Coworking Spaces Research Articles

In search of member needs in coworking spaces

Coworking spaces represent a new trend for future workplaces. As more building owners are interested in running coworking space businesses, it becomes important to understand both why a potential member chooses one space over another and how to keep existing members at a coworking site. A sound understanding of member needs can make a difference. Unfortunately, very few studies have been conducted as to understanding a member’s basic needs in coworking spaces. In this paper, we aim to identify member’s needs in three coworking spaces in Sweden. Participant observations, immersion, and interviews were used for data collection. The member needs are categorized and structured through the lens of self-determination theory. In total, we uncovered, formulated, and categorized 21 member needs. We found that the fulfillment of one need may lead to the inhibition of another, thus creating tensions between and within coworking members. This research contributes to the literature by addressing the importance and definition of member needs for coworking as well as the created tensions related to these needs, which have been lacking in coworking studies.

Employee Creativity in Coworking Spaces: Towards a Conceptual Framework

Creative performance of knowledge workers outside the traditional office setting has become highly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. The prepandemic trend of companies using coworking spaces as an alternative workplace arrangement is expected to grow further. One important driver is that these collaborative workspaces are considered effective facilitators of creativity and innovation. The aim of this study is to fill a research gap by examining how corporate coworking may foster employee creativity, crucial for firm´s competitiveness and long-term survival. A systematic review of the coworking literature is conducted to critically evaluate employee creativity in coworking spaces. Structural, relational, and cognitive social capital along with an individual and contextual view of creativity are utilized as the theoretical foundation for analysis and synthesis. A novel conceptual framework is proposed for empirical examination of creative performance in a corporate coworking context. The study reveals that creative outcomes of coworking are largely taken for granted. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the most prominent factors influencing employee creativity in coworking settings are social interaction and knowledge sharing. We argue that fostering creativity in shared office environments is a complex phenomenon worth further scholarly attention. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and future research avenues are proposed.

The Consumerization of Work in the Modern City: Storefronts, Coworking, and the Convergence of Production and Consumption

The use and reuse of urban storefront spaces provide a lens into the economic activities of neighbourhoods and cities. As a spatial typology, the urban storefront has adapted to economic change and accommodated new uses over time. Coworking has emerged as a legitimate social architecture of the new economy, and coworking spaces have increasingly layered themselves into the physical architecture of the storefronts and streetscapes of major cities. This article contextualizes the coworking space along the historic trajectory of the urban storefront and draws from speci fic examples of street-level coworking spaces in New York City developed through exploratory case study methods. The main argument is that by situating coworking space at street level, work has become an increasingly consumerized experience that is marketed and sold like other goods and services. This trend off ers an alternative to retail use, thus providing an opportunity to rebalance the mix of uses in neighbourhoods and cities. The article concludes with re flections to inform planning and design.

The reaction of coworking spaces to the COVID-19 pandemic. A dynamic capabilities perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many firms reassessing how to deal with their communities. In this study, we focus on a coworking space and examine how the management staff and its coworking community reacted to the pandemic. The uniqueness of coworking spaces is that the community is both the paying customer and it is an integral part of the coworking value proposition. For this paper, a case study in Amsterdam was analyzed and the symbiotic relationship between the coworking space and one of its key resources (the community) was examined. We build on dynamic capabilities theory to identify the processes of how a firm and its community maneuver through the pandemic. We propose that in vibrant times, firms and communities should work in close alignment in order to sense, seize, and transform resources and opportunities.

Strategic Formulation Analysis of Coworking Space Businesses Using Containers

The coworking spaces are now alternative locations and workspaces for many professions. PT Space Digital Indonesia (PT SDI) is a startup company with the Space-Con brand that is committed to the coworking space industry. It proposes the concept of coworking spaces by using containers and targeting the market share of buffer cities (satellite cities) in some parts of Indonesia as business locations. Targeted customer segments are the creative actors of the industry such as digital nomads, start-ups, and MSMEs. Companies need to plan strategies and perform business model analysis. Strategy methods use Value Proposition Canvas, IFE, EFE, VRIO, CPM, SWOT, IE Matrix, QSPM, Porter's Generic Strategy, Lean Business Canvas Model. The results of this analysis may assist in identifying the appropriate business model. The right strategy and business model will enable newly created start-ups to be competitive and sustainable. Keywords: Containers, Coworking Space, SWOT, QSPM, Value Proposition Canvas.

Coworking spaces and collaborative practices

Collaborative practices underlie the creation of innovation yet how and when these practices emerge is not well understood, particularly given the presence of flexible and open workspaces. Based on seven case studies of entrepreneurial Tech/FinTech firms in London, we explore how collaborative spaces lead to collaborative practices, when they do. Our findings suggest the enabling and inhibiting role of interstitial spaces (e.g. informality and spatiality) and identify catalysts in the emergence of collaborative practices in a coworking space. A theoretical and critical contextualisation advances our understanding of how collaborative practices emerge and articulates the conditionality of openness in the form of underlying mechanisms for collaboration and, subsequently (open) innovation outcomes. We discuss implications for future research and management of coworking spaces.

Location of Coworking Spaces (CWSs) Regarding Vicinity, Land Use and Points of Interest (POIs)

Background: The place of work is, besides the place of residence, a main travel destination in the course of the day for working people, who make up the majority of western European societies. Other daily destinations, such as those for childcare, social activities, and buying groceries, are spatially related to both of these. This article aims to detect if and how the character of the neighbourhood and the associated land use is related to the location of coworking spaces. Specifically, we investigate the spatial relation between coworking spaces (CWSs) in peripheral and non-peripheral regions to specific points of interest (POIs). These POIs could be daily destinations relevant for a common lifestyle of working people. The data rely on identifying the location of CWSs (peripheral/non-peripheral, land use) in Germany and relating the location of CWSs to the location of POIs using georeferenced data. The results show an accumulation of CWSs and POIs in non-peripheral regions and residential areas and a higher number of specific POIs in their vicinity. From these results, we infer that a relatively higher number of specific POIs in the vicinity of CWSs makes it more likely to use this service and thus provides specific advantages to users of CWSs. If work is performed in a CWS close to the place of residence, other daily destinations could be reached in a short time and the spending capacity could remain in the local economy. The quality of life could increase, and the commute is shrinking with effects on traffic, carbon emission, and work–life balance. Further research could investigate whether this also occurs in an international context, and could focus on developing social-spatial models, by making of use remote sensing. In this way, one could measure the impact on public space and on the neighbourhood of CWSs more quantitatively.

Site Selection of Co-Working Spaces under the Influence of Multiple Factors: A Case Study in Hangzhou, China

Co-working spaces (CWSs) have gradually become a new form of spatial economic activity in large cities in China. This not only innovates the traditional office model, but also helps to realize the efficient utilization of office buildings and the sustainable development of office spaces. Taking Hangzhou as a case study, this paper uses big data analysis technologies including Python and ArcGIS to reveal the distribution characteristics of CWSs. From the perspectives of traffic accessibility, business atmosphere, innovation environment, living convenience, and rental cost, we innovatively constructed an indicator system of factors affecting site selection of CWSs. We then conducted an empirical study to reveal the influence mechanism behind different factors. Our conclusions are as follows: (1) CWSs in Hangzhou generally present a multi-center distribution pattern; (2) based on the different degrees of dependence of the target customer groups on resources such as commerce, capital, and information, the factor that has the most significant impact on the site of CWSs is the regional innovation environment, and its weight is 0.3941. The order of importance of other influencing factors is the convenience of life (0.3147), business atmosphere (0.1352), and traffic conditions (0.1171). The cost of rent has the most negligible impact on site selection, and its weight is only 0.0195. We hope that the research can be used to provide a scientific basis for the rational planning and development guidance of CWSs.

Interorganizational coworking: attenuating complexity, enhancing resilience and fostering open innovation and knowledge cocreation

PurposeThis study aims to explore how interorganizational coworking spaces (CWS) affect complexity, resilience, open innovation and knowledge cocreation.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative study using the exploratory design. Data are gathered through semistructured interviews and naturalistic observation in six different CWS.FindingsIn line with previous studies, the findings show that being in a CWS with professionals of various backgrounds and contained levels of diversity make people prone to communication and knowledge sharing. Differently from previous research about knowledge creation in CWS, this study discovered that knowledge cocreation was only averagely affected. Complexity and resilience were the most influenced dimensions with scores higher than average, followed by open innovation and knowledge cocreation.Research limitations/implicationsMain limitations are related to the qualitative method itself which may not reach the data saturation and with the nonsynergistic analysis of all dimensions together. A further limitation arose because of the COVID-19 pandemic which contributed to downsizing the number of participants while restricting the options of the involved research instruments. The implications for research are related to a need for further studies using large-scale surveys to strengthen the reliability of research. Additionally, more research is needed to explore the multiple dimensions of open innovation, complexity and resilience in CWS.Practical implicationsFor CWS providers, it is recommended to create thematic/clustered areas of collaboration based on specific professions. For early-stage businesses, freelancers and micro/entrepreneurial firms that do not wish to lease their own office, CWS provide an opportunity for value cocreation and open innovation.Social implicationsCWS, either physical or virtual, can be used as a retreat approach and a socialization platform, especially for those in need to recover from post-traumatic stress due to the imposed isolation caused by COVID-19 pandemic.Originality/valueGiven the unexplored phenomena of complexity and resilience in CWS, the major contribution of this research is related to the impact of interorganizational coworking upon complexity and resilience.

Fluid objects? An attempt to conceptualise the global rise of “coworking spaces”

AbstractThe paper explores the emergence and proliferation of “coworking spaces”. Driven by empirical observations during the last 10 years, the paper examines the analytical potential of the concept “fluid objects” to explain the global rise of coworking spaces. With remarkable speed, coworking spaces emerged worldwide during the last 15 years and receive enormous attention from researchers, policy‐makers, and the public. However, researchers still struggle to define coworking spaces and a closer look into the field reveals the diversity and heterogeneity of these facilities. How is it that such different places are nevertheless recognised as belonging to the same phenomenon? Within Science and Technology Studies (STS), the notion of “fluid objects” has been developed to describe entities obtaining their strength through adaptability and flexibility. The paper argues that fluidity is a useful conceptual foundation to better understand the emergence and proliferation of coworking spaces. The primary conceptual ideas presented in this paper are enhanced with empirical data, collected from different coworking spaces in Berlin, Amsterdam, and North Rhine‐Westphalia.

PERANCANGAN COWORKING SPACE DI KOTA SINGKAWANG

Singkawang City has the potential to increase the service sector in the creative industry in the film sector which is influenced by the potential of Singkawang City tourist destinations. The workers in the creative industry sector, not only come from within the city but also from outside the city, both for work and family trips while working. To meet the needs of facilities and workspace, Coworking Space was chosen. The design method starts with site selection based on the RTRW in trade and service areas, easy access and adequate infrastructure. At the analysis stage, referring to the actors, types of activities and facilities for the creative film industry, analysis of location, circulation, orientation, vegetation, and zoning. The area is divided into four areas, namely the parking area, reception area, green open space (RTH) area and work area. The design concept is a parking area that is divided into car parking and motorbike parking. The reception area is a receptionist area and the hall is a barrier from the public area in the parking lot. The green open space area is a large park to be used as a place for film production, promotions, and the like, as well as reducing noise entering the work area. The work area as a coworking space is designed with a hierarchy on each floor. The ground floor is semi-public, the first and second floors are semi-private, the third floor is private, and the rooftop is semi-public.

Are Coworkers in the Italian Peripheral Areas Performing Better? A Counterfactual Analysis

Coworking spaces are “serendipity accelerators” designed to host creative people and entrepreneurs. While recent literature has started exploring the indirect effects of coworking spaces on the local context, little is still known on how coworking spaces may directly affect the coworkers’ economic performance and wellbeing. Using a novel dataset based on a survey of 326 CWs working in the Italian coworking spaces in 2018, this paper explores the potential economic impact for coworkers, depending on whether a coworking space is localized in a peripheral or an urban area. Through a propensity-score matching approach, we found that being located in a peripheral area for coworkers may represent an opportunity to earn more than working in an urban center. The same holds for the organization coworkers belong to.

How (Im)Mobile Are Coworkers in Mid-Sized Cities? Comparing the Spatial Mobility Trajectories of Coworking Communities in Lille, Lyon and Rouen

This paper studies the spatial mobility of around a thousand coworkers of three, mid-sized French cities to better understand coworking spaces. Our analysis, based on online available data on coworkers’ career and education trajectories, and confirmed by selected interviews with the founder, managers and users of the three coworking spaces, reveals a community with purposefully reduced mobility. We provide insights into how coworking spaces, by pooling a diversity of local resources, foster dynamism and allow a reduced spatial mobility option for a less kinetic elite of highly educated workers. Coworking spaces allow coworkers to develop entrepreneurial capabilities whilst striking a balance with their private life. The studied coworking community collectively achieves its goals, with individuals engaging in little international mobility and an overall reduced spatial mobility.

Coworking spaces – solidarity community in times of plague

Analysing the importance of social support, overcoming alienation, and investigating solidarity mechanism and group cohesion are the significant challenges of modern social systems. In this article, I consider the vital issue of changes in the sphere of work and the specifics of coworking in the pandemic, both in matters related to the running of coworking itself and also aspects related to interpersonal relations and dealing with uncertainty. This article addresses the problem of the role of coworking space and the epidemic’s impact on the labour market, especially among freelancers and micro-entrepreneurs in Poland. More specifically, the article aims to consider the following elements of the covid era on the labour market: the importance of social support, solidarity, the experience of uncertainty and risk and overcoming social aspects of isolation. Thus, I pose the research question: What were the changes in the functioning of coworking spaces during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the restrictions were the most severe? The research data presented in this paper are drawn from an internet survey with users of coworking spaces – freelancers and micro-entrepreneurs – conducted during the first lockdown in Poland (April 1–14, 2020). Flexible working methods represent a structural change that will inevitably increase in the coming months and years. The community that is created around CSs evokes mutual responsibility and loyalty; the relationships that bind them affect their commitment. Coworkers, as a community, recognised and pooled their resources. They develop a shared repertoire of experiences, stories, tools, and ways of addressing recurring problems.

What makes Rural Enterprise Hubs and Coworking Spaces different to their urban equivalents?

What makes Rural Enterprise Hubs and Coworking Spaces different to their urban equivalents?

Co-Working Spaces: Coherent for Combining Entrepreneurship and SSE?

Si la littérature souligne l’intérêt des espaces de travail collaboratifs pour créer des dynamiques communautaires favorables à l’entrepreneuriat, peu de travaux s’intéressent à la façon dont ces lieux promeuvent des projets d’entrepreneuriat dans l’économie sociale et solidaire. Une recherche qualitative conduite auprès d’un espace de coworking à finalité sociale et solidaire fait ressortir l’importance d’une cohérence entre le projet social et solidaire et le modèle économique. Elle souligne la pertinence d’une approche longitudinale et située pour saisir la façon dont ces derniers co-évoluent, au travers de l’articulation des espaces et de la construction des communautés.

Coworking spaces and makerspaces: Mapping the state of research

Coworking and its merits and benefits have been under heavy scholarly investigation. Also in practice, the phenomenon with its characteristics and manifestations becomes increasingly relevant on many levels and for many different types of people and organizations. But why is that so, and how are the research activities distributed between researchers, countries, and journals? To answer these questions, we first analyzed existing literature and extracted the focal points of the respective approaches. We conducted a cluster analysis on the existing literature by analyzing data from the Web of Science. With these clusters, we show the development of the research stream and how the studies are connected. The findings point towards the relevance of coworking spaces for innovative behavior and knowledge exchange, making them a place for work and social exchange and a tool for pursuing daily work, innovative ideas, knowledge creation, and interaction. With these findings, we contribute to the understanding of this research stream as a whole and provide a deeper understanding of the available studies and how they are connected. This allows researchers to understand where the interest came from, where it is going and how they can contribute to the topic. Our study indicates that scholars should take a broad approach towards the phenomenon coworking. It set food in many different research areas and all of them are important for a holistic understanding, showing potential for interesting studies. On a practical note, the factors that coworking influences need to be rethought throughout the whole work environment.

Coworking — A New Entrepreneurship Model in the Sharing Economy

The starting point for the considerations contained in the article is ‘the sharing economy’ as a new business model. It modifies the way resources are used. Nowadays, possession of resources loses its significance at the expense of their temporary accessibility. In this context, resources can be numerous: time, skills, cars, bicycles, living and office space, just to name a few. In the last case, sharing is referred to as ‘coworking’. It is identified with the new work culture, which enables freelancers and other people working remotely to concentrate in a shared office space. The research hypothesis concerns differences in the functioning of coworking spaces depending on the location. These spaces can be found not only in large cities but more often in small towns and rural areas. Their offer and way of functioning significantly differ. The purpose of the article is to present the essence of coworking and the differences arising from the functioning of coworking spaces in large cities as well as in small towns and rural areas. The article uses employs such research methods as literature studies and case studies from the USA, Italy, Ireland, Serbia and Poland. Literature studies were used to present the idea of coworking, its benefits and users. It was also indicated that coworking spaces bring added value in the form of such values as, among others, community, openness, and cooperation. Analysis of case studies has shown that examples of coworking derived from small towns and rural areas, unlike the ones in agglomerations, arise as a result of grass-roots initiatives, they are not of a commercial nature, and their survival is very precarious. Even though their offer is much more modest than that of network ones from large cities, they use their potential. It can be presumed that the level of relations between coworking participants (mutual assistance, cooperation, trust) is inversely proportional to the size of the city/rural area. This is a contribution to further in-depth research on the features of coworking spaces.

Proximity, Innovation, Collaboration; Developing the 4th “Extended Reality” Space

The digital “4th Space” is a development of Oldenburg’s delineation of the 1st (home), 2nd place (work) and 3rd (social) places. Coworking spaces are presented as an example of space blurring within the knowledge economy, where digitalization, knowledge flows, flexibility and innovation play out at the micro level. Post-pandemic, they are likely to play a greater role as remote working remains a permanent feature. But how should we reassess their role in the advent of the 4th space, and what might the 4th space mean for how the role of proximity itself is (re)conceptualized in relation to collaboration and innovation? To do so, providing examples, we suggest the journey from the telephone to extended reality (XR) video conferencing technologies as a means to understand the evolution of the 4th space. We discuss (XR) spaces and the opportunities to afford proximity and collaboration, thus providing an agenda for further research.

Amplifying Employability Skills to Create Co-Working Space for Human and Cobots in the E-Commerce Industry

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the E-commerce industry by predicting the shopping patterns and providing the customized shopping solutions. The germination phase of Industry 5.0 has provided a collaboration of Cobots and Humans assisting each other at work. The study has been conducted to scrutinize the Employability skills required for the creation of the co-working space for Human and Cobots to work together. Relative Importance Index (RII) & Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is utilized to develop the “Employability Skills Interface for Industry 5.0” for improving work performance in the organisational level.