Crowdlending and the Perceived Investment Value in Small and Medium Enterprises within a Local Hardware Commerce Cluster

Abstract

This research sought to clarify the relationships between crowdlending and perceived investment value, the dimensions of which were: perceived functional value, perceived emotional value, perceived social value, and perceived economic value in small and medium enterprises within a local hardware commerce cluster. To this end, the methodology used a basic quantitative approach with a hypothetical-deductive method, a descriptive correlational approach, and a non-experimental design. The non-probabilistic census sample comprised 60 hardware-based MSEs, in which the survey technique was used. A questionnaire, whose reliability was established by Cronbach's alpha coefficient, was also used to measure the study variables. The results showed a positive and moderate correlation between crowdlending and perceived investment value (r = 0,667; sig. = 000). Furthermore, significant correlations were found with the dimensions of perceived investment value: perceived functional value (r = 0,475), perceived emotional value (r = 0,675), perceived social value (r = 0,515), and perceived economic value (r = 0,576), demonstrating that all these reviewed attributes of crowdlending are important to business owners when deciding to implement it. In conclusion, it is emphasized that hardware-based SMEs should strengthen their financial management by leveraging crowdlending as a strategic financing alternative. The financial viability of crowdlending is driven by various factors that determine the success of their economic operations in a sustainable, efficient, and appropriate manner