An article in the Harvard Business Review highlighted a phenomenon that gives something an individual had a hand in creating more value than the identical or better something not created by our own hand. Dubbed the Ikea Effect, because of that company's model requiring most of its products to be assembled by the consumer, it is an argument for the value of engagement strategies, which seek to develop campaigns, products and services from the input of the people likely to use and promote them.

Nonprofits and advocacy organizations are still struggling with how to open their work to their constituents and supporters, and will continue to as long as professional staff are paid for creating and implementing campaigns, rather than engaging communities.