Participation in the Sharing Economy
One of our key objectives is to investigate the social structuration of internet-mediated sharing and explore the social profiles of sharers and non-sharers. Users are the crux of a sharing economy - they are simultaneously the producers, consumers, and product. Yet, we still ask: Who are the users? What level of inclusion is there? What are the obstacles preventing participation? What motivates sharing? What motivates a refusal to share?
Literature Review: Participation in the Sharing Economy
Research Report: European Perspectives on Participation in the Sharing Economy
Research Presentation: European Perspectives on Participation in the Sharing Economy
Recommendations: Recommendations for the Sharing Economy: Increasing Participation
Privacy in the Sharing Economy
We explore the key opportunities and challenges of the sharing economy for consumers and their data. We assess consumers’ privacy concerns when it comes to both data and physical shared places, as well as their self-presentation and their perception of power. Further objectives within this package are also exploring the different forms privacy could take across different types of consumers, investigating the possible rise of cynicism or apathy around privacy topics, and studying self-presentational choices in both their constraining and empowering elements.
Literature Review: Privacy in the Sharing Economy
Research Report: European Perspectives on Privacy in the Sharing Economy
Research Presentation: European Perspectives on Privacy in the Sharing Economy
Recommendations: Recommendations for the Sharing Economy: Safeguarding Privacy
Power in the Sharing Economy
It has become clear that sharing services have the potential to exclude certain population segments and increase social inequality by systematically disadvantaging and discriminating against underprivileged groups. Sharing services may also be disempowering users by relying on new forms of distinction such as arbitrary rating systems, where manipulation is easy and possibilities to challenge the ratings are limited. In this project, we demonstrate, by way of examples, any such power imbalances in the sharing economy and measures to ameliorate their effects. We analyse the power and distinction mechanisms in sharing and make conclusions on how to make a more level playing field in the European sharing economy.
Literature Review: Power in the Sharing Economy
Research Report: European Perspectives on Power in the Sharing Economy
Research Presentation: European Perspectives on Power in the Sharing Economy
Recommendations: Recommendations for the Sharing Economy: (Re-)Balancing Power
Focus Groups
Aiming to directly approach the experience of consumers in the sharing economy, the Focus Group report presents the results from an in-depth analysis of qualitative data which emerged from 18 focus groups conducted concurrently across six European countries (Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and The United Kingdom). Our findings, based on a sample of Millennial consumers of the sharing economy, paint a picture of the meanings, expectations, and obstacles which emerge from interacting with peers and platforms.
Research Report: Millenials and the Sharing Economy: European Perspectives
Platform Analysis
Research Report: Platforms and the Sharing Economy: An Analysis
Design Guidelines: Design Guidelines for Sharing Platforms