Sharing economy

Urban Farm DB summary

"Sharing economy" has become a popular umbrella term for a variety of consumer activities involving the sharing of goods and services, covering transactions across almost all business areas including accommodation (e.g., Airbnb), food (e.g., community gardens), and transport (e.g., Uber, BlaBlaCar). This chapter focuses on sharing-economy research from a consumer perspective, summarizing current findings and identifying research gaps. It examines factors that foster or hinder consumer involvement in the sharing economy, such as demographic aspects (age, digital literacy) and motivational aspects (environmental friendliness, monetary considerations), and looks at the relationship between consumers and other actors (providers and other consumers), such as trust, while discussing the use of social-science methods and practical implications for future research.