mission & Corporate Objective 7.1.2Mission, Corporate Objectives & Strategy 7.1.3SWOT Analysis 7.1.4A-A* (AO3/4) - SWOT Analysis

7.2

Financial Ratio Analysis

7.2.1Financial Ratios

7.3

Assessing Overall Performance

7.3.1Non-Financial Data 7.3.2Core Competences 7.3.3Assessing Business Performance

7.4

Assessing Political & Legal Change

7.4.1Political & Legal Change

7.5

Assessing Economic Change

7.5.1Economic Environment

7.6

Assessing Social & Technological Change

7.6.1Social & Technological Environment 7.6.2Lifestyle & Technological Environment 7.6.3Corporate Social Responsibility

7.7

The Competitive Environment

7.7.1Choosing Areas of Competition 7.7.2Choosing How to Compete

7.8

Investment Appraisal

7.8.1Investment Appraisal

8

Choosing Strategic Direction (A Level Only)

8.1

Markets to Compete & Products to Offer

8.1.1Product Decisions

8.2

How to Compete

8.2.1Porter's Five Forces 8.2.2A-A* (AO3/4) - The 5 Forces

9

Pursuing Strategies (A Level Only)

9.1

Assessing a Change in Scale

9.1.1Growth & Retrenchment 9.1.2Challenges of Growth 9.1.3Sourcing Resources & Entering Markets 9.1.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Diversification 9.1.5A-A* (AO3/4) - Diseconomies of Scale

9.2

Assessing Innovation

9.2.1Assessing Innovation

9.3

Globalisation & Internationalisation

9.3.1Internationalisation 9.3.2Managing Internationalisation 9.3.3Impact of Internationalisation 9.3.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Internationalisation in Guatemala

9.4

Greater Use of Digital Technology

9.4.1Assessing Use of Digital Technology 9.4.2Impact of Digital Technology

10

Managing Strategic Change

10.1

Managing Change

10.1.1Managing Change

10.2

Managing Organisational Culture

10.2.1Managing Organisational Culture 10.2.2Organisational Structures

10.3

Managing Strategic Implementation

10.3.1Managing Strategic Implementation

10.4

Problems with Strategy & Why They Fail

10.4.1Problems with Strategy

Jump to other topics

1

What is Business?

1.1

Nature & Purpose of Business

1.1.1Why Businesses Exist 1.1.2Business Aims & Objectives 1.1.3End of Topic Test - The Nature of Business

1.2

Different Business Forms

1.2.1Key Business Terms 1.2.2Sole Traders 1.2.3Limited Liability 1.2.4Non-Profit Organisations & Social Enterprises 1.2.5Social Enterprises 1.2.6Franchising 1.2.7Shareholders 1.2.8End of Topic Test - Different Businesses 1.2.9A-A* (AO3/4) - Franchising at Blockbuster

1.3

Businesses Operate Within an External Environment

1.3.1External Environments 1.3.2A-A* (AO3/4) - Interest Rates in the UK

2

Managers, Leadership & Decision Making

2.1

Management, Leadership & Decision Making

2.1.1Managers 2.1.2Management Theories 2.1.3Management vs Leadership 2.1.4Leadership Styles 2.1.5End of Topic Test - Management

2.2

Management Decision Making

2.2.1Scientific Decision Making 2.2.2Influences on Decision Making 2.2.3Intuition Decision Making 2.2.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Cost Leadership 2.2.5End of Topic Test - Management Decisions

2.3

Role & Importance of Stakeholders

2.3.1Stakeholders

3

Marketing Management

3.1

Setting Marketing Objectives

3.1.1Setting Marketing Objectives 3.1.2Market Calculations

3.2

Understanding Markets & Customers

3.2.1Market Research 3.2.2Methods of Market Research 3.2.3Interpreting PED & YED

3.3

Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning

3.3.1Segmentation 3.3.2Niche & Mass Markets 3.3.3Market Mapping

3.4

Using the Marketing Mix

3.4.1Marketing Mix 3.4.2Pricing Decisions & Price Skimming 3.4.3Pricing Decisions & Price Penetration 3.4.4Promotional Decisions 3.4.5Promotional Decisions 2 3.4.6Promotional Decisions 3 3.4.7Distribution Decisions 3.4.8Distribution Decisions 2 3.4.9Social Media & Influencers 3.4.10Digital Marketing 3.4.11Evaluating Digital Marketing 3.4.12A-A* (AO3/4) - The Marketing Mix & Promotion 3.4.13A-A* (AO3/4) - Pricing & Competition

4

Operational Management

4.1

Setting Operational Objectives

4.1.1Setting Operational Objectives

4.2

Analysing Operational Performance

4.2.1Operations Data 4.2.2Capacity 4.2.3A-A* (AO3/4) - The Problem with Operations Data

4.3

Increasing Efficiency & Productivity

4.3.1Productivity & Efficiency 4.3.2Lean Production 4.3.3Technology & Efficiency 4.3.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Toyota Production System

4.4

Improving Quality

4.4.1Measuring & Identifying Quality 4.4.2Total Quality Management 4.4.3Evaluating Total Quality Management 4.4.4Quality Assurance & Quality Control

4.5

Managing Inventory & Supply Chains

4.5.1Inventory 4.5.2Improving the Supply Chain 4.5.3Outsourcing

4.6

Business & The External Environment

4.6.1Business Considerations from Globalisation

5

Financial Management

5.1

Setting Financial Objectives

5.1.1Setting Financial Objectives 5.1.2Influences on Financial Objectives 5.1.3Profit 5.1.4Revenue & Costs 5.1.5Cash-Flow & Budgets

5.2

Analysing Financial Performance

5.2.1Break-Even & Profitability Analysis 5.2.2A-A* (AO3/4) - Assessing Financial Performance

5.3

Sources of Finance

5.3.1Internal Sources of Finance 5.3.2External Sources of Finance 5.3.3Crowdfunding 5.3.4Factors for Financing 5.3.5A/A* (AO3/4) - Debt

5.4

Improving Cash Flow & Profits

5.4.1Improving Cash Flow & Profits

6

Human Resource Management

6.1

Setting Human Resource Objectives

6.1.1Setting Human Resource Objectives 6.1.2Human Resource Management

6.2

Analysing Human Resource Performance

6.2.1Analysing Human Resource Performance 6.2.2Analysing Human Resource Performance 2

6.3

Improving Org Design & Human Resource Flow

6.3.1Organisational Design 6.3.2Human Resource Flow

6.4

Improving Motivation & Engagement

6.4.1Motivating & Engaging Employees 6.4.2Different Incentives 6.4.3Evaluating Incentives 6.4.4Taylor's Theory 6.4.5Maslow's Theory 6.4.6Herzberg's Theory 6.4.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Amazon & Netflix Org Design 6.4.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Taylorism & Jack Welch

6.5

Improving Employer-Employee Relations

6.5.1Improving Employer-Employee Relations

7

Strategic Position of a Business (A Level Only)

7.1

Mission, Objectives, Strategy

7.1.1Business Mission & Corporate Objective 7.1.2Mission, Corporate Objectives & Strategy 7.1.3SWOT Analysis 7.1.4A-A* (AO3/4) - SWOT Analysis

7.2

Financial Ratio Analysis

7.2.1Financial Ratios

7.3

Assessing Overall Performance

7.3.1Non-Financial Data 7.3.2Core Competences 7.3.3Assessing Business Performance

7.4

Assessing Political & Legal Change

7.4.1Political & Legal Change

7.5

Assessing Economic Change

7.5.1Economic Environment

7.6

Assessing Social & Technological Change

7.6.1Social & Technological Environment 7.6.2Lifestyle & Technological Environment 7.6.3Corporate Social Responsibility

7.7

The Competitive Environment

7.7.1Choosing Areas of Competition 7.7.2Choosing How to Compete

7.8

Investment Appraisal

7.8.1Investment Appraisal

8

Choosing Strategic Direction (A Level Only)

8.1

Markets to Compete & Products to Offer

8.1.1Product Decisions

8.2

How to Compete

8.2.1Porter's Five Forces 8.2.2A-A* (AO3/4) - The 5 Forces

9

Pursuing Strategies (A Level Only)

9.1

Assessing a Change in Scale

9.1.1Growth & Retrenchment 9.1.2Challenges of Growth 9.1.3Sourcing Resources & Entering Markets 9.1.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Diversification 9.1.5A-A* (AO3/4) - Diseconomies of Scale

9.2

Assessing Innovation

9.2.1Assessing Innovation

9.3

Globalisation & Internationalisation

9.3.1Internationalisation 9.3.2Managing Internationalisation 9.3.3Impact of Internationalisation 9.3.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Internationalisation in Guatemala

9.4

Greater Use of Digital Technology

9.4.1Assessing Use of Digital Technology 9.4.2Impact of Digital Technology

10

Managing Strategic Change

10.1

Managing Change

10.1.1Managing Change

10.2

Managing Organisational Culture

10.2.1Managing Organisational Culture 10.2.2Organisational Structures

10.3

Managing Strategic Implementation

10.3.1Managing Strategic Implementation

10.4

Problems with Strategy & Why They Fail

10.4.1Problems with Strategy

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External Sources of Finance

Factors for Financing