Online prosocial microlending decision making: A natural experiment of ebola outbreak

Yi Ding, Haifeng Xu, Lusi Yang, Bernard C.Y. Tan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

In 2014, a devastating Ebola virus epidemic burst in West Africa, which tremendously impaired the economies in the affected areas. During this crisis, in addition to traditional donations, some new forms of prosocial behaviors, such as online prosocial microlending, were adopted to help people in and near the affected areas. In this study, we extend the spotlight and gradient model to investigate people's online prosocial microlending decision making after natural disasters, which is both financial (rational) and prosocial (irrational) in nature. By leveraging the Ebola outbreak in 2014, we design a natural experiment to compare lender's online prosocial microlending behavior before and after the disaster. We find that the average amount of online prosocial microlending in unaffected areas increases after the natural disaster and the increase is negatively related to the distance between the borrower and the affected areas.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2016 International Conference on Information Systems, ICIS 2016
PublisherAssociation for Information Systems
ISBN (Electronic)9780996683135
StatePublished - 2016
Externally publishedYes
Event2016 International Conference on Information Systems, ICIS 2016 - Dublin, Ireland
Duration: Dec 11 2016Dec 14 2016

Publication series

Name2016 International Conference on Information Systems, ICIS 2016

Other

Other2016 International Conference on Information Systems, ICIS 2016
Country/TerritoryIreland
CityDublin
Period12/11/1612/14/16

Keywords

  • Disaster
  • Microlending
  • Prosocial

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Information Systems

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