Showing papers on "Sharing economy published in 2017"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the economic impact of the sharing economy on incumbent firms by studying the case of Airbnb, a prominent platform for short-term accommodations, and quantify its impact on the Texas hotel industry over the subsequent decade.
Abstract: Peer-to-peer markets, collectively known as the sharing economy, have emerged as alternative suppliers of goods and services traditionally provided by long-established industries. The authors explore the economic impact of the sharing economy on incumbent firms by studying the case of Airbnb, a prominent platform for short-term accommodations. They analyze Airbnb’s entry into the state of Texas and quantify its impact on the Texas hotel industry over the subsequent decade. In Austin, where Airbnb supply is highest, the causal impact on hotel revenue is in the 8%–10% range; moreover, the impact is nonuniform, with lower-priced hotels and hotels that do not cater to business travelers being the most affected. The impact manifests itself primarily through less aggressive hotel room pricing, benefiting all consumers, not just participants in the sharing economy. The price response is especially pronounced during periods of peak demand, such as during the South by Southwest festival, and is due to a di...
1,204 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors develop a conceptual framework that allows us to define the sharing economy and its close-cousins and understand its sudden rise from an economic-historic perspective.
Abstract: We develop a conceptual framework that allows us to define the sharing economy and its close cousins and we understand its sudden rise from an economic-historic perspective. We then assess the sharing economy platforms in terms of the economic, social and environmental impacts. We end with reflections on current regulations and future alternatives, and suggest a number of future research questions.
761 citations
01 Oct 2017
TL;DR: In this article, the authors place "the platform" as a distinct mode of socio-technical intermediary and business arrangement that is incorporated into wider processes of capitalization, and propose a new form of digital economic circulation, where ideas, knowledge, labour and use rights for otherwise idle assets move between geographically distributed but connected and interactive online communities.
Abstract: A new form of digital economic circulation has emerged, wherein ideas, knowledge, labour and use rights for otherwise idle assets move between geographically distributed but connected and interactive online communities. Such circulation is apparent across a number of digital economic ecologies, including social media, online marketplaces, crowdsourcing, crowdfunding and other manifestations of the so-called ‘sharing economy’. Prevailing accounts deploy concepts such as ‘co-production’, ‘prosumption’ and ‘peer-to-peer’ to explain digital economic circulation as networked exchange relations characterised by their disintermediated, collaborative and democratizing qualities. Building from the neologism of platform capitalism, we place ‘the platform’ – understood as a distinct mode of socio-technical intermediary and business arrangement that is incorporated into wider processes of capitalization – at the centre of the critical analysis of digital economic circulation. To create multi-sided markets and coordinate network effects, platforms enrol users through a participatory economic culture and mobilize code and data analytics to compose immanent infrastructures. Platform intermediation is also nested in the ex-post construction of a replicable business model. Prioritizing rapid up-scaling and extracting revenues from circulations and associated data trails, the model performs the structure of venture capital investment which capitalizes on the potential of platforms to realize monopoly rents.
507 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors take stock of the ambivalent and contested nature of the sharing economy and highlight the paradoxical nature of sharing economy, and make a case for balanced initiatives that combine the promises of each core while mitigating contradictions.
468 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the relative importance of economic, social, social and environmental motivations to participate in peer-to-peer sharing and find that users seem more economically motivated than providers of goods.
Abstract: The sharing economy is a fast-growing and heavily debated phenomenon. This study provides an overview of motivations of people willing to participate in different forms of the sharing economy. A survey was held amongst 1330 respondents from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Using stated preference data, we investigate the relative importance of (1) economic, (2) social and (3) environmental motivations to participate in peer-to-peer sharing. Hereby we consider differences between (a) sectors of the sharing economy, (b) socio-demographic groups, and (c) users and providers. Results are descriptive as well as based on ordered logit models. Notable differences are observed in the motivations for sharing between sectors. To a lesser extent there is variety in sharing drivers between socio-demographic groups. Finally, users seem more economically motivated than providers of goods.
442 citations
TL;DR: Analysis of bivariate spatial autocorrelation reveals a close spatial relationship between Airbnb and hotels, with a marked centre-periphery pattern, although Airbnb predominates around the city's main hotel axis and hotels predominate in some peripheral areas of the city.
438 citations
TL;DR: The authors found that applicants with distinctively African American names are 16 percent less likely to be accepted relative to identical hosts with identical names. But they did not find that African Americans with different names were more likely to report negative experiences with the service.
Abstract: In an experiment on Airbnb, we find that applications from guests with distinctively African American names are 16 percent less likely to be accepted relative to identical guests with dist...
420 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify the price determinants of sharing economy based accommodation offers in the digital marketplace using ordinary least squares and quantile regression analysis, and explore the intricacies of the relationships between pricing and its determinants.
381 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate the extent to which Airbnb is used as a hotel substitute and examine how Airbnb guests expect their accommodations to perform relative to hotels, and find that nearly two-thirds of the tourists who use Airbnb use it as their hotel substitute.
365 citations
TL;DR: Six clearly distinguishable types of marketplace business models are revealed and it is shown that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating, delivering, and capturing value with marketplaces and platforms in general.
322 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a systematic review of the literature with empirical research comprised of six interviews with specialists in sustainability, business model innovation, and the fashion industry, along with eight case studies on innovative fashion startups we define as ‘born sustainable.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors leverage a rigorous comparative method, fs/QCA, to assess the business models of 36 firms in the sharing economy and reveal a typology comprising five ideal types that collectively account for the constellation of possible, empirically-relevant business models across the Sharing economy.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the short-term effects of the growth of home sharing in Boston neighborhoods on the rental market and found that a one standard deviation increase in Airbnb listings is associated with an increase in asking rents of 0.4%.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors performed a systematic literature review to understand how the trust of users in the sharing economy is influenced, and 45 articles were included in a qualitative synthesis in which the results were grouped according to a well established trust typology.
Abstract: Users and potential users of the sharing economy need to place a considerable amount of trust in both the person and the platform with which they are dealing. The consequences of transaction partners’ opportunism may be severe, for example damage to goods or endangered personal safety. Trust is, therefore, a key factor in overcoming uncertainty and mitigating risk. However, there is no thorough overview of how trust is developed in this context. To understand how the trust of users in the sharing economy is influenced, we performed a systematic literature review. After screening, 45 articles were included in a qualitative synthesis in which the results were grouped according to a well-established trust typology. The results show various antecedents of trust in the sharing economy (e.g. reputation, trust in the platform, and interaction experience) related to multiple entities (i.e. seller, buyer, platform, interpersonal, and transaction). Trust in this economy is often reduced to the use of reputation systems alone. However, our study suggests that trust is much more complex than that and extends beyond reputation. Furthermore, our review clearly shows that research on trust in the sharing economy is still scarce and thus more research is needed to understand how trust is established in this context. Our review is the first that brings together antecedents of trust in online peer-to-peer transactions and integrates these findings within an existing framework. Additionally, the study suggests directions for future research in order to advance the understanding of trust in the sharing economy.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the potential of blockchain technology in enabling a new system of value that will better support the dynamics of social sharing and identify new modalities of value creation that better reflect the social relations of sharing.
TL;DR: This article explored the relationship between perceived authenticity of the local experience and its significance when purchasing accommodation and found that three themes of unique accommodation interiors and atmosphere, interactions with hosts, and interactions with local culture were important to Airbnb users.
Abstract: Travellers are demanding authentic, experientially-oriented opportunities with more meaningful interactions with locals. The sharing economy has emerged partly as a response to these consumer trends with major potential impacts for tourism. This research investigated the phenomenon of authenticity-seeking tourism and its links to the hospitality sector through consumer choices related to accommodation offered by sharing economy providers. It explored the relationship between perceived authenticity of the “local” experience and its significance when purchasing accommodation. The three themes of unique accommodation interiors and atmosphere, interactions with hosts, and interactions with local culture were found to be important to Airbnb users.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors demonstrate that the dimensions of serendipity, localness, communitas and personalization represent valuable additions to Pine and Gilmore's original experience economy construct.
Abstract: Purpose
Accommodations providers in the sharing economy are increasingly competing with the hotel industry vis-a-vis the guest experience. Additionally, experience-related research remains underrepresented in the hospitality and tourism literature. This paper aims to develop and test a model of experiential consumption to provide a better understanding of an emerging phenomenon in the hospitality industry. In so doing, the authors also expand Pine and Gilmore’s original experience economy construct.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from a survey of 630 customers who stayed at a hotel or an Airbnb in the previous three months, the authors performed a multi-step analysis procedure centered on structural equation modeling to validate the model.
Findings
The authors demonstrate that the dimensions of serendipity, localness, communitas and personalization represent valuable additions to Pine and Gilmore’s original experience economy construct. Airbnb appears to outperform the hotel industry in the provision of all experience dimensions. The authors further define the pathways that underlie the creation of extraordinary, memorable experiences, which subsequently elicit favorable behavioral intentions.
Practical implications
The findings suggest the need for the hotel industry to adopt a content marketing paradigm that leverages various dimensions of the experience economy to provide customers with valuable and relevant experiences. The industry must also pay greater attention to its use of branding, signage and promotional messaging to encourage customers to interpret their experiences through the lens of these dimensions.
Originality/value
The study expands a seminal construct from the field of services marketing in the context of the accommodations industry. The Accommodations Experiencescape is offered as a tool for strategic experience design. The study also offers a model of experiential consumption that explains customers’ experiences with accommodations providers.
TL;DR: In this paper, an integrative model that synthesizes the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Prospect Theory (PT) and other Airbnb-relevant constructs (unique experience expectation, familiarity and electronic word of mouth) was proposed and tested to examine the psychological factors that motivate travelers to consider reusing Airbnb.
Abstract: Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the psychological factors that motivate travelers to consider reusing Airbnb.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes and tests an integrative model that synthesizes the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Prospect Theory (PT) and other Airbnb-relevant constructs (unique experience expectation, familiarity and electronic word of mouth) as the primary determinants of the Airbnb repurchase intention using an structural equation model (SEM) approach.
Findings
Both attitude and subject norms are significant determinants of repurchase intention, whereas perceived behavioral control is not. In addition, perceived value and risk have only direct significant impacts on attitude and, in turn, indirectly affect repurchase intention. Unique experience expectation, familiarity and electronic word of mouth exert direct and indirect influences on repurchase intention.
Research limitations/implications
This study extends the body of knowledge by integrating TPB and PT to investigate consumer repurchase intention in Airbnb, which provides a theoretical baseline and serves as a starting point for exploring the structural relationships of Airbnb and the sharing economy.
Practical implications
Airbnb should place more emphasis on value packages and authentic/unique travel experience to retain and attract more travelers. More safety/security programs should be put in place and clearly communicated to reduce the perceived risks. In addition, Airbnb may publicize positive word of mouth and introduce and expand familiarity programs to incentivize Airbnb travelers.
Originality/value
This study explores the psychological reasons why travelers will re-patronize Airbnb, providing insights into the motives of Airbnb travelers. A clear understanding of Airbnb travelers’ repurchase intention will facilitate to develop effective strategies for Airbnb to induce positive repurchase behaviors.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors introduce two perspectives in research on organizational institutionalism that focus on culture and pluralism, and argue that unpacking the pluralism of organizational forms and practices is critical to examine the dynamics of the sharing economy.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focused mainly on the gamification design developed by Airbnb that awards a “Superhost” badge to hosts who receive good reviews and observed how this can impact an accommodation's review volume and ratings.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on three areas of research in the for-profit segment, also called the platform economy: social connection, conditions for laborers, and inequalities, and find that some parts of the platform market do foster social connection and that even shared hospitality is becoming more like conventional exchange.
Abstract: For social analysts, what has come to be called the “sharing economy” raises important questions. After a discussion of history and definitions, we focus on 3 areas of research in the for-profit segment, also called the platform economy: social connection, conditions for laborers, and inequalities. Although we find that some parts of the platform economy, particularly Airbnb, do foster social connection, there are also ways in which even shared hospitality is becoming more like conventional exchange. With respect to labor conditions, we find they vary across platforms and the degree to which workers are dependent on the platform to meet their basic needs. On inequality, there is mounting evidence that platforms are facilitating person-to-person discrimination by race. In addition, platforms are advantaging those who already have human capital or physical assets, in contrast to claims that they provide widespread opportunity or even advantage less privileged individuals.
TL;DR: In this paper, a theoretical framework is proposed revealing six distinct themes of guest-host social practices and their sub-categories, resulting in a spectrum of dimensions of value formation, providing concrete examples as to what practices lead to distinct value formation or destruction.
Abstract: Purpose
This paper aims to develop a theoretical framework of value co-creation and value co-destruction of guest-host social practices facilitated through Airbnb in the sharing economy.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper makes use of a qualitative online content analysis to extract Airbnb data and to analyse guest reviews and host responses posted in the context of Malta.
Findings
A theoretical framework is proposed revealing six distinct themes of guest–host social practices and their sub-categories, resulting in a spectrum of dimensions of value formation.
Research limitations/implications
This paper collects data from Airbnb properties in Malta, with more narratives posted by guests, implying a dominance of guest views on value co-creation and co-destruction. Findings might have a limited transferability beyond similar sharing economy platforms and tourist destinations.
Practical/implications
The paper uncovers guest–host hospitality value creation practices, providing concrete examples as to what practices lead to distinct value formation or destruction. In addressing the lack of knowledge about value creation practices in the sharing economy, strategic implications are offered to the hospitality sector to understand the distinct value propositions Airbnb offers compared to traditional accommodation types.
Originality/value
The paper’s contribution is its theoretical framework of value practices of guests staying at Airbnb-listed accommodations, contributing to a better understanding of the distinct value propositions underlying collaborative consumption offers in the sharing economy.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present evidence for a previously unrecognized effect: increased income inequality among the bottom 80% of the distribution, suggesting a crowding-out effect in the sharing economy.
Abstract: The sharing economy has generated controversy for its effects on labour conditions, wages and the distributions of income and wealth. In this article, we present evidence for a previously unrecognized effect: increased income inequality among the bottom 80% of the distribution. On the basis of interviews with US providers on three for-profit platforms (Airbnb, RelayRides and TaskRabbit), we find that providers are highly educated and many have well-paying full-time jobs. They use the platforms to augment their incomes. Furthermore, many are engaging in manual labour, including cleaning, moving and other tasks that are traditionally done by workers with low educational attainment, suggesting a crowding-out effect.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify the debate that has resulted from the collision between what they term "the sharing economy manifesto" and platform capitalist practices operating under the banner of the SE.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate how the entry of ride-sharing services influences the rate of alcohol related motor vehicle fatalities and find that not all services have the same effect, insofar as the effect of the Uber Black car service is intermittent and manifests only in selective locations (i.e., large cities).
Abstract: In this work, we investigate how the entry of ride-sharing services influences the rate of alcohol related motor vehicle fatalities. While significant debate has surrounded ride-sharing, limited empirical work has been devoted to uncovering the societal benefits of such services (or the mechanisms which drive these benefits). Using a difference in difference approach to exploit a natural experiment, the entry of Uber Black and Uber X into California markets between 2009 and 2014, we find a significant drop in the rate of fatalities after the introduction of Uber X. Further, results suggest that not all services have the same effect, insofar as the effect of the Uber Black car service is intermittent and manifests only in selective locations (i.e., large cities). These results underscore the importance of coupling increased availability with cost savings in order to exploit the public welfare gains offered by the sharing economy. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate what motivates consumers to adopt one of the emerging mobile applications of the sharing economy, ridesharing application, using social cognitive theory as the theoretical framework.
Abstract: Purpose
This paper aims to investigate what motivates consumers to adopt one of the emerging mobile applications of the sharing economy, ridesharing application. Using social cognitive theory as the theoretical framework, this study develops a value adoption model to illustrate important factors that influence adoption of ridesharing applications.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on prior literature, a quantitative methodology was adopted using a survey questionnaire that allows for the measurement of the nine constructs contained in the hypothesized theoretical model. Data collected from a sample of 314 respondents in Beijing, China provided the foundation for the examination of the proposed relationships in the model.
Findings
First, the results indicate that self-efficacy is a fundamental factor that has a direct effect on consumers’ perceptions of value and an indirect effect on behavioral intentions. Second, the study demonstrates that functional value, emotional value and social value are critical antecedents of overall perceived value of ridesharing applications. On the other hand, learning effort and risk perception are not significant perceived costs for consumers in adopting ridesharing applications.
Research limitations/implications
Although typical adopters of internet applications constitute a significant portion of younger consumers, the use of a college student sample in this study may affect the generalizability of the results.
Practical implications
The findings provide critical insight into consumer motivations behind adoption of ridesharing applications specifically, and for sharing economy platforms in general.
Originality/value
This study provides important theoretical implications for innovation adoption research through an empirical examination of the relationship between personal, environmental and behavioral factors in a framework of social cognitive theory.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on internet-based firms that allow rent appropriation from temporary utilization of underutilized assets and develop a framework to guide future research drawing from a business ecosystem perspective.
TL;DR: In this article, a qualitative research approach comprising guided interviews with 14 companies from Germany, Austria and Switzerland provides detailed insights into different aspects of the sharing economy phenomenon, highlighting the requirements, drivers and goals of sharing economy.
Abstract: What's mine is yours. An increasing number of people are participating in sharing and exchanging information, knowledge, data and goods. As research addressing the so-called ‘sharing economy’ is still in its infancy, this article aims to shed light on it. To do this, a qualitative research approach comprising guided interviews with 14 companies from Germany, Austria and Switzerland provides detailed insights into different aspects of the sharing economy phenomenon. Our results make a direct contribution to sharing economy research, especially regarding the new business models of start-ups. Here, we find a clear difference between the relevance of economic and social orientation. The latter appears to be in higher demand among customers than entrepreneurs. The increasingly digitalized environment has led to a changed living situation characterized by urbanity, openness to new solutions, changed working situations and new mindsets. All of these aspects drive the sharing economy. The results of this paper are summarized in a framework highlighting the requirements, drivers and goals of the sharing economy. Considering the limited research in this field, the developed framework is a strong basis for discussion, critique and/or support of future research.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed a suitable and comprehensive definition for crowd logistics and identified which factors determine the sustainability potential of CL and indicated whether the identified characteristics affect the economy, society and/or environment.
Abstract: Passenger car occupancy has been falling for years. Partly empty vehicles on our road networks decrease passenger transport sustainability but also contain an opportunity for freight transport. Within Crowd logistics (CL), delivery operations are carried out by using passengers’ excess capacity on journeys that are already taking place, resulting in economic, social and environmental benefits. Existing CL initiatives show, however, that there are important differences between concepts in terms of sustainability. The research aims to develop a suitable and comprehensive definition for CL and identify which factors determine the sustainability potential of CL. We systematically analysed a set of 42 papers and interviewed 11 logistics practitioners in order to capture the state of practice. Following the literature and interviews, we firstly define CL as ‘an information connectivity enabled marketplace concept that matches supply and demand for logistics services with an undefined and external crowd that has free capacity with regards to time and/or space, participates on a voluntary basis and is compensated accordingly’. Secondly, we identify a set of 18 characteristics that can describe the variety of CL concepts. Thirdly, we indicate whether the identified characteristics affect the economy, society and/or environment. The research shows that all characteristics influence economic sustainability while 11 characteristics also affect social and/or environmental sustainability. Our research helps local policy-makers to adapt laws and regulations to the sharing economy developments and provides insight for businesses which CL concept fits their company’s corporate social responsibility strategy.
TL;DR: Recently, key players in the car-sharing business, such as Autolib’, car2go, and DriveNow, have begun to employ EVs in an operations model that accommodates one-way trips, showing promise in supporting the adoption of fuel-efficient vehicles.
Abstract: Emerging collaborative consumption business models have shown promise in terms of both generating business opportunities and enhancing the efficient use of resources. In the transportation domain, car-sharing models are being adopted on a mass scale in major metropolitan areas worldwide. This mode of servicized mobility bridges the resource efficiency of public transit and the flexibility of personal transportation. Beyond the significant potential to reduce car ownership, car sharing shows promise in supporting the adoption of fuel-efficient vehicles, such as electric vehicles (EVs), because of these vehicles’ special cost structure with high purchase but low operating costs. Recently, key players in the car-sharing business, such as Autolib’, car2go, and DriveNow, have begun to employ EVs in an operations model that accommodates one-way trips. On the one hand (and particularly in free-floating car sharing), the one-way model results in significant improvements in coverage of travel needs and therefore i...