Determinants of consumers’ participation in the sharing economy

Abstract

Purpose Consumers’ intentions to participate in the sharing economy have received much attention from researchers in recent times. However, little attention has been paid to consumers’ actual participation in the sharing economy. The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that drive customers in Ghana to use Uber. Design/methodology/approach The authors used surveys as the research design. There were 500 participants who were users of Uber. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Findings The findings of this study show that trust, customer return on investment and search convenience are the key factors that contribute to riders’ usage of Uber service. Furthermore, this study shows that consumers’ need for prestige and social connection do not play a significant role in consumers’ (riders’) usage of Uber services. Originality/value Studies investigating consumers’ participation in the sharing economy from an emerging economy context using the social exchange theory is limited. This study identifies elements of the economic and socio-emotional dimensions of the social exchange theory and the strength of their impact on people’s participation in the sharing economy.

Systematic framework to assess social impacts of sharing platforms: Synthesising literature and stakeholder perspectives to arrive at a framework and practice-oriented tool

“…Review systems are said to reduce the perceived risk of receiving inferior service quality or social interaction [113]. These systems seek to incentivise both resource owners and resource users to "create a respectful and accommodating demeanour during exchanges" [106,114] and "decrease the interpersonal trust necessary between [users]" [115]. Review systems also reduce transaction costs normally associated with seeking recommendations and assessing service quality [116].…”

“…Sharing platforms are said to have an ideological orientation towards empowering their users [8]. Platforms facilitate empowerment by decentralising modes of consumption [10], generating additional income [114], and providing greater access to goods and services otherwise unattainable via ownership. Technology enhances this ability by providing better networking, communication, and opportunities for collaboration [126].…”

“…The sharing economy is said to foster economic empowerment [55,132] through job creation, greater income, and increased financial independence [49,133]. Resource owners can earn money by providing access to goods and services [114,134]. Studies are emerging that demonstrate how sharing platforms provide realtime flexibility to earnings and potentially lead to higher hourly wages [135].…”

“…Cultural awareness is important when operating in new communities. For example, Boateng et al [114] states that ". .…”

“…That is, although Uber and the sharing economy, in general, have some social benefits, they also have some negative social-cultural effects". The criticism made by Boateng et al [114] and Haerewa et al [143], among others, is that the practice of sharing platforms must not undermine the cultural practices of the communities in which they operate.…”