Factors that Influence Sharing Behaviors in Sharing Economy Based on the Theory of Social Capital and Social Exchange: Example of Taiwan-Based USPACE

Abstract

Sharing economy has been a phenomenon in many countries for years owing to a number of factors such as the economic recession which contributes to a pervasive thinking of renting over buying. This paper examines the sharing behavior in sharing economy based on social capital theory and social exchange theory, and looks at the example of USPACE, a start-up company providing shared parking services in metropolis, Taiwan. The research covers the urban areas in Taipei and Kaohsiung and collects data of USPACE users. A total of 160 copies of questionnaire have been distributed and 151 valid copies returned, a valid response rate of 94.4%. The Partial Least Squares (PLS) has been used for empirical analysis. The findings show that trust and identification will significantly affect the intention to share, so will extrinsic rewards and the enjoyment in helping others, while norms and reciprocity do not have significant impacts on the sharing intention. The results not only extend the application of social capital and social exchange theory, but also provide directions for future studies from sharing economy's perspective of various industries.