Power relations are central to shaping collaborative governance of the urban sharing economy

Abstract

Since its rise in the early 2000s, the sharing economy has expanded and developed rapidly worldwide. While the sharing economy can boost resource-use efficiency and encourage sustainable urban living, it also challenges urban governance. Recently, a collaborative governance (CG) approach involving public and private partnerships has been adopted in various global cities to address these governance dilemmas. However, the influence of stakeholder power relations on the CG of the sharing economy remains inadequately explored in the literature. This article argues that multi-actor collaboration can be enhanced by clarifying how power relations shape effective governance, actor engagement, shared motivation, and capacity for joint actions. This article draws on practical insights by discussing examples of the governance practices of urban bike-sharing programs to demonstrate how the nature of public-private power relations can result in specific (and quite different) forms of CG. This article will help CG researchers, policymakers, urban planners, and communities understand CG practices in the new era of shared cities and global cities.