Challenges of the Sharing Economy for SMEs: A Literature Review

Abstract

The sharing economy is becoming increasingly popular in many sectors also thanks to the fact that not only young generation, but people of almost all ages are digitally literate, and therefore they readily participate in sharing economy practices. A very important part of their motivation comes from the knowledge that it is a great way to save money, but a no less important reason is the philosophical aspect, which is consistent with efforts to promote more sustainable consumption practices that prioritize access over ownership. The sharing economy has become a subject of interest not only among researchers and practitioners but also among policymakers and stakeholders who are concerned about the further extension of digital ecosystems. Fortunately, theorists from many fields, such as the commercial economy, gift economy, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, etc., pay due attention to this phenomenon. However, there is still room for focused exploration of this entrepreneurial and innovative approach from specific views in order to bring useful findings and insights on given issues. The intention of this study is to analyze the existing related literature and categorize sharing economy-based business models in relation to traditional business models. Potentially, this study can also contribute to a better understanding of the perspectives of the sharing economy in the transition of SMEs towards the Industry 4.0 paradigm.

Evolutionary Game Analysis of Shared Manufacturing Quality Innovation Synergetic Behavior Considering a Subject’s Heterogeneous Emotions

“…Shared manufacturing socializes the reuse of idle manufacturing resources that become sunk costs and can reduce the environmental load by inhibiting new production and efficient use of products [9]. Shared manufacturing has received much attention and discussion due to its "positive side effects" [10] in terms of reducing the environmental footprint [11], reducing carbon emissions [12], promoting environmental sustainability, and driving new trends in green practices [13], and is seen as the answer to sustainability challenges [14].…”

Young Consumers’ Intention to Participate in the Sharing Economy: An Integrated Model

“…The sharing economy is considered to be a new business paradigm and a new form of commerce [1][2][3]. There is no universally accepted definition of the sharing economy, and different terms are used to refer to the same phenomenon [4,5].…”

How to Survive in the Shadow of Sharing Economy Giants: Business Model Innovation for Small and Medium-Sized Platforms

“…Scholars have conducted extensive and in-depth studies on this new economic model from multiple angles. Some scholars discussed the positive side of the sharing economy such as economic prosperity, employment and income, consumer behavior, and the sustainability of resources, environment, and society (Ciulli & Kolk, 2019;Guo et al, 2020;Martı´nez-Gonza´lez et al, 2021;Mensah et al, 2019;Revinova et al, 2020;Srovnalı´kova´et al, 2020), while others have paid attention to the negative impact brought about by the development of sharing economy such as discrimination, labor right, trust and safety, industry monopoly, opaque pricing strategies, and other governance issues (Collier et al, 2018;Edelman & Geradin, 2015;Enochsson et al, 2021;Frenken & Schor, 2017;Li & Canelles, 2021;Soltysova & Modrak, 2020).…”