Sharing economy business models (SEBMs): a study of global archetypes and from local industries in Georgia

Abstract

This paper discusses the mapping model tools for Sharing Economy Business Models (SEBMs) and summarises the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discourse. The main purpose of the research is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the SEBMs of local companies, contrasting them with global archetypes as defined by Curtis and Mont (2020). Systematisation of the literary sources and approaches for solving the problem indicates that local companies exhibit unique attributes in their SEBMs when compared to their global counterparts. The relevance of this scientific problem decision is that understanding these differences provides valuable insights into how local contexts and conditions shape SEBMs. Investigation of the SEBMs in the paper is carried out through detailed comparisons with global models. Methodological tools of the research methods were studying the companies’ models by exploring all available information on the web during the year of observation, 2023. The research object is the local companies because they offer insights into how local contexts and conditions shape SEBMs. The paper presents the results of an empirical analysis which reveals differences in areas such as governance model, price mechanism, and revenue streams. The research empirically confirms and theoretically proves that these variations could be attributed to local market conditions, consumer preferences, or strategic choices made by the companies. The research results can be useful for practitioners and academic researchers in the sharing economy, offering insights into local variations in SEBMs and their potential impact on business strategy.