The cultural underpinnings of platformization: How social movement organizations helped form the category of the sharing economy

Abstract

This paper explores the cultural dynamics underpinning platformization by unpacking the emergence of the sharing economy—a vital terrain of platformization—as a culturally significant category. Drawing on online archival data, our study reveals the important role of social movement organizations (SMOs) in establishing the sharing economy as a prominent cultural category and infusing it with powerful social meanings. We outline the discursive strategies used by SMOs to articulate this macro-market category, and to frame platform technology as a benevolent enabler of social change. Our study contributes to platformization research by turning attention to how cultural dynamics (i.e., the discursive strategies giving rise to the emergence of sharing economy) shape platformization. In addition, we contribute to market system dynamic research by expanding the focus of investigation from singular industries to the macro economy level, shedding light on new discursive dynamics (e.g., discursive strategies for articulating and technologizing the emergent economy), and by the extending previous work on the role of SMOs and social movements in market shaping.

The platformization of consumer culture: A theoretical framework

“…Firstly, by covering various aspects of consumer culture, ranging from consumer activism (Vrikki and Lekakis, 2023, this issue) to craftwork (Scaraboto and Fischer, 2023, this issue), and featuring a wide array of actors, such as social movement organizations (Bajde et al, 2023, this issue) or gunfluencers (Drenten et al, 2023, this issue), the special issue shows how fertile and versatile the concept of platformization of consumer culture is. Embracing topics like the study of emotions (Denegri-Knott et al, 2023, this issue), family formation practices (Ottlewski et al, 2023, this issue), and fitness body culture (Schöps et al, 2023, this issue), this collection of papers paves the way for a more expansive application of the theoretical framework of platformization of consumer culture to previously underexplored areas, underscoring promising directions for future research.…”

“…The notion of contingency that is intrinsic to platformization also entails that specific attention should be paid to the temporal dimension of consumption practices and phenomena. In their contribution to this special issue, Bajde et al (2023) use archival data to trace the discursive formation of the sharing economy as an influential cultural category and investigate the role played by social movement organizations (SMOs) in such a process. Particular attention is paid to the role of SMOs in promoting platformization and shaping the emergence of markets.…”