Collaborative Consumption Research Articles

Collaborative Consumption Practices in Kyrgyzstan

This research article studies collaborative consumption practices in Kyrgyzstan in the context of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Auckland Individualism and Collectivism dimensions. The research aims to answer the question: To what extent are the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Individualism and Collectivism dimensions relevant framework to explaining intention to engage in collaborative consumption and collaborative consumption behaviour. A quantitative online survey of 308 respondents was conducted. A linear regression analysis was performed using the R statistics engine. The study found that dimensions of the TPB such as attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and personal norms; and the dimension of individualism – responsibility are among the statistically significant positive predictors of intentions to engage in collaborative consumption. Whereas personal norms, behavioural beliefs, advice, and closeness are positive; biospheric value orientations and harmony are negative factors impacting the collaborative consumption behaviour of respondents.

Motivations for Peer-to-Peer Accommodation: Exploring Sustainable Choices in Collaborative Consumption

This research aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge of Collaborative Consumption (CC) by exploring the motivations that influence the use of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) accommodation platforms from the demand side. There has been a significant increase in interest in sustainable choices regarding P2P accommodation in recent years. To address this gap and contribute to the collaborative consumption and P2P accommodation theory, a quantitative study was conducted through a survey yielding 235 responses from both users and non-users of P2P platforms. The findings of this study suggest that P2P accommodation platform usage is influenced by multiple factors, including sustainability, belonging, economic benefits, and convenience. Interestingly, the study also found that individuals with higher levels of academic qualifications are more likely to adopt this mode of consumption. Moreover, the study is the first of its kind to quantitatively address this topic. By understanding the motivations of P2P platform users, policymakers and practitioners can develop targeted strategies to promote sustainable choices in this sector. Overall, this study provides a useful framework for future research on collaborative consumption and sustainable P2P accommodation.

Gig worker typology and research agenda: advancing research for frontline service providers

PurposeThe unique employment status of gig workers as independent contractors and their impact on consumers provide an important opportunity for the current research to understand gig workers' perceptions of their employment and how that affects job performance outcomes. These gig workers serve as the frontline service providers for platforms like Airbnb hosts, Lyft drivers and Wag walkers performing customer-facing services. However, their status as gig workers, not traditional employees, presents challenges to platforms. The purpose of this research is to gain insights into the profiles of gig workers, examine the challenges platforms have in retaining high-performing workers and provide a research agenda on this important group of frontline service providers.Design/methodology/approachIncorporating variables deemed important in examining self-determination theory, a large-scale data collection via an online survey was administered, yielding 447 completed surveys. A two-step cluster analysis procedure was conducted to categorize sample respondents into four distinct groups.FindingsFour groups emerged from the cluster analysis, labeled “Ambivalent Outsider,” “Competent Cog,” “Independent Insider” and “Committed Comrade.” The results suggest that there are significant differences across all variables and groups based on gig worker responses and self-reported customer satisfaction scores. The gig worker profiles developed are then utilized to formulate research propositions that are the basis for the research agenda presented.Practical implicationsThe goal of many collaborative consumption platforms may be to hire Independent Insiders or Committed Comrades; however, that is difficult to attain with every hire. Thus, the segmentation results provide insights for companies seeking to hire, retain, and successfully motivate their workforce.Originality/valueGiven the freedom and flexibility afforded to gig workers, and the importance they have on the service experience for customers, understanding their own perceptions of employment and performance is critical to ensuring a positive experience for all parties. Research on collaborative consumption has largely focused on consumers or the management of freelance workers with only tangential applicability to gig work. This paper offers a comprehensive research agenda for gig worker management based on the typology of gig workers created.

THE SHARING ECONOMY'S SUCCESS: ADVANTAGES, DRAWBACKS, AND APPLICATIONS

AbstractThe emergence of intermediary platforms created networks that facilitate peer-to-peer interactions, as well as encourage the sharing of goods and services within the context of collaborative consumption and cost saving. This article sets out to inspect “why the sharing economy is so successful” and provide a critical viewpoint on the topic's essential ideas, while also taking a perspective on the advantages and disadvantages that affect the end users. A literature review paired with case studies of Airbnb, Uber, and other applications of the shared economy, looks upon how despite their rapid market growth in the past decade and public approval, such platforms caused disruptions to the markets they operate in. Results indicate that by being involved as a part of the collaborative consumption ecosystem, either as a provider or a user, the absence of personal ownership is key, while the utilisation of the product needs to be maximised to result in a pleasant experience. However, it is critical that the development of these platforms which thrive on connecting people stays closely monitored by regulatory bodies, and that the legislation needed for prevention of unethical practices follows quickly enough to ensure rightful operation.

Does beauty encourage sharing? Exploring the role of physical attractiveness and racial similarity in collaborative fashion consumption

Collaborative consumption (CC)—where consumers share ownership of commodities—has gained tremendous popularity in recent years. Nevertheless, studies have yet to uncover unique factors that can be leveraged by companies to increase purchase intentions toward shareable goods. One of the major concerns among CC users is the issue of contamination. Applying the theories of consumer contamination, physical attractiveness, and similarity attraction, this study examines the influence of positive contamination factors involved in CC of fashion items through two experimental studies with 242 responses. Results show that consumers preferred to purchase items from an attractive or racially similar seller over an unattractive or racially dissimilar seller, and their contamination perceptions were lower for items associated with an attractive or racially similar seller. Such results did not differ across product types with varying degrees of contact. Findings extend current research in CC by revealing meaningful implications for practitioners on alleviating consumers’ concerns about contamination.

Exploring the relationship between trusts, likability, brand loyalty, and revisit intentions in the context of Airbnb

研究目的协作消费由于其快速增长而引起了研究人员的关注。 基于文献中对于认知、情感和意向与协作消费之间的因果关系, 本文调查了 Airbnb 背景下品牌忠诚度和重访意图的驱动因素。研究设计/方法/途数据是通过在线调查从 399 名 Airbnb 用户那里收集的。 PLS-SEM 用于检验假设。 中介测试通过多重中介分析进行。研究发研究表明, 客户对房东和 Airbnb 的信任增强了品牌喜爱度, 从而提高了满意度、品牌忠诚度和重访意愿。 此外, 满意度通过品牌忠诚度的全面调节影响重访意愿。究原创性然已有文献从消费者的角度讨论信任并将其分为两种类型, 但信任对品牌好感度的影响从未被检验过。 基于认知、情感和意向之间的因果关系, 本文首次调查了平台和房东的信任作为品牌好感度的关键驱动因素, 从而提高了 Airbnb 背景下的客户满意度、品牌忠诚度和重访意愿。

To Share or Not to Share: A Framework for Understanding Coworker Collaborative Consumption

We extend prior research by empirically demonstrating employees’ attitude–behavior gap when sharing goods and services with coworkers using platform technology. We also integrate theories on psychological ownership and territoriality in organizations with the theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model to develop an individual-level framework for understanding employees’ adoption of organization-sponsored sharing platforms, or lack thereof. Specifically, our abductive analysis of interview data from a field study illustrates how psychological ownership attitudes, sustainable consumption norms, and technology usability perceptions influence employees’ sharing motivations and intentions. Our findings and framework provide organizations with a roadmap for increasing employee engagement and corporate social responsibility through coworker collaborative consumption. Managers should promote sustainable consumption in their organization and strengthen related employee norms to facilitate the sharing of goods and services among coworkers, which helps build community at work. Managers should also ensure that the chosen organizational-sponsored sharing platforms are easy to use so that employees perceive this technology as useful and feel confident using it. The implementation of these strategies should enable organizations to successfully extend the sharing economy to the workplace. Future research could also leverage our contextualized construct definitions to develop survey measures for quantitatively testing and refining our framework.

Shared mobility companies: A multi-case study comparing different business models and their performances

Shared mobility is one of the smart mobility services that has emerged in the smart city paradigm. It is being adopted by several companies and startups, using distinct business models with different results. So, an important question is: how do mobility companies adopt sharing business models for enhanced performance in this context? This paper aims to propose an empirical model to analyze which components from smart mobility, collaborative consumption, and multisided platforms have been incorporated into companies' business models and their relationship with companies´ results. It was applied to 14 case studies of Brazilian shared mobility companies to investigate the relationship between these components and the business goals proposed by the authors (active company, survival, and mobile application ratings). This study offers a theoretical contribution to deepening the knowledge in this area, considering that the authors found no similar studies. Canvas business model framework, qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), content analysis, and cross-case analysis were applied to analyze these case studies. The results pointed to the necessary components for achieving the business goals and the sufficient conditions for the company's failure. Hence, this research can help entrepreneurs who wish to launch new platforms for shared mobility services – safeguarding the specific characteristics of the cases analyzed. It also allows managers to understand these business models and design operational structures that could benefit from the conclusions that emerged from this study.

Dynamics of negotiated use of public open spaces between children and adults in an African city

The sustainable development goal (SDG) 11 emphasizes the role of public open space (POS) in creating inclusive and liveable cities. The present study coupled concepts of right to the city, inclusion, and negotiation to illustrate how inner-city children and adults establish a harmonized consumption of a district POS. The study examines how different age groups can achieve a consensus-based consumption of a vulnerable, small, and intensively used POS in Kano City, Nigeria. Data were collected using 358 self-administered questionnaires and field observation and analyzed using thematic content analysis, a multifunctional matrix, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to illustrate the negotiated uses of the POS. The study found that children and adults in this densely populated city depend on the POS covering only 0.5 ha for recreational, religious, and informal commercial activities. Users reach a consensus regarding sharing and separation of uses in a zero-conflict and lively atmosphere, underscoring the multifunctionality of this small POS. This study contributes to our understanding of the values of POS as a platform for fostering social coexistence, multiculturalism, tolerance, sharing, and collaborative consumption of scarce resources in cities. The study can assist municipalities in developing inclusive strategies for implementing SDG 11 to create more sustainable cities and communities.

Sustainable Consumption and Practice Theories: Connecting Elements of Clothing Sharing

Changes in lifestyles and clothing consumption patterns as paths to a sustainable society defines sharing as one of the strategies of slow fashion. Through practice theories, this research explores materials, competences and meanings that make up the practice. Thus, we sought to identify how the elements and the dynamics of clothing sharing are configured. Using a qualitative case study, data were collected through observations, semistructured interviews (individual and group), and a focus group carried out with practitioners and providers of a collaborative store. Our results revealed that: (a) for practitioners, the practice of sharing means exclusivity, economy, and sustainable consumption; (b) for providers, the practice is linked to a conscious consumption as an opportunity for more sustainable business, including financially (c) and different materials guide the practice of sharing clothes. The elements of clothing sharing are similar between practitioners and providers; therefore, they indicate the effectiveness of the practice, in addition to pursuing sustainable consumption. The research then contributes to the development of research on sustainable consumption once it identifies management practices aimed at the collaborative consumption of clothing.

Does value co-creation matter? Assessing consumer responses in the sharing economy

PurposeThe sharing economy has evolved as a result of the diffusion of information and communication technology and facilitates collaborative consumption and production otherwise known as value co-creation. The present research aims to explore the consumer responses to value co-creation in sharing economy such as satisfaction, brand preference and enduring buyer–platform relationships, amid consumer's CSR concerns.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the sharing economy and value co-creation literature and rooted in the stimulus-organism-response framework, an online panel data provider was employed to recruit 393 actual sharing economy consumers from the United States. Empirical analyses are performed using structural equation modeling through Amos, version.27.FindingsFindings confirm that value co-creation intentions contribute to consumers' satisfaction, brand preference and sustainable social relationships in the sharing economy. As expected, heightened concerns of corporate social responsibility (CSR) led to decreased consumer satisfaction with the sharing economy platform.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the digital sharing economy literature by emphasizing the role of CSR perceptions for building long-term relationships (buyer–platform relationships) where value co-creation is crucial.

The role of environmental literacy, psychological distance of climate change, and collectivism on generation Z's collaborative consumption tendency

AbstractParallel with increasing concerns about climate change and the emergence of sharing platforms, collaboration in consumption has become prominent, especially among Generation Z consumers. Drawing upon the self‐determination and construal‐level theories, the present study proposes a pioneering moderated‐mediation model that delineates Generation Z consumers' collaborative consumption tendency. Data were collected among 455 respondents in an emerging economy (i.e., Turkey) via a non‐probabilistic purposive sampling technique. Furthermore, a covariance‐based structural equation modeling was utilized to test the proposed causal relationships between environmental literacy, collaborative consumption tendency, the psychological distance of climate change, and collectivism. The study findings highlighted that environmental literacy affects collaborative consumption tendency, while the strength of the relationship is augmented for respondents who were self‐reportedly collectivists. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the psychological distance of climate change mediates the relationship between environmental literacy and collaborative consumption tendency, while the magnitude of the mediation effect is amplified in collectivist participants. Based on the empirical findings, the present study extends self‐determination and construal‐level theory while offering strategic directions and insights for sharing platform industry.

Renting than Buying Apparel: U.S. Consumer Collaborative Consumption for Sustainability

Apparel rental service is a business model that is becoming increasingly popular in recent years as consumers become more conscious of their environmental impact and look for ways to reduce waste and save money. However, our knowledge on this changing consumer behavior is scant. To address the gap in the literature, this study aimed to identify the determinants driving U.S. consumers’ intention to use apparel rental services. Building on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), a research model was proposed. The primary data were gathered by an online survey of U.S. consumers through Qualtrics. A total of 338 eligible responses were obtained for data analysis and hypothesis testing. The results show that attitude, subjective norms, perceived consumer effectiveness, environmental knowledge, perceived personal relevance, and past environmental behavior significantly influence U.S. consumers’ intention to adopt apparel rental services. In addition, attitude plays a partial mediating role in the effects of environmental knowledge and perceived personal relevance on U.S. consumers’ intent to use apparel rental services. The demographic variables including age, gender, education level, and income level do not significantly influence U.S. consumer intention to rent apparel. The proposed research model exhibits a high explanatory power, collectively accounting for 74.7% of the variance in U.S. consumers’ intention to adopt apparel rental services.

Collaborative Consumers Can Be Ethical Consumers: Adapting the Defining Issues Test to Understand Ethical Reasoning in Collaborative Consumption Markets

Collaborative consumption activities like saving food and buying used clothes are an important and rapidly growing part of sustainable consumer behavior. Many political and commercial campaigns promote collaborative consumption practices by highlighting subsets of normative motives, such as sustainable, social, and ecological effects. Whether or not consumers can comprehend these claims and incorporate them into their decision-making process is, however, unclear. This article introduces a new experimental study design to ethical consumer research—an adapted version of the Defining Issues Test—that enables to assess consumers’ ability to cognitively and intuitively understand moral arguments in collaborative consumption contexts. The experiment was conducted with N = 435 collaborative consumers from Germany. The findings indicate that in different collaborative consumption contexts, consumers consider different moral arguments as important. Furthermore, the findings also indicate that consumers can incorporate the provider’s point of view in their moral judgment.

R&D cooperation in collaborative consumption of research equipment: An ERGM approach

High-tech research infrastructure is essential for state-of-the-art research, but requires many resources. Relatively weak actors, such as SMEs, cannot secure enough of those. Applying the concept of collaborative consumption via digital platforms, we examine the cooperative behavior of Korean SMEs that share research equipment to overcome their lack of resources. Also, we analyze configurations of a collaborative consumption network using the Exponential Random Graph Model. Network structural factor analysis shows sufficient effects of network positive feedback through cooperative consumption with a variety of popular providers and attributes analysis shows that SMEs frequently engage in collaborative consumption with their counterparts in the same region. This new cooperative model can achieve a virtuous cycle of policies, as it increases the efficiency of research infrastructure, preventing the unnecessary building of new research equipment and enabling relocation of underutilized infrastructure and online reservation of equipment.

Diffusion of moral behavior on a collaborative consumption platform: Dual mechanisms of deindividuation and self-presentation

ABSTRACT Although collaborative consumption platforms (CCPs) have achieved rapid growth, the increase in misbehavior on CCPs has made users hesitant to participate. This study examines how previous moral behavior influences subsequent moral behavior and how deindividuation and self-disclosure, as psychological mechanisms, influence subsequent moral behavior. To test the hypotheses, this study conducted two experiments. Data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The results show that the previous user’s misbehavior (or good behavior) positively affects the subsequent user’s misbehavior (or good behavior). Furthermore, without self-disclosure, deindividuation mediates the effect of the previous user’s misbehavior on the subsequent user’s misbehavior. Conversely, when there is self-disclosure, self-presentation mediates the effect of the previous user’s good behavior on the subsequent user’s good behavior. The study provides a diffusion model of moral behavior on CCPs through a dual mechanism of deindividuation and self-presentation while considering self-disclosure as a nudge.

‘I prefer to own what I use’: Exploring the role of emotions in upscaling collaborative consumption through libraries in Norway

The generalisation of collaborative consumption as a practice embedded in everyday practices such as cooking, cleaning, repairing, commuting, and exercising can reduce material and resource use, but has not yet achieved its full potential in Western societies. This article contributes to an emerging literature focusing on emotions as an integral part of practices and investigates how they might promote or hamper the scaling up collaborative consumption. The study draws on quantitative and qualitative data to, first, describe the emotions associated with sharing and their relationship with other bundled practices and, second, explore the potential of upscaling collaborative consumption through libraries, institutions with long traditions in organised sharing. Through the case study of sports equipment and a municipal library in Norway, we find that interventions that encourage positive emotions such as excitement and reward and that reduce the need to regulate negative emotions associated with sharing can recruit practitioners to collaborative consumption. Explicit and long-term engagement by libraries in the lending of culturally meaningful equipment such as skis in Norway can potentially reduce the need for regulating the embarrassment and discomfort associated with not owning them.

CIRCULAR START-UPS IN TURKEY: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

As world population grows, the need for the transition to a circular economy from a linear one is increasing. Such a transition can be made possible through the conversion of existing business models as well as introduction of new, circular ones. When it comes to application, circular business models can be adopted by both existing companies and start-ups. Among these two, academic research has traditionally focused more on existing companies. Therefore, more studies are needed on circular economy related activities of start-ups. As an exploratory study, this research analyses circularity strategies and circular business models used by start-ups within Turkey. The analysis is based on the data collected from 47 companies. As a result, it is found that most frequently used circularity strategy by circular start-ups in Turkey is Recyling, followed by Rethinking. As for circular business models used these companies, it is observed that Next Life- Extending Resource Value and Collaborative Consumption- Sharing Platform models are most popular ones. Also it is suggested that circular start-ups in Turkey can be categorised under five categories as 1) Recycling Companies, 2) Sharing Based Endeavors, 3) Recycled Material Users, 4) Second-Hand Product Marketplaces, 5) Waste Management Platforms

Does income inequality influence the role of a sharing economy in promoting sustainable economic growth? Fresh evidence from emerging markets

The impact of the sharing economy has become increasingly prominent in facilitating sustainable economic growth. The current study examined this relationship in the context of emerging markets. It addressed the influence of income inequality on restricting the expected benefits from activities associated with the sharing of assets or services. The study employed panel data from 20 developing countries across Africa and Asia from 2001 to 2020 and used dynamic models to mitigate the impact of endogeneity. The study utilised a proxy indicator for sharing economies developed in the literature, as well as three different measures for income inequality, in order to ensure robust findings. The study employed the generalised method of moments (GMM) as its primary methodology. The GMM results confirmed previous findings from developed countries in which the sharing economy tended to promote the sustainable growth of the economy. Income inequality was observed to have a negative relationship with sustainable economic growth, however, and this indicated that it hampered the ability of the sharing economy to stimulate sustainable growth. Interestingly, when the analysis included interaction terms to capture the moderating impact of income inequality there was more consistency with previous research. The interaction term had a negative coefficient, indicating that income inequality tended to act as an impediment in developing countries to the full capturing of the benefits of peer-to-peer transactions. These findings provided useful insights into collaborative consumption and the peer economy, given that the aim of the sharing of resources would be to capture rent from underused assets. The study suggested that the development of efficient and effective platforms would allow developing countries to capture the benefits of the sharing economy.

Willingness to receive and provide resources in Europe's non‐remunerated and remunerated collaborative consumption

AbstractRooted in theory of planned behavior (TPB) supplemented with self‐determination theory (SDT), this study explores determinants of willingness to receive and provide resources in Europe's non‐remunerated and remunerated collaborative consumption (CC). The exploration was conducted within a single research model by assessing the role of (a) TPB constructs reflecting attitude towards participation in CC, perceived social pressure to engage, and perceived level of difficulty that engagement requires and (b) SDT constructs of environmental, social, and economic motives for participation. The data were collected through an online questionnaire, and the structural relationships were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Willingness to consume in non‐remunerated and remunerated CC was positively directly influenced by social pressure to engage in CC and participation being perceived as pleasant, negatively by the level of difficulty that engagement requires, as well as positively indirectly influenced by environmental concern and sociability. Additionally, environmental concern had positive direct effect on willingness to consume only in the remunerated context. Willingness to provide in non‐remunerated CC was positively directly influenced by perceiving participation as pleasant and indirectly by environmental concern and sociability. Resource provision in remunerated CC was not explained by any of the determinants.