‘One bad apple won’t spoil the bunch’ – Representations of the “sharing economy”

Abstract

This research examines the public’s common understanding of the sharing economy, specifically its dark sides. If the sharing economy is represented as problematic, managers should reconsider if they want to promote their businesses as part of it or set actions in case it is associated with it. Thus, we examine (i) the public’s representations of the sharing economy, (ii) which industries are associated with it, and (iii) the development of understanding the sharing economy via three different sources: Representative surveys in Germany (N = 604) and the UK (N = 614), 206 articles in German and British newspapers and 150 images posted on Instagram. Participants’ overall evaluation of the sharing economy in the survey and social media was mainly positive, whereas newspapers extensively discuss its downsides. Ecological, social, economic, financial, as well as legal and security issues are associated with the sharing economy with a strong focus on shared accommodation and shared mobility.