DOCSLIB.ORG

The Sharing Future a Look at the Playing Field of the Swedish Sharing Economy

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Sharing Future a Look at the Playing Field of the Swedish Sharing Economy The Sharing Future A look at the playing field of the Swedish sharing economy Oskar Ahlman Bachelor thesis, 15 hp International Business Programme, 240 hp Spring term 2018 This page is intentionally left blank Preface To start off I would like to express my gratitude to all the interview respondents for generously providing their time and experiences to this research. The thesis would not have been possible without you. To Erik Lindberg, Thomas Biedenbach, Per Levén, Lucas Haskell, Roger Filipsson and Philip Näslund, your input and advice has been invaluable in shaping this thesis. Finally, to friends and family who provided feedback, bounced ideas and more than once prevented me from putting my foot in my mouth. Thank you! 3 Abstract The way we share is changing. Where we used to knock on a neighbour’s door to borrow a cup of sugar, we are now using apps to share cars with strangers around the world Why do some people share, and why do others not? What is the role of the different players in the sharing economy, and how can sustainable growth be encouraged? The purpose of this research was to identify drivers and obstacles of engagement and paths to sustainable growth in the sharing economy. This thesis builds on previous research by expanding it to a Swedish context and by taking a broader look at the stakeholders. Interviews were conducted with five sharing economy experts in order to answer the research questions. The findings include the identification of drivers and obstacles of engagement in the sharing economy for the key stakeholder groups of users, firms (divided into established firms and startups) and the State. In total 30 factors were identified. Highlights of the discovered factors include the importance of convenience for driving participation among users, brand positioning for established firms, low barriers to entry for startups, and sustainability agendas for the State. Identified obstacles of engagement included lack of benefits for users, regulation and taxes for established firms, lack of demand for startups, and speed of change for the State. A model is developed to answer the questions of reaching critical mass and encouraging sustainability. The model describes the players and the playing field of the sharing economy and combines new and established theories for sustainable growth. Two of the highlighted concepts were the need for non-traditional business models and value-based investments, as exemplified by the platform cooperatives, which are user-owned sharing platforms. 4 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................... 8 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................................... 8 RESEARCH PURPOSE .................................................................................................................................. 9 RESEARCH QUESTIONS .............................................................................................................................. 9 THEORY ................................................................................................................................................... 10 DEFINITIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 10 GROWTH OF THE SHARING ECONOMY ..................................................................................................... 11 DRIVERS AND OBSTACLES OF SHARING ................................................................................................... 13 CRITICAL MASS ....................................................................................................................................... 13 SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY.................................................................. 13 METHOD .................................................................................................................................................. 15 ONTOLOGY AND EPISTEMOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 15 RESEARCH DESIGN .................................................................................................................................. 15 INTERVIEW GUIDE ................................................................................................................................... 17 DATA ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................................................... 19 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS ..................................................................................................................... 19 SOURCE CRITICISM .................................................................................................................................. 20 REFLECTION ON METHOD CHOICES ......................................................................................................... 20 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................................. 22 ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................................ 32 1. PARTICIPATION IN THE SHARING ECONOMY – THE PLAYERS ............................................................. 33 1.1 DRIVERS AND OBSTACLES ................................................................................................................. 33 1.1.1 FRICTIONS AND REWARDS ............................................................................................................. 35 1.1.1.1 ENTHUSIASTS .............................................................................................................................. 35 1.1.1.2 ATTITUDE-BEHAVIOUR GAP ....................................................................................................... 35 1.2 CRITICAL MASS ................................................................................................................................ 36 1.2.1 TRADITIONAL-MODERN SHARING GAP .......................................................................................... 36 1.2.2 BUILDING FROM ESTABLISHED FOUNDATIONS .............................................................................. 36 1.2.3 PLATFORM FRAGMENTATION ......................................................................................................... 36 2. THE SHARING ECONOMY LANDSCAPE – THE PLAYING FIELD ............................................................ 37 2.1 ROLE OF THE STATE .......................................................................................................................... 37 2.1.1 SLIDING SCALES & LOWER BARRIERS ........................................................................................... 37 2.2 PRIVATE-PUBLIC-BUSINESS COOPERATION ...................................................................................... 37 2.2.1 STARTUP SCALING GAP ................................................................................................................. 37 2.3 SHARING ECONOMY BUSINESS MODELS ........................................................................................... 37 2.3.1 PLATFORM COOPERATIVES ............................................................................................................ 38 2.3.1.1 GOVERNING THE COMMONS ....................................................................................................... 38 2.4 VALUES IN THE SHARING ECONOMY ................................................................................................. 38 2.4.1 MOVING PAST “THINGS” MENTALITY ........................................................................................... 39 2.4.2 SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENTS ......................................................................................................... 39 CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................................................... 40 IMPLICATIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 40 SUMMARY: ANSWERS TO RESEARCH QUESTIONS .................................................................................... 40 FUTURE RESEARCH ................................................................................................................................. 41 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................... 42 TABLE REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................... 44 APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................................ 45 INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTIONS .................................................................................................................. 45 5 6 This page is intentionally left blank 7 Introduction “The global economy is in crisis. The exponential exhaustion of natural resources, declining productivity, slow growth, rising
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Resilient Streets Toolkit
    This toolkit is designed toWelcome! help you (and This toolkit is a 1.0, “beta” version. That Of course, no one can build the relation- your neighbours!) start making your means, we’re hoping that you’ll give us ships between you and your neighbours building, street or block more resilient feedback about what works and what for you – only you and your neighbours with some fun, hands-on projects. We’re doesn’t and why, and share with us what can do that. And only you and your deliberately suggesting projects that can you learn along the way so we can use neighbours can decide how you want to be done by small groups of people with your experiences and advice to help oth- go about doing that. What we’re hoping few resources, because finding creative ers. If you come across a great tool or to do is engage, inspire and assist you in ways to do lots with little is a big part of resource, send it our way so we can add any way we can. what resilience is all about! it to the kit. Every group and street is dif- ferent, but by learning together we can all become stronger – that’s a basic principle of building resilience, too! Here’s what’s included in this toolkit: • Examples of Resilient Streets projects that have been done elsewhere • How-to Guides to get started on Resilient Streets projects • Links to resources for more information and ideas We’ve organized this all into 4 categories of resilience-building activities that can work well at the street or building level.
    [Show full text]
  • Airbnb • NEIGHBORGOODS • Blablacar • Peerby • Borroclub • Krrb • Streetbank • Compare and Share • Kickstarter
    COMOODLE Website comparison List of websites • Warp-it • MyNeighbor • Uber • NEIGHBORS CAN HELP • Airbnb • NEIGHBORGOODS • Blablacar • Peerby • Borroclub • Krrb • Streetbank • Compare and share • Kickstarter List of websites • Warp-it • NEIGHBORS CAN HELP • Uber • NEIGHBORGOODS • Airbnb • Peerby • Blablacar • Krrb • Borroclub • Compare and share • Streetbank • Kickstarter What I was looking at… • Web contents • Main features • Account register • Search engines • How the websites built trust: ratings, ranking, reviews, … • Others • Mobile apps? • Email/ newsletter integration • Social media presence An example: review of Airbnb • Web contents An example: review of Airbnb • Functionality and features • Search engine (location, check-in, check-out, number of guest) • Maps with little pins An example: review of Airbnb • Functionality and features • Search bar (location, check-in, check-out, number of guest) • Maps with little pins • Offer filters to reduce search range (property type/ category…) An example: review of Airbnb • How to build trust in the community • Verified ID • Photo or official ID. • Connect another online profile • Upload profile photo and provide a phone number and email address. An example: review of Airbnb • How to build trust in the community • Verified ID • Photo or official ID. • Connect another online profile • Upload profile photo and provide a phone number and email address. Website comparison chart Warp-it Uber Airbnb Borroclub Streetbank Account register ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Account/ listing/ ✓ ✓ ✓ X X area) approval Link
    [Show full text]
  • Prosocial Exchange Systems: Nonreciprocal Giving, Lending, and Skill-Sharing
    Journal Pre-proof Prosocial exchange systems: Nonreciprocal giving, lending, and skill-sharing John Harvey, Andrew Smith, David Golightly, James Goulding, Samanthika Gallage PII: S0747-5632(20)30024-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106268 Reference: CHB 106268 To appear in: Computers in Human Behavior Received Date: 2 May 2019 Revised Date: 6 January 2020 Accepted Date: 15 January 2020 Please cite this article as: Harvey J., Smith A., Golightly D., Goulding J. & Gallage S., Prosocial exchange systems: Nonreciprocal giving, lending, and skill-sharing, Computers in Human Behavior (2020), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106268. This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. © 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Credit Author Statement John Harvey - Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Formal Analysis; Andrew Smith - Supervision, Writing - Original Draft; David Golightly - Supervision, Writing - Original Draft; James Goulding - Software, Formal Analysis; H.P. Samanthika Gallage - Writing - Review & Editing Prosocial Exchange Systems: Nonreciprocal giving, lending, and skill-sharing Running Title: Reciprocity in Prosocial Exchange Corresponding Author Dr John Harvey is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Nottingham and the Economic Networks lead within the Neo-demographics Lab.
    [Show full text]
  • Exploring Digital Network Models for Museum-University Partnerships
    Exploring Digital Network Models for Museum-University Partnerships Alexandra Reynolds, Sammy Field, Jane Cameron and Lindsay Moreton National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement Table of Contents Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………..2 Literature Review…………………………………………………………………………………………………………3 Data Aggregation………………………………………………………………………………………………………..13 Review of Digital Network Models..………………………………………………………………………….…19 Analysis and Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………….…39 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….43 Author Details and Acknowledgments………………....……………………………………………..….….51 1 Exploring Digital Network Models for Museum-University Partnerships Executive Summary This report was commissioned by the Museum University Partnership Initiative (MUPI) to give an insight into success factors related to the design and delivery of digital platforms for museum- university networks. The report explores academic literature related to digital networks and virtual communities and evaluates the contemporary landscape of data aggregation and digital network forms, analysing findings to offer a set of recommendations for future practice. An overview of the four sections of the report is below: 1) Literature Review This section of the report begins by exploring structural characteristics of networks including programming, switching and weak ties: reflecting on the way these characteristics inform networked communication online and offline. The review then goes on to explore fundamental success factors
    [Show full text]
  • Sharing Towns the Key to the Sharing Economy Puzzle
    Sharing Towns The Key to the Sharing Economy Puzzle April 2019 Sharing Cities Sweden is a national program for the sharing economy in cities. The program aims to put Sweden on the map as a country that actively and critically works with the sharing economy in cities. The objectives of the program are to develop world- leading test-beds for the sharing economy in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö and Umeå, and to develop a national node in order to significantly improve national and international cooperation and promote an exchange of experience on sharing cities. Title: The Key to the Sharing Economy Puzzle Authors: Kelly Delaney, Alexandra Jonca, Samuel Kalb Sharing Cities Sweden is carried out within Viable Cities, a Swedish Innovation Programme for smart sustainable cities, jointly funded by the Swedish Innovation Agency (VINNOVA), the Swedish Energy Agency and the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS). 2 Executive Summary The aim of this report is to address the problem of consumption in Karlstad by providing a tool, the Key to the Sharing Economy puzzle, to help multiple actors make sense of the Sharing Economy and use it to achieve Karlstad’s goals. This tool will organise conversations and discussions by providing a systematic way of approaching the Sharing Economy, and will help ask and answer important questions to make better decisions about sharing initiatives. It was designed specifically for the Karlstad context but will also prove useful for cities with similar sizes, opportunities and challenges. We provide two types of recommendations for Karlstad in this report.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sharing Economy: Disrupting the Business and Legal Landscape
    THE SHARING ECONOMY: DISRUPTING THE BUSINESS AND LEGAL LANDSCAPE Panel 402 NAPABA Annual Conference Saturday, November 5, 2016 9:15 a.m. 1. Program Description Tech companies are revolutionizing the economy by creating marketplaces that connect individuals who “share” their services with consumers who want those services. This “sharing economy” is changing the way Americans rent housing (Airbnb), commute (Lyft, Uber), and contract for personal services (Thumbtack, Taskrabbit). For every billion-dollar unicorn, there are hundreds more startups hoping to become the “next big thing,” and APAs play a prominent role in this tech boom. As sharing economy companies disrupt traditional businesses, however, they face increasing regulatory and litigation challenges. Should on-demand workers be classified as independent contractors or employees? Should older regulations (e.g., rental laws, taxi ordinances) be applied to new technologies? What consumer and privacy protections can users expect with individuals offering their own services? Join us for a lively panel discussion with in-house counsel and law firm attorneys from the tech sector. 2. Panelists Albert Giang Shareholder, Caldwell Leslie & Proctor, PC Albert Giang is a Shareholder at the litigation boutique Caldwell Leslie & Proctor. His practice focuses on technology companies and startups, from advising clients on cutting-edge regulatory issues to defending them in class actions and complex commercial disputes. He is the rare litigator with in-house counsel experience: he has served two secondments with the in-house legal department at Lyft, the groundbreaking peer-to-peer ridesharing company, where he advised on a broad range of regulatory, compliance, and litigation issues. Albert also specializes in appellate litigation, having represented clients in numerous cases in the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and California appellate courts.
    [Show full text]
  • TITLE: Power to Create Speakers: Matthew Taylor
    TITLE: Power to Create Speakers: Matthew Taylor Venue: RSA, 8 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6EZ NB This is an unedited transcript of the event. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy there may be phonetic or other errors depending on inevitable variations in recording quality. Please do contact us to point out any errors, which we will endeavour to correct. To reproduce any part of this transcript in any form please contact RSA Lectures Office at [email protected] or +44(0)20 7451 6868 The views expressed are not necessarily those of the RSA or its Trustees. www.theRSA.org Power to Create Page 1 Introduction The RSA has always been a progressive organisation. We have been around for 260 years and, as the world has changed many times over, so has our account of progress and the contribution that we might make to it. Tonight I am speaking to the latest account, a new worldview and mission. We call it The Power to Create. My argument is that we are at the cusp of an unprecedented opportunity: Powerful social and technological changes mean that we can now realistically commit to the aspiration that every citizen should live a creative life. But this major step in human progress will not happen unless we are able to identify and seek to remove the high barriers that currently stand in our way. The creative life So what do I mean by a creative life? Creativity is a slippery concept. The first definition offered by Google is 'the use of imagination or new ideas to create something' .
    [Show full text]
  • Comparative Study on Sharing Economy in EU and ECORL Consortium Countries
    Comparative Study on Sharing Economy in EU and ECORL Consortium Countries ECORL Economy CO-Responsibility Learning EC Project N. 2015-1-IT02-KA204-015467 www.ecorl.it/en This project has been co-funded by the Erasmus Plus Programme of the European Commission. Publication and products reflect the views only of the ECORL Consortium, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. 1 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 3 2. Objectives and Methodology .................................................................................. 6 3. Navigating through the multitude of concepts ........................................................ 7 4. Features of the new form of economy .................................................................. 12 5. Challenges of the sharing economy models ......................................................... 19 6. European context – the sharing economy in Europe ............................................ 22 7. ECORL consortium countries - overview of sharing economy............................ 30 8. Selected cases studies from ECORL consortium countries .................................. 36 9. Growth opportunities for developing countries .................................................... 42 10. Conclusions and recommendations ..................................................................... 43 11. Common Glossary ..............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Collaborative Economy: Products, Services, and Market Relationships Have Changed As Sharing Startups Impact Business Models
    A Market Definition Report The Collaborative Economy: Products, services, and market relationships have changed as sharing startups impact business models. To avoid disruption, companies must adopt the Collaborative Economy Value Chain. Altimeter Research Theme: Digital Economies June 4, 2013 By Jeremiah Owyang With Christine Tran and Chris Silva Includes input from 69 ecosystem contributors Executive Summary The Next Phase of Social Business Is the Collaborative Economy. Social technologies radically disrupted communications, marketing, and customer care. With these same technologies, customers now buy products once and share them with each other. Beyond business functions, the Collaborative Economy impacts core business models. Customers Are Sharing Goods and Services — Redefining the Buyer-Seller Relationship. Every car-sharing vehicle reduces car ownership by 9-13 vehicles; a revenue loss of at least $270,000 to an average auto manufacturer.1 The cascading impact to the ecosystem has far-reaching impacts to auto loans, car insurance, fuel, auto parts, and other services.2 For corporations, the direct impact is revenue loss that results from customers sharing products and services with each other. Innovative Companies Are Already Moving Into Collaborative Economy. Some companies have joined this movement. For instance, Toyota rents cars from dealership lots, and Patagonia partnered with eBay to encourage customers to buy and sell its used products. NBC has partnered with Yerdle, a startup founded by former Walmart executives to foster peer-to-peer sharing. This movement impacts every industry. Adopt the Collaborative Economy Value Chain. Companies risk becoming disintermediated by customers who connect with each other. The Collaborative Economy Value Chain illustrates how companies can rethink their business models by becoming a Company-as-a-Service, Motivating a Marketplace, or Providing a Platform.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rise of the Sharing Economy
    13 THE RISE OF THE SHARING ECONOMY THE SHARING ECONOMY IS GROWING FAST, Over the past decade, the world has witnessed the rise of a new sharing economy – one where DISRUPTING TRADITIONAL people use Internet and mobile technologies to access goods and resources provided by their peers, rather than a traditional corporate vendor. MODELS, and will rival the rental As of 2013, the five main sectors(2) of the sharing (1) economy comprised a market of about US$ 15 market in size by 2025 Billion globally, according to PwC. By 2025, PwC says, this market will grow to US$ 335 Billion, more than 20 times its current size and equal to the traditional rental market Size of Sharing Economy (based on 5 Primary Sectors(2)) vs. Traditional Rental Market over Time xx Company (In US$ Billion, 2013 and 2025) Airbnb Skillshare (xx) Year Founded +37 million +1,000 classes nights stayed CAGR (2010) (2008) +2.9% Vinted Kickstarter CAGR +29.5% +14 million +US$ 1.7 billion clothes listings pledges 335 335 (2008) (Latest Available Data) Streetbank TaskRabbit +61,700 things 1.25 million shared Netflix 240 57.4 million joiners 2013 (2010) subscribers RelayRides (2008) (1997) +2,300 cities served (2010) LiquidSpace +16,000 user companies (2010) 15 Elance 2.5 million Uber DogVacay employments 2013 2025 260 cities +20,000 listed (1999) Served pet sitters Spinlister (2010) Sharing Economy (Based on 5 Primary Sector Revenues) Traditional Rental Market (2011) 100+ countries (2012) Notes: (1) Includes equipment rental, B&B and hostels, car rentals, book rental, DVD rental,
    [Show full text]
  • Collaborative Consumption
    Collaborative Consumption Understanding Young Consumers’ Orientations Through Means-End Chain Analysis in the Context of Airbnb Student: Sybille Preiss Student Number: 11087919 Date: 24 June, 2016 Education: MSc Business Administration, Marketing Track Institution: University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics and Business Supervisor: Tom Paffen Final Version Collaborative Consumption 1 Statement of originality This document is written by Student Sybille Preiss who declares to take full responsibility for the contents of this document. I declare that the text and the work presented in this document is original and that no sources other than those mentioned in the text and its references have been used in creating it. The Faculty of Economics and Business is responsible solely for the supervision of completion of the work, not for the contents. Collaborative Consumption 2 Abstract Collaborative consumption, which is defined as an emerging trend of renting, lending, swapping, sharing, bartering, and gifting, has been observed to be increasingly popular in recent years. While its media coverage is on the rise, the topic appears to be under-theorized in academic research at this point. This study examines collaborative consumption from the viewpoint of young consumers in the context of the accommodation sharing platform Airbnb. Their innovation adoption behavior is argued to be influenced by the following aspects: perceived attributes of innovation, personal values, social influence and critical market forces. In order to understand the critical market forces, a literature review is conducted by the researcher. For the other elements, the study employs the means-end chain analysis and laddering technique in order to uncover the underlying decision-relevant knowledge organized in the respondents’ minds.
    [Show full text]
  • Ownership - a Challenged Consumer Ideal
    LUND UNIVERSITY School of Economics and Management Department of Business Administration Ownership - a challenged Consumer Ideal A Study of two Collaborative Consumption Practices: Clothes Swapping and Clothing Libraries -Master Thesis- M.Sc. in Globalization, Brands and Consumption 27. May 2015 Authors: Cornelia Grimshorn and Marlene Jordan Supervisors: Marcus Klasson, Jon Bertilsson I. Abstract Title: Ownership - a challenged Consumer Ideal. A study of two Collaborative Consumption Practices: Clothing Libraries and Clothes Swapping Research topic ownership Keywords ownership, possessions, collaborative consumption, sharing economy, political consumerism, Millennials, clothing library, clothes swapping, CCT Purpose This research is a theoretical contribution to CCT and existing literature on ownership, investigating whether ownership has become an out-dated ideal in consumer culture. We explore how Millennials negotiate issues of ownership and sharing in the context of collaborative consumption. Consequently, the study provides insights on new consumption forms, and more specifically swapping and access-based consumption. Methodology The study has a constructionist and interpretivist stance, looking to understand the consumer worldview, why hermeneutical phenomenology is used. Qualitative research is thus applied in order to gain consumer insights, and eleven semi-structured interviews with participants of clothes swapping and clothing libraries are conducted. The analysis of the data follows the approach of the hermeneutic circles. Main findings Findings show that ownership has not become an out-dated ideal in consumer culture, as consumers continue to strive for ownership for certain possessions. We present four object categories for which ownership is highly valued: intimate possessions, frequently used possessions, possessions with emotional attachments, and the home. However, consumers are politically motivated to seek other, more sustainable consumption forms.
    [Show full text]