Towards a comprehensive analytical framework and future research agenda for research on sharing economy business models: thematic analyses approach

Abstract

The sharing economy is considered to be an important pathway for economic growth, increasing employment and household income, and the transition toward sustainability in the twenty-first century. In spite of the widespread use of the sharing economy concept, the understanding varies, and there is disagreement about what constitutes an analytical framework of the sharing economy business model (SEBM). This research quantitatively analyzes and categorizes the fundamental elements of the current SEBM literature. A comprehensive analytical framework is presented, identifying three distinct segments of SEBM: (1) the knowledge of sharing economy (incl. innovation, new technologies, determinants, and ecosystems); (2) supplier-oriented studies (incl. hospitality-oriented, transportation-oriented, and other platforms and models); and (3) consumer-socioeconomic-sustainability-focused research (incl. consumption and customer satisfaction, collaborative consumption, sustainability, social effects, and economic growth). In addition to contributing to a better understanding of SEBM research, the framework has implications for SEBM development policy and practice. It can also be used as an instrument for evaluating business models. Furthermore, the paper identifies six key research directions for the post-COVID-19 era, covering the studies of determinants and ecosystems, emerging economies, new SEBMs, location- and culture-specific models, sustainability, and combined impacts on socioeconomics.