Shared mobility research: Looking through a paradox lens

Abstract

Cities’ high traffic concentration, fast technological change, resource scarcity and growing environmental concerns accentuate competing tensions between stakeholders, transport modes and policies in the mobility sector. Tensions become even more salient in shared mobility – a complex yet relatively new phenomenon at the intersection between sharing economy and the transport sector – and raise numerous concerns for meeting sustainability objectives. The purpose of this paper is to identify conflicting demands associated with shared mobility by conducting a systematic literature review. Our results reveal several contradictions related to shared mobility and sustainability goals, and relations between those constantly evolving in a dynamic fashion. Thus, although shared mobility represents a step forward in achieving sustainability in theory, in practice, this task is only partially completed due to existing inherent contradictions. A paradox perspective on shared mobility, proposed in this paper, provides grounds for revisiting policy actions and finding workable solutions for practitioners.