Sharing Economy Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

L’avvento della sharing economy ha rivoluzionato molti servizi proponendo modalità che fuoriescono dagli schemi legislativi. Al centro del dibattito degli ultimi anni vi è il trasporto pubblico non di linea, il quale si trova a dover... more

L’avvento della sharing economy ha rivoluzionato molti servizi proponendo modalità che fuoriescono dagli schemi legislativi. Al centro del dibattito degli ultimi anni vi è il trasporto pubblico non di linea, il quale si trova a dover subire la concorrenza di Uber. Ma questo servizio innovativo è fortemente ostacolato da una legge ormai obsoleta che disciplina il trasporto non di linea e che descrive un regime di riserva statale che chiude il mercato ai soli tassisti. In questo lavoro si cercherà di evidenziare le carenze di tale regime al fine di individuare uno spiraglio per il servizio di mobilità prestato da Uber. Per questo si analizzerà il funzionamento della disciplina del trasporto non di linea, ci si interrogherà sulla necessità dell’apposizione della riserva in tale settore, si individueranno i problemi che l’apertura a Uber arreca alla collettività e si considererà una possibile risoluzione ai contrasti. L’analisi delle condizioni della riserva statale sanciti nella Costituzione e le risposte alle medesime problematiche provenienti da altri Stati, suggeriscono una possibile alternativa agli schemi fissi dell’ ordinamento italiano. Questo induce a riconsiderare i tradizionalismi della materia del trasporto pubblico non di linea e a svincolarsi dalla rigidità di schemi rigorosi

Digital Business Platforms (DBPs) such as eBay, Google, and Uber have seen enormous growth in recent years. What exactly are the salient characteristics of this new way of structuring a business? What is the role of marketing in helping... more

Digital Business Platforms (DBPs) such as eBay, Google, and Uber have seen enormous growth in recent years. What exactly are the salient characteristics of this new way of structuring a business? What is the role of marketing in helping DBPs succeed? What are the important research topics in this domain for theory and practice? We explore these topics in this paper.
We develop a new conceptual framework based on the insights from Transactions Cost Analysis (TCA) to outline the role and impact of marketing in DBPs. We argue that the primary role of marketing is to increase the number and quality of interactions that take place on a DBP, while also helping to reduce transaction costs for users and the production costs for the DPB. The interactions that are enabled by DBPs and the resulting data generated are the key enablers of value creation and value appropriation on these platforms. But DBPs also introduce several challenges for both value creation and value appropriation because they cater to the needs of many different types of users that are on the platform. As a result, DBPs need to carefully coordinate and manage the interactions between users on different sides of a platform. We also need to re-conceptualize some of the traditional roles of marketing in the context of DBPs, which we discuss in this paper.

This case examines the rise and fall of WeWork—a company that experienced one of the most dramatic changes of fortune in technology company history. For several years, WeWork was a Silicon Valley darling, growing at breakneck speed with... more

This case examines the rise and fall of WeWork—a company that experienced one of the most dramatic changes of fortune in technology company history. For several years, WeWork was a Silicon Valley darling, growing at breakneck speed with visionary Adam Neumann at the helm. By some estimates, Neumann’s company was worth USD 47 billion in January of 2019. But when the company filed paperwork in preparation for going public later that year, investors balked at the details revealed in the documents: billions of dollars in losses and lots of questionable behavior on the part of Neumann (including numerous conflicts of interest involving his personal business dealings). The initial public offering was postponed and later withdrawn; Neumann was forced to step down as CEO; and by May of 2020 the company’s valuation had dropped to USD 3 billion. Exploring this recent history will provide an opportunity to ask what lessons can be drawn from the rise and fall of WeWork, and from the economic and social context that enabled its growth.

It is nowadays a common place to say that the sharing economy is not really about sharing but about making profits and benefiting a few much more than others. A movement that takes the best of the technologies of sharing economy platforms... more

It is nowadays a common place to say that the sharing economy is not really about sharing but about making profits and benefiting a few much more than others. A movement that takes the best of the technologies of sharing economy platforms but orients it to benefiting all, platform cooperativism, is on the rise. Nonetheless, it is far from being popular and nothing indicates that it will. This paper investigates the reasons why dominant platforms remain dominant and proposes a policy that aims at curtailing their dominance, fostering platform cooperativism and maximizing the beneficial societal effects that can be derived from exploiting the data generated in platforms. The paper is structured as follows. Section 1 reviews current definitions of the sharing economy, points out their contributions and limitations and offers a novel and more accurate definition. Section 2 briefly introduces platform cooperativism to show why it can be a tool to fix many of the problems of the sharing economy. Section 3 explains and discusses market power mechanisms specific to the sharing economy that help dominant platforms to remain dominant. Some already existing and proposed solutions to counter these market power mechanisms such as reputation passports, a market for personal data and antitrust remedies are evaluated. Section 4 presents a general policy proposal based on making data a common in the sharing economy using reciprocity licenses. Section 5 offers some clarifications regarding the proposal and sketches some of its shortcomings and open questions that arise from it.

Purpose – This article examines peer-to-peer sharing platform business models, their sources of competitive advantage, and the roles, motivations, and behaviors of key actors in their ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach – This paper... more

Purpose – This article examines peer-to-peer sharing platform business models, their sources of competitive advantage, and the roles, motivations, and behaviors of key actors in their ecosystems.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a conceptual approach that is rooted in the service, tourism and hospitality, and strategy literature.
Findings – First, this paper defines key types of platform business models in the sharing economy and describes their characteristics. In particular, we propose the differentiation between sharing platforms of capacity-constrained versus capacity-unconstrained assets and advance five core properties of the former. Second, we contrast platform business models with their pipeline business model counterparts to understand the fundamental differences between them. One important conclusion is that platforms cater to vastly more heterogeneous assets and consumer needs, and therefore, require liquidity and analytics for high quality matching. Third, we examine the competitive position of platforms and conclude that their widely taken “winner takes it all” assumption is not valid. Primary network effects are less important once a critical level of liquidity has been reached and may even turn negative if increased listings raise friction in the form of search costs. Once a critical level of liquidity has been reached, a platform’s competitive position depends on stakeholder trust and service provider and user loyalty. Fourth, we integrate and synthesize the literature on key platform stakeholders of platform businesses (i.e. users, service providers, and regulators) and their roles and motivations. Finally, directions for further research are advanced.
Practical implications – This article helps platform owners, service providers, and users understand better the implications of sharing platform business models and how to position themselves in such ecosystems.
Originality/value – This article integrates the extant literature on sharing platforms, takes a novel approach in delineating their key properties and dimensions, and provides insights into the evolving and dynamic forms of sharing platforms including converging business models.

In der Geisteskultur des Mittelalters existierten vielfältige Vorstellungen einer Überlegenheit kollektiver über individuelle Konzepte des Gütergebrauchs und -besitzes, die Befürwortern von Kollektivökonomien und kommunistischen... more

In der Geisteskultur des Mittelalters existierten vielfältige Vorstellungen einer Überlegenheit kollektiver über individuelle Konzepte des Gütergebrauchs und -besitzes, die Befürwortern von Kollektivökonomien und kommunistischen Ordnungsmodellen in der Neuzeit immer wieder als positive Bezugspunkte dienten. Im folgenden Beitrag wird aus mediävistischer Perspektive geprüft, ob das mittelalterliche Ideengut tatsächlich in eine logische Verbindung zu Modellen moderner Share Economy gebracht werden kann. Hierzu werden zunächst die philosophischen, juridischen und religiösen Traditionslinien zusammengeführt, in deren Bahnen sich das Denken über Gütergemeinschaft im Mittelalter bewegte. Darauf aufbauend, rückt anschließend der englische Philosoph und Theologe John Wyclif in den Fokus. Ende des 14. Jahrhunderts entwickelte dieser eine differenzierte Lehre des dominium, in deren Rahmen er sich für eine Gütergemeinschaft der Gesamtkirche aussprach. Um die Kohärenz der Wyclif’schen Güterlehre sowie ihre Kompatibilität mit den Prinzipien von Share Economy ermessen zu können, wird sie gezielt mit den Regeln erfolgreichen Commonings nach E. Ostrom konfrontiert, aus denen eine Vielzahl gegenwärtiger Allmende-Konzepte ihr Regularium bezieht. Auf diese Weise werden substantielle Unterschiede, aber auch überraschende Gemeinsamkeiten zwischen mittelalterlichen und postmodernen Ideen des Commoning erkennbar.

Activities facilitated by on-demand platforms (such as Airbnb or Uber) produce varying levels of negative and positive externalities. In this Article I submit that the type and quantity of externalities produced are determined by the... more

Activities facilitated by on-demand platforms (such as Airbnb or Uber) produce varying levels of negative and positive externalities. In this Article I submit that the type and quantity of externalities produced are determined by the location of the activity along a spectrum of increased utilization. Transactions that make use of excess capacity produce the fewest negative externalities and produce more positive externalities. The more we move along the spectrum away from use of excess capacity and toward new capacity created for the platform use, the more negative externalities the activity produces. Thus, unique sets of rules should govern the categories that lie at each end of this spectrum: Excess capacity should be regulated differently than new capacity, with each set of regulations tailored to address the particular benefits and harms that stem from that kind of activity.

We need better concepts to talk about gig economy workers and other precarious workers who are subject to the arbitrary domination of powerful companies, but who do not fit neatly into twentieth century understandings of employment. We... more

We need better concepts to talk about gig economy workers and other precarious workers who are subject to the arbitrary domination of powerful companies, but who do not fit neatly into twentieth century understandings of employment. We suggest a new approach for characterizing this kind of work, which we call “labor without employment.” To update labor law for the twenty-first century, we need to decouple the rights and protections that it generates from the category of “employee.” ” Some forms of labor, even when not “employed” under a
traditional definition, are still deserving of protections against exploitation and discrimination and still require safe work conditions and the ability to bargain collectively over these terms.

Riflettere sulle comunità e sull'economia di collaborazione può consen-tire la condivisione di aspetti di conoscenza che, allo stato attuale, sono fondamentali per comprendere modelli di servizi che innovano il modo di gestire la catena... more

Riflettere sulle comunità e sull'economia di collaborazione può consen-tire la condivisione di aspetti di conoscenza che, allo stato attuale, sono fondamentali per comprendere modelli di servizi che innovano il modo di gestire la catena del valore, le relazioni tra gli individui e le loro esigenze. Dalla condivisione come un atto interno alle comunità, la fruizione di ser-vizi, prodotti e spazi assume un valore differente rispetto al concetto tradi-zionale. Il volume, riflettendo sull'importanza del ruolo delle comunità, dell'eco-nomia di condivisione, di nuove modalità di collaborazione, illustra l'anali-si di casi studio dove si evidenziano pratiche di innovazione sociale alternative ovvero piattaforme modellate, su iniziative orientate al mercato o per un utilizzo sociale di beni comuni. È una visione dinamica ed evoluti-va del tema, esplorando seppur sinteticamente prospettive d'indagine e percorsi nella riflessione geografica ed economica, che attestino la plura-lità delle interpretazioni dei territori e spazi che scaturiscono nella società odierna.

I kødet ligger de største tabuer i antropologien: man må ikke ligge med sit eget kød (incestforbud), og man må ikke spise sit eget kød (kannibalisme). Navnkundige tænkere i antropologien som Claude Lévi-Strauss og Marshall Sahlins anfører... more

I kødet ligger de største tabuer i antropologien: man må ikke ligge med sit eget kød (incestforbud), og man må ikke spise sit eget kød (kannibalisme). Navnkundige tænkere i antropologien som Claude Lévi-Strauss og Marshall Sahlins anfører i deres analyser om tabuer, at der er god grund til, at disse opstod. Det kræver markante tiltag, hvis det at kigge indad, at lade sig nære af det, man allerede har, og det, der skabes indenfor gruppen, skal brydes. Tabuer er i den forbindelse nogle af de stærkeste tiltag, vi har. Incest-og kannibalismetabuerne tilskynder til og nødvendiggør udveksling. Vi er ikke nok i os selv, synes disse universelle tabuer at hviske eller banke ind i os. Du skal vende blikket udad, du skal konfrontere og konfronteres af det, der ikke er dig. Det er det, denne artikel handler om: Med hadza, en gruppe jæger-samlere i Nordtanzania, som case, vil vi se på tabuer, deling af kød og det at møde sin "signifikante anden" for at dele sig selv. Vi lader ideen om incest ligge for nu, men holder fast i kannibalismen og i kødet. Artiklen vil handle om kød som jagtbytte, kød som spise, kød som genstand for deling (sharing), kød som relateret til tabuer og kød med sjæl. Og på en eller anden måde vil det handle om en gruppes aktive modværge mod kannibalisme, at kollektivet kan se sig selv i øjnene og en vedvarende kamp for samfundets fortsatte genskabelse.

Regarding efficiency, efficacy and incentive, free-sharing online (of recordings, live broadcasts , software and published works) outperforms market and property systems by reducing costs of production and distribution, increasing quality... more

Regarding efficiency, efficacy and incentive, free-sharing online (of recordings, live broadcasts , software and published works) outperforms market and property systems by reducing costs of production and distribution, increasing quality and access and better promoting creativity. Free-sharing online emerged within " global network capitalism " and non-capitalist networks. Free-sharing of purely informational content online challenges capitalism by eliminating scarcity. However, post-scarcity is limited by constraints on time and the capacity to filter digital plenitude. These limits create scope for alternative business models. Free-sharing online tempers capitalism's " tragedy of the anticommons ". However, to date, post-scarcity remains incomplete.

This study explored the implications of taxes on ride-hailing services in a developing economy setting and its effect on the activities of drivers who patronize such services. Using thematic analysis, the study analyzed interview... more

This study explored the implications of taxes on ride-hailing services in a developing economy setting and its effect on the activities of drivers who patronize such services. Using thematic analysis, the study analyzed interview responses from key participants in the ride-hailing services such as the drivers, service operators, and vehicle owners based on the sharing economy perspective. The results indicate that (1) in a broader sense the contribution of the ride-hailing service is characterized with some features such as savings in money and time, ease of stress for both drivers and passengers, and also ease of movement; (2) taxes are needful to ensure sustainable governance but these taxes ought to be equitably charged to all actors within the economy and (3) the Vehicle Income Tax is a cause of financial distress to Uber drivers due to its increasing nature. More importantly, the tax has the potential of eroding profits which makes drivers worse off. This new but genre system o...

The emergence of sharing mobility is having a profound impact on urban landscapes. In fact, it is deeply affecting the traditional organization of local services by calling into question how urban transportation is planned, and by... more

The emergence of sharing mobility is having a profound impact on urban landscapes. In fact, it is deeply affecting the traditional organization of local services by calling into question how urban transportation is planned, and by redesigning city spaces. Further, by connecting people to shared assets, services or both, sharing mobility is poised to facilitate the more efficient use of underutilized resources, becoming a powerful tool for economic growth and social inclusion, while also contributing to sustainability.
That being said, the economic, social and spatial impacts of sharing mobility have not been sufficiently investigated, and so far, the evidence is mixed. From a normative standpoint, while it is relevant to better understand the relations between sharing mobility, the city and the environment, it is also of crucial importance to define new policies and sound rules for sharing mobility in urban areas. Against this backdrop, this book adopts a multidisciplinary perspective to explore the role that sharing mobility can play in the creation of more just and sustainable cities.

The traditional marketplaces of doing business are being progressively replaced by more innovative, dynamics and Intuitive platform. This convergence and progression is fuelled by information technology namely the Internet. At the center... more

The traditional marketplaces of doing business are being progressively replaced by more innovative, dynamics and Intuitive platform. This convergence and progression is fuelled by information technology namely the Internet. At the center of sharing economy is the platform, usually develop and managed by a third party. This platform bring together the excess resources owned by the owner, matching it with the demand seeks by the seeker. In this platform, goods and services are offered, transaction is conducted, sometimes finalized at the moment spur, while others may legibly finalized during transfer of ownership of goods and services. During this time, constant communication both by the seekers as well as the owner are changing extensively to ensure that the transaction is successful.

Bike-sharing is widely recognized as an eco-friendly mode of transportation and seen as one of the solutions to the problem of air pollution and congestion. As there is little research exploring the performance of bicycle-sharing systems... more

Bike-sharing is widely recognized as an eco-friendly mode of transportation and seen as one of the solutions to the problem of air pollution and congestion. As there is little research exploring the performance of bicycle-sharing systems (BSS), many municipal authorities invest in their development without knowledge of their effectiveness. Therefore, the aim of this article is to identify factors that correlate with BSS performance. Data related to BSS and urban characteristics were collected for the 56 cities in Poland, which is the population of BSS systems in this country. The Ordinary Least Square regression model was used to estimate the model. Additionally, to support our findings, a survey of 3631 cyclists was conducted. Our main findings show that BSS performance was positively related to cities’ population, tourism, number of bike stations per capita, congestion, bicycle pathways’ length and higher temperature, and negatively related to precipitation. We have also found tha...

New, shared mobility modes, including dockless e-scooters and e-bikes, were recently introduced to many cities around the world. The aim of this article is to determine the differences between the users of e-bike sharing, and e-scooter... more

New, shared mobility modes, including dockless e-scooters and e-bikes, were recently introduced to many cities around the world. The aim of this article is to determine the differences between the users of e-bike sharing, and e-scooter sharing systems, and the characteristics of their travel behaviour. This study is based on the survey of the citizens of Tricity in northern Poland. We find that e-bicycles are predominantly used as first and last mile transport and to commute directly to various places of interest, whereas e-scooters are more often used for leisure rides. Survey respondents that adopted shared micromobility are generally young, and e-scooter users are on average younger than e-bike users. Although all shared vehicles in Tricity are electrically assisted, this did not allow for the elimination of the gender gap, or help retired and disabled people in the adoption of shared micromobility services. We have also identified factors discouraging people from the usage of e-bike and e-scooter sharing and found them to be different for both types of services. Finally, we investigated the issue of using shared e-bikes for urban logistics.

Dieser Beitrag beleuchtet die heute mehrheitlich urban umgesetzte Idee der Mobility Hubs und zeigt Wege der Übertragbarkeit auf kleine Städte bzw. ländlich geprägte Gebiete in Deutschland. Er beschreibt die zugehörigen Herausforderungen... more

Dieser Beitrag beleuchtet die heute mehrheitlich urban umgesetzte Idee der Mobility Hubs und zeigt Wege der Übertragbarkeit auf kleine Städte bzw. ländlich geprägte Gebiete in Deutschland. Er beschreibt die zugehörigen Herausforderungen in der Mobilitätsentwicklung und skizziert methodische Ansätze zur kooperativen Planung von Mobility Hubs.

: Sharing economy has been widely described by scholars as diverse phases towards sustainable development concerning its concept, functions, and goals in recent studies. Historically, the concept of "new capitalism" has been aroused the... more

: Sharing economy has been widely described by scholars as diverse phases towards sustainable development
concerning its concept, functions, and goals in recent studies. Historically, the concept of "new capitalism" has been
aroused the widespread concerns by scholars when defining the concept of sharing behavior of idle resources back to
the year 1961. Moreover, scholars considered further the theoretical perspectives of sharing economy from the year
1978 to 2005. And many scholars started conducting the empirical analysis with the impact of sharing economy on
specific industries such as tourism, hotel, mobility and financing sectors by the year 2010. However, there were still only
a few scholars studied the field of sustainable development of sharing economy particularly in the mobility sectors and
potential implication addressed the implementation of governing policies regarding case of the Chinese government.
This article is first to review the previous studies on overall development of sharing economy in current situation,
conceptualizing and providing the new sustainable model of sharing economy (particularly in sharing Mobility), led to
further address the sharing economy in which regarded such an innovative paradigm towards sustainable development
concerning with reviews and empirical studies conducted by previous scholars. Significantly, this study provided
significant references to the stakeholders (operators), consumers (users), and administering (Chinese government) the
sharing platform such potential issue, bringing the government concerned. Theoretically, it also provides such a new
research direction with the sustainable model of sharing economy and potential regulating issues for the future research

Every year seems to bring about new technologies that radically change the way we do things. New innovative business models come to life, that change the way the world works so much that a shift of mindset is required if we are to keep... more

Every year seems to bring about new technologies that radically change the way we do things. New innovative business models come to life, that change the way the world works so much that a shift of mindset is required if we are to keep up. These days, the largest transport company in the world owns no cars, the largest accommodation provider owns no real estate, the largest retailer by value has no inventory of its own, and the most popular media owner creates no content. But what about the role of regulation in this brave new world? We take a look at the rivals, taxi companies and private hire transport companies (in particular Uber), to assess the need for regulation and the impact of regulation on these two contenders. Our research examines the effects of said regulation on service quality and safety, correlated with consumer opinion data. The impact of non-regulatory incentives on the two seemingly-opposed business models is discussed, thus making the logical case for increased deregulation of both taxis and private hire companies. Opening the way to innovative companies and innovative new business models, allowing them to change the world is our gateway to growth, prosperity and sustainability.

RESUMO: Objetivou-se avaliar a entrada da Uber no Brasil, propondo o desenho de política pública que promova a concorrência. Especificamente, o estudo identificou a ocorrência de cenário que pode (e provavelmente irá) mudar no futuro: a... more

RESUMO: Objetivou-se avaliar a entrada da Uber no Brasil, propondo o desenho de política pública que promova a concorrência. Especificamente, o estudo identificou a ocorrência de cenário que pode (e provavelmente irá) mudar no futuro: a Uber é suscetível a aumentar consistentemente a sua participação no mercado e pode manter-se em uma posição dominante – o que altera a avaliação do tema em análise. Portanto, recomenda-se estudo regular do mercado e suas mudanças. Por fim, reforçou-se a adoção de mecanismo de política pública que se estabeleça como marco regulatório promotor da concorrência por meio da alteração da Política Nacional de Mobilidade Urbana, conforme proposto por Ceroy e Mendes (2015). A economia compartilhada está crescendo rapidamente e criando novas oportunidades em todo o mundo. Como todas as grandes rupturas, está colocando pressão sobre os modelos de negócios existentes e sobre os marcos regulatórios. Os participantes têm a oportunidade de desempenhar um papel no desenvolvimento de soluções de longo prazo que incentivem a inovação e, ao mesmo tempo, protejam os consumidores e a sociedade de possíveis danos não imaginados em uma análise simplória de curto prazo. ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to evaluate Uber's entry into Brazil, proposing a design of a public policy that promotes competition. Specifically the study identified the occurrence of a scenario that may (and probably will) change in the future: Uber is likely to consistently increase its market share and may hold a dominant position-which changes the assessment of the subject under review. Therefore, a regular study of the market and its changes is recommended. Finally, it was reinforced the adoption of a public policy mechanism that establishes itself as a regulatory framework that promotes competition through the National Policy on Urban Mobility as proposed by Ceroy e Mendes (2015). The shared economy is growing rapidly and creating new opportunities around the world. Like all major disruptions, it is putting pressure on existing business models and regulatory milestones. Participants have the opportunity to play a role in developing long-term solutions that

This work constitutes a theoretically-informed empirical analysis of the spatial characteristics of the short-term rentals’ market and explores their linkage with shifts in the wider housing market within the context of a south-eastern EU... more

This work constitutes a theoretically-informed empirical analysis of the spatial characteristics of the short-term rentals’ market and explores their linkage with shifts in the wider housing market within the context of a south-eastern EU metropolis. The same research objective has been pursued for a variety of international paradigms; however, to the best of our knowledge, there has not been a thorough and systematic study for Athens and its neighborhoods. With a theoretical framework that draws insight from the political-economic views of Critical Geography, this work departs from an assessment of Airbnb listings, and proceeds inquiring the expansion of the phenomenon with respect to the rates of long-term rent levels in the neighborhoods of Central Athens, utilizing relevant data. The geographical framework covers the City of Athens as a whole, an area undergoing profound transformations in recent years, stemming from diverse factors that render the city one of the most dynamic destinations of urban tourism and speculative land investment. The analysis reveals a prominent expansion of the short-term rental phenomenon across the urban fabric, especially taking ground in hitherto underexploited areas. This expansion is multifactorial, asynchronous and exhibits signs of positive relation with the long-term rentals shifts; Airbnb not only affects already gentrifying neighborhoods, but contributes to a housing market disruption in non-dynamic residential areas.

Alors que l'économie collaborative gagne de plus en plus de terrain, le concept même d’économie collaborative reste très flou. Dans ce papier on caractérisera avec précision l’économie collaborative pour montrer les liens étroits qu’elle... more

Although still embryonic, collaborative consumption and the sharing economy have become social and economic phenomena in just a few short years, yet there is little consensus on how to define them. The current classificatory schema or... more

Although still embryonic, collaborative consumption and the sharing economy have become social and economic phenomena in just a few short years, yet there is little consensus on how to define them. The current classificatory schema or typologies of platforms have some weaknesses. Sectoral classifications, technological functionality, and discursive modes of understanding sharing and collaborative economies all provide valuable insights, but when taken individually important gaps are evident, not least in their inter-system isolation, but most particularly when technology, such as platform architecture and user interfaces, is disassociated from wider social and economic conditions of possibility. In order to build on previous research we set out to develop a more complex understanding of collaborative consumption by studying platform architecture, interface, design and informational content to examine how technological affordances of digital platforms’ structure social interaction. In order to carry out the research we designed a netnographic protocol that systematised data collection across four dimensions of platforms’ technological structure and informational content: functionality and usability; trust and virtual reputation; codes of conduct and community footprint. Data was collected on fifty-five platforms, including forty-seven across Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain, as well as eight international platforms. Following factor and cluster analysis, and on the basis of the theoretical understandings of the sharing and collaborative economy, we developed a typology that grouped platforms into three groups: network, transaction and community oriented.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the importance of proposed determinants of the growing consumer preference for renting consumer goods, as opposed to the actual transfer of ownership.... more

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the importance of proposed determinants of the growing consumer preference for renting consumer goods, as opposed to the
actual transfer of ownership.
Design/methodology/approach – Following a qualitative preliminary study and a literature review, six factors are identified as possible determinants of a preference for non-ownership modes of consumption. These are examined in a quantitative study using a sample of 461 members of a German online peer-to-peer sharing network. Hypotheses regarding the proposed determinants are tested using factor analysis and structural equation modelling.
Findings – The results show that the demand for non-ownership services is negatively influenced by “possession importance” (the importance that a consumer attaches to full ownership) and positively influenced by “trend orientation” and “convenience orientation”. The other proposed determinants – “experience orientation”, “price consciousness”, and “environmentalism” do not appear to influence a preference for non-ownership modes of consumption.
Practical implications – Although the renting of goods is an increasingly popular form of consumption, consumers still value ownership. Suppliers should therefore consider offering a mixture
of “ownership” and “non-ownership” modes of consumption to their customers.
Originality/value – This study complements existing research in this area, which has largely been conceptual in nature, by undertaking an empirical evaluation of the importance of several proposed determinants for non-ownership preference.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how rating mechanisms encourage emotional labor norms among sharing economy consumers. Design/methodology/approach This study follows a mixed-methods research design. Survey data from 207... more

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how rating mechanisms encourage emotional labor norms among sharing economy consumers. Design/methodology/approach This study follows a mixed-methods research design. Survey data from 207 consumers were used to quantify the impact of three distinct rating dimensions on a consumer behavioral outcome (emotional labor). In the second step, 18 focus groups with 94 participants were used to investigate the conditioning functions of ratings in more depth. Findings Rating mechanisms condition consumers toward performing socially desirable behaviors during sharing transactions. While consumers accept the necessity of bilateral rating mechanisms, they also recognize their coercive nature. Furthermore, the presence of bilateral rating mechanisms leads to negative outcomes such as annoyance and frustration. Originality/value This study contributes to sharing economy literature by examining bilateral rating mechanisms as a means of behavioral cond...

La Commissione EU (con comunicazione del 02/06/2016, «Un'agenda europea per l'economia collaborativa») individua nella promozione e sviluppo della c.d. sharing economy un'importante opportunità ai fini del rilancio del contesto... more

La Commissione EU (con comunicazione del 02/06/2016, «Un'agenda europea per l'economia collaborativa») individua nella promozione e sviluppo della c.d. sharing economy un'importante opportunità ai fini del rilancio del contesto economico-sociale europeo. L'economia collaborativa offre nuove opportunità occupazionali e reddituali, l'ampliamento (e la riduzione del prezzo) dell'offerta di servizi a disposizione del consumatore, un uso più efficiente e sostenibile delle risorse attraverso una migliore allocazione delle stesse.

In recent years, the term "collaborative consumption" has been coined to describe a set of consumption practices based on the " direct " exchange of goods and services between consumers (Botsman & Rogers, 2010). The intermediation is... more

In recent years, the term "collaborative consumption" has been coined to describe a set of consumption practices based on the " direct " exchange of goods and services between consumers (Botsman & Rogers, 2010). The intermediation is performed through digital platforms, which provide various matching tools to the non-professional suppliers and demanders. Such exchanges between private individual have been developing for a long time in the case of secondhand goods, through platforms like eBay and Craiglist. More recently, they came to involve crafted goods (Etsy) and a growing range of services: Hosting (Airbnb), transportation (BlablaCar, Drivy, Lyft), equipment rentals (Zilok), domestic work (TaskRabbit), etc. Though scholars may differ about the scope and the denomination of this movement (some put the emphasis on " sharing " – Sundararajan, 2016), all agree about the emergence of a specific consumption sphere, characterized by exchanges between individuals mediated through digital platforms. Beyond the economic success of these companies 1 , the growth of collaborative consumption is associated, at least according to its promoters, with a number of promises about the nature and the meaning of the exchanges made on these platforms. A first argument emphasizes a better use of objects and properties, a more reasonable consumption, which has positive environmental impacts (Peugeot et al., 2015). A second promise focuses on the relations between the partners of the exchange: peer-to-peer exchanges are potentially more authentic, more rewarding, carrying a warmer sociability than ordinary market relationships. Platforms managers often refer to a " friendly economy " , made of nice conversations, interesting encounters, mutual aid and warm relationships (Botsman and Rogers, 20010; Gansky, 2010). On the contrary, for more critical observers, collaborative consumption extends the scope of the icy waters of egotistical calculation. By turning private individuals into small commercial entities – and taking a commission on the exchanges, collaborative consumption platforms entice and exploit a labor performed out of the production sphere (Sholz, 2013). In this paper, we focus on the merchant social links built by through these digital platforms. Collaborative consumption appears as an opportunity to ask anew the question of the social thickness of market exchanges, whose description is an important issue for economic sociology. For thirty years indeed, the New Economic Sociology (NSE) has tried t to embed economic ties in social life, against the under-socialized fiction of the neoclassical homo economicus. Whether through social network analysis, the examination of values and culture surrounding economic life, and the study of the institutions that shape economic actions, the NSE has fruitfully renewed the 1 The growth of the consumption sphere can be observed in the uses as well as in the turnover of the companies that organize the exchanges. BlablaCar, a carpooling service initiated in 2004, gathers 1 millions users in 14 countries; AirBnB offers one million housing solutions in 190 countries, and the company market value is estimated around 25 billion dollars.

Over the last decade, the phenomenon called collaborative economy or sharing economy gained significant dimensions and crossed many sectors of economic and social life, creating new business models. Despite the growing interest, there is... more

Over the last decade, the phenomenon called collaborative economy or sharing economy gained significant dimensions and crossed many sectors of economic and social life, creating new business models. Despite the growing interest, there is no single concept for its definition, manifestations, impacts and business models, while at the same time, digital platforms have allowed its sophisticated development. The seen emergence of sharing economy in Bulgaria brings out the need to study the phenomenon at the national level, its context, development, stakeholders. The aim of this chapter is to shed light on the main manifestations and regulatory issues of the sharing economy in Bulgaria and to discuss its stage of development critically. The first part starts with a review of definition aspects and academic conceptualisation of the sharing economy and key issues. In the second part, aspects of the context and manifestations in the development of the phenomenon are discussed. Then, looking at several national examples of market players, an attempt is made to present the sectoral scope of the sharing economy and its development and to highlight the active stakeholders in the market. The study concludes with a discussion on the policies to be developed at the national level and future research to be carried out in order to catch the potential opportunities and overcome potential barriers.

The lean platform business model, an algorithmic intensification of the sharing economy, has been praised for instigating a new era of trust. It's a tantalizing claim—if it is true. But what is 'trust' in this transactional context? The... more

The lean platform business model, an algorithmic intensification of the sharing economy, has been praised for instigating a new era of trust. It's a tantalizing claim—if it is true. But what is 'trust' in this transactional context? The answer is surprisingly complex, as meanings slip from enduring psychosocial entanglement to momentary computational calculation. Given that we constitute ourselves through social interaction and trust is fundamental to those interactions, how we understand trust in turn shapes our subjective potential for political, social and creative action.

La parola crowdfunding è entrata nell’uso con tutto il vocabolario della sharing economy: un ripensamento strutturale dei rapporti tra economia e società imperniato sui concetti di collaborazione e condivisione. Analizzare l’innovativa... more

La parola crowdfunding è entrata nell’uso con tutto il vocabolario della sharing economy: un ripensamento strutturale dei rapporti tra economia e società imperniato sui concetti di collaborazione e condivisione. Analizzare l’innovativa modalità di raccolta fondi che si muove tra la folla e lo spazio della rete significa aprire una finestra sull’Italia che investe per uscire dalla crisi. Con un approccio sistematico e attento alla prospettiva globale, il volume disegna un quadro completo del fenomeno e di tutti gli ingredienti che entrano gioco abilitati dalle tecnologie della rete. I differenti modelli di crowdfunding e le norme che li regolano, le specificità delle piattaforme, la costruzione della proposta e del modello di business, la strategia digitale e il piano di marketing, la misurazione dei risultati e le relazioni con i sostenitori: ogni aspetto è spiegato, dal concepimento dell’idea alla chiusura della campagna. Oltre 50 case history si intrecciano alla trattazione, con consigli da seguire e richiami agli errori da evitare. I contenuti digitali integrativi ospitano approfondimenti, testimonianze dirette, documenti, suggerimenti operativi, link e infografiche di sintesi.

In dit preadvies wordt uitgelegd wat de platformeconomie is en hoe het begrip 'platformeconomie' zich onderscheidt van vergelijkbare begrippen, zoals de deeleconomie. Vervolgens wordt een uitgebreide analyse gemaakt van de impact van... more

In dit preadvies wordt uitgelegd wat de platformeconomie is en hoe het begrip 'platformeconomie' zich onderscheidt van vergelijkbare begrippen, zoals de deeleconomie. Vervolgens wordt een uitgebreide analyse gemaakt van de impact van digitale platformen op grondrechten zoals privacyrechten, vrijheidsrechten, gelijkheidsrechten en procedurele rechten. Daarbij komen zowel positieve consequenties als risico's aan bod.

The article gives us an insight into the key issues of car sharing and its impact on urban sustainability. A selection of 314 articles published in peer-reviewed journals from the Scopus database were analysed using Leximancer 5.0 for... more

The article gives us an insight into the key issues of car sharing and its impact on urban sustainability. A selection of 314 articles published in peer-reviewed journals from the Scopus database were analysed using Leximancer 5.0 for Automated Content analysis. A total of seven themes were identified explaining the researched topic of the car sharing situation in Europe, which are sharing, economy, model, systems, electrical car sharing, policy and travel. There are two ways of sharing owned cars in Europe; access to cars from the fleet of private organisations and P2P car sharing. Sustainable environmental solutions in the context of the electrification of cars are used. Car sharing usually takes place online and can be free or for a fee as defined by The European Economic and Social Committee. The article provides an overview of understanding the concept of urban car sharing in Europe.

Airbnb is the most outstanding example of P2P platform in the accommodation industry. The studies on this phenomenon have focused on its impact on the hotel industry; leaving aside the effect it produces on tourism intermediation,... more

Airbnb is the most outstanding example of P2P platform in the accommodation industry. The studies on this phenomenon have focused on its impact on the hotel industry; leaving aside the effect it produces on tourism intermediation, specifically travel agencies. This paper analyzes this impact in a sector that perceives how Airbnb's disruptive innovation displaces it from the traditional vacation apartment rental business and threatens to do so with activities. The discussion is about whether the travel agency industry has the need and even if it would be willing to work in a coopetitive 1 system, similar to the one that has occurred recently with the implementation of Civitatis or Booking in the sales processes of travel agencies. It is concluded that the travel agency prioritizes strengthening its repositioning in this product, allying itself with the main market player despite the probable reduction in margins.

Chapter from 'The Rise of the Sharing Economy: Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities of Collaborative Consumption'

The rise of digital platforms such as Uber and Airbnb has sparked a controversy about how to fit the new business models into existing legal categories and whether there is a need to adapt the regulatory framework to the new platform... more

The rise of digital platforms such as Uber and Airbnb has sparked a controversy about how to fit the new business models into existing legal categories and whether there is a need to adapt the regulatory framework to the new platform economy. In December 2017, in a much publicised judg- ment, the CJEU held that Uber is not a just a digital intermediary providing ‘information society services’, but a transport service provider. Consequently, according to the CJEU, Uber does not benefit from the ‘internal market clause in Article 3(2) of Directive 2000/31/EC, which precludes Member States from restricting the freedom to provide cross-border information society services. While Uber has discontinued its services in several EU Member States, the focus of the regulatory battle is now shifting towards short-term rental platforms. Thus, on 16 July 2018, the European Commission and a phalanx of national consumer authorities have called on Airbnb to comply with EU consumer law rules. At the same time, Member States are tightening their regulatory grip on short-term rentals. Now, the first request for a preliminary ruling concerning Airbnb has reached the CJEU. The brief case note provides some very first reflections on the pending case.