Theoretical-conceptual framework

Theoretical-conceptual framework Defining Sharing

Figure 1 – Belk’s (2010, 2014) forms of sharing Sharing In

Sharing Out

Demand Sharing

Open Sharing

The “New Sharing”

• When sharing is an inclusive act that is likely to make the recipient a part of a pseudo-family and our aggregate extended self it can be described as “sharing in”.

• When sharing involves dividing something between relative strangers or when it is intended as a one-time act such as providing someone with spare change, directions, or the time of day, it is described as “sharing out”.

• Demand sharing happens when our children, for example, ask to be fed or even someone asks us for the time of the day. In these two examples, the first one involves sharing in, while the second one involves sharing out.

• Open sharing is implied when, for instance, we tell a houseguest, “My house is your house”. Meaning: such gesture implies that they can take our food, sit on our furniture, and use our bathroom, all without asking. Thus, open sharing generally involves sharing in and would be quite uncommon with strangers.

• Recent variations on the sharing theme: (i) Internetfacilitated sharing (Web 2.0); (ii) collaborative consumption.

Theoretical-conceptual framework Business Implications of the Sharing Economy

Figure 2 – Belk’s (2014) business implications of Sharing Economy

Flight

Fight

• Act and diversify out of the industry.

• React and fight. Examples of this: Uber.

Adapt • Follow an adaptive strategy.

Wait and see • It may be a temporary trend.

Theoretical-conceptual framework Why people participate in the Sharing Economy

Figure 3 – Theoretical model of participation in the sharing economy (Kim et al., 2015)

Theoretical-conceptual framework Identifying the archetypes of Sharing Economy activities

Figure 4 – Sharing Economy main categories of activities (Schor, 2014)

Recirculation of goods • Proliferation of unwanted items. Example: eBay and Craigslist since 1995.

Increased utilization of durable assets • Products or properties that are not used to capacity (e.g., spare rooms and lawn mowers). Examples: Zipcar, which places vehicles in convenient urban locations and offered hourly rentals; Relay Rides (car rental website), Uber (ride service); Boston’s Hubway or Chicago’s Divvy Bikes (bicycle sharing); Airbnb (lodging sector).

Exchange of services • Exchange of services – Services are traded on the basis of time spent, according to the principle that every member’s time is valued equally. Example: Banco do Tempo.

Sharing of productive assets • This category consists of efforts focused on sharing assets or space in order to enable production, rather than consumption. Examples: hackerspaces, which grew out of informal computer hacking sessions; makerspaces, which provide shared tools; and co-working spaces or communal offices. Example: LX Factory.

Theoretical-conceptual framework Identifying the archetypes of Sharing Economy activities

Figure 5 – Archetypes of sharing economy activities (Schor, 2014)

Theoretical-conceptual framework Realizing the potential of the Sharing Economy (Schor, 2014) ☞ There is potential in this sector for creating new businesses that allocate value more fairly, that are more democratically organized, that reduce eco-footprints, and that can bring people together in new ways. ☞ The emergence of P2P communities that share goods, space, and labor services can be the foundation of a new household model in which people are less dependent on employers and more able to diversify their access to income, goods, and services. ☞ We are at a critical juncture in which users’ organizing for fair treatment, demands for ecoaccountability, and attention to whether human connections are strengthened through these technologies can make a critical difference in realizing the potential of the sharing model.

☞ There is an enormous amount of new economic value being created in this space. It is imperative that it flow equitably to all participants. ☞ The sharing economy has been propelled by exciting new technologies. ☞ Software, crowdsourcing, and the information commons give us powerful tools for building social solidarity, democracy, and sustainability. Now our task is to build a movement to harness that power.

Theoretical-conceptual framework Conclusions

As in Belk’s (2014, p. 1599) words:

“It would be folly to ignore sharing and collaborative consumption as alternative ways of consuming and as new business paradigms”. Further: “You are what you own” “You are what you share” indicates that We just may be entering the post-ownership economy.