Original title: Putting the sharing economy into perspective
The paper builds a framework for defining the sharing economy and distinguishing it from similar ideas. It uses economic history to examine why the sharing economy rose suddenly. Then it considers the platforms’ economic, social, and environmental effects. It also reflects on regulationRules set by public authorities for how an activity may operate. and suggests questions for future research.
Imagine sorting a kitchen drawer full of similar-looking utensils. Some tools seem to do the same job, but their differences matter when you decide how to use them. In this paper, the drawer is the sharing economy and its close cousins; the sorting helps define them before weighing their effects and rules.
People who rent, lend, or share through platforms may face economic, social, and environmental effects, while regulators must decide how these services fit existing rules. The paper offers a way to define what counts as the sharing economy and considers those impacts and regulations.
The abstract describes a conceptual framework and an assessment of impacts, but gives no specific findings, cases, or evidence about the size or direction of those impacts. It does not state which regulations or alternatives it recommends, or answer the future research questions it raises.
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Putting the sharing economy into perspective — Koen Frenken, Juliet B. Schor — Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions — doi:10.1016/j.eist.2017.01.003
Abstract licence: CC BY
Explanation generated by Synthesis from the abstract — it is not the original paper.