Transformation of do-it-yourself from altruistic to utilitarian tendency: DIY entrepreneurs and sustainable practices in shared economy market conditions

Abstract

Purpose

In this study, it is aimed to examine do-it-yourself (DIY) practices from sustainable and entrepreneurship perspectives and to understand how transformation mechanism works in between altruistic and utilitarian tendencies in shared economy market conditions. Meaning, material and competency of practice theory will be indicative in explaining transformation of existing practices, how practice is transformed and diffused in market ecosystem through the introduction of new objects and opportunities to better understand how values and meanings change.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a phenomenological research interested in explaining contingency of sustainability in between altruistic and market conditions in shared economy ecosystem through DIY practices. The sample of this study is made up of 15 participants actively carrying out DIY activities. Data is analysed with MAXQDA Analytics Pro 2018 program through grounded coding technique.

Findings

DIYers' relationship with market results them to create roles subject to their dependence on altruistic values of sustainability and their stance to anti-consumption in between alternative and mainstream economy. When they converge to the market, DIY activities turn into medium of marketing activities. When they diverge from the market, they become “transformers” embracing principles of shared economy. Contingency appears depending on three conditions: one is related with active participation in DIY or market practices. Second is related with occupation status that DIYers have. Third is related with competence that active DIYers have.

Research limitations/implications

This study is aimed only at active participants. Therefore, it is possible to see the effects of altruistic and market behaviour more clearly. However, this group represents a minor group that will make it possible to comment on a small group. This is one of the limitations of this study.

Originality/value

In the study, proximity and distance to mainstream market condition are taken as the basis and market structure is taken as an agent. By this way, DIYers' activities evaluated not only from social and economical perspective but also their transformation compared to capitalist market conditions challenging altruistic values of DIY, sustainability and sharing economy. Thus, this study is evaluating sustainability, shared economy and DIY not as an entity but as a process.

Citation

Üstündağlı Erten, E. and Güzeloğlu, E.B. (2021), "Transformation of do-it-yourself from altruistic to utilitarian tendency: DIY entrepreneurs and sustainable practices in shared economy market conditions", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 127-143. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEQ-04-2020-0064