Search results

1 – 10 of over 7000
Article
Publication date: 11 June 2018

Christoph Mittendorf

This paper aims to focus on online hospitality platforms in the collaborative consumption environment. In particular, this paper investigates the impact of trust on the obtainers’…

3457

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on online hospitality platforms in the collaborative consumption environment. In particular, this paper investigates the impact of trust on the obtainers’ intentions to “inquire about accommodations” and to “request a booking” on Airbnb.com.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper takes the perspective of a potential renter, respectively, obtainer and adopts Gefen’s (2000) research model, which incorporates familiarity and trust in the e-commerce industry. In this regard, the paper extends the work on two-sided markets of Mittendorf (2016-2017). To verify the modified research model, a survey was conducted, gathering results from over 426 participants of which 255 valid responses from the Millennials generation were obtained. This paper uses covariance-based structural equation modeling to analyze both measurement and structural relationships regarding the interaction framework.

Findings

The results show empirical evidence that both “trust in the intermediary” and “trust in providers” are decisive for the obtainers’ intentions on the online platform. In this regard, this paper advances the understanding of the collaborative consumption mechanisms by adapting trust literature to validate the obtainers’ intentions on contemporary collaborative consumption platforms.

Research limitations/implications

While the unit of analysis of prior research comprises the general intention to share, this paper empirically validates a more deliberate decision of user intentions by focusing on the intention to inquire about accommodations (no registration necessary) and the intention to request a booking (registration necessary). However, this study is dependent on one setting and it is still unclear whether the results are generalizable to other collaborative consumption setups.

Originality/value

This paper is in line with the work of Mittendorf (2016-2017), thus, it uses a sophisticated statistical approach to analyze trust in the collaborative consumption environment, such as confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 35 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 July 2018

Hugo Guyader

This paper aims to focus on collaborative consumption, that is, the peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange of goods and services facilitated by online platforms. Anchored in the access…

2800

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on collaborative consumption, that is, the peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange of goods and services facilitated by online platforms. Anchored in the access paradigm, collaborative consumption (e.g. accommodation rental and ridesharing services) differs from commercial services offered by firms (e.g. business-to-customer [B2C] carsharing). The aim of this study is to examine the nuanced styles of collaborative consumption in relation to market-mediated access practices and socially mediated sharing practices.

Design/methodology/approach

Following the general research trend on mobility services, the context of long-distance ridesharing is chosen. Data collection was conducted using participant observation as peer service provider, 11 ethnographic interviews of consumers and a netnographic study of digital artifacts.

Findings

Using practice theory, ten ridesharing activities were identified. These activities and the nuances in the procedures, understandings and engagements in the ridesharing practice led to the distinction of three styles of collaborative consumption: communal collaborative consumption, which is when participants seek pro-social relationships in belonging to a community; consumerist collaborative consumption, performed by participants who seek status and convenience in the access lifestyle; and opportunistic collaborative consumption, when participants seek to achieve monetary gain or personal benefits from abusive activities.

Originality/value

By taking a phenomenological approach on collaborative consumption, this study adds to the understanding of the sharing economy as embedded in both a utilitarian/commercial economic system and a non-market/communal social system. The three styles of collaborative consumption propose a framework for future studies differentiating P2P exchanges from other practices (i.e. B2C access-based services and sharing).

Details

Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 32 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0887-6045

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 November 2022

Mark R. Gleim, Jennifer L. Stevens and Catherine M. Johnson

This research paper aims to provide conceptual clarity for marketplaces within the lateral exchange market framework. The advances in digital technologies have been critical to…

Abstract

Purpose

This research paper aims to provide conceptual clarity for marketplaces within the lateral exchange market framework. The advances in digital technologies have been critical to the growth of new marketplaces and forms of exchange. While there are many different names and manifestations of these marketplaces, the common thread is they all require digital platform intermediation. These marketplaces are referred to by a variety of names and characteristics, and a clear consensus has yet to be achieved.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a conceptual approach rooted in the marketing literature.

Findings

This study differentiates and defines the sharing economy, collaborative consumption and access-based consumption, as well as introduces the concept of liquid ownership – all under the LEM framework. Defining characteristics for each marketplace are noted to present a consistent classification of the focal concepts for the advancement of research and theory.

Research limitations/implications

As the number and types of lateral exchange marketplaces continue to grow, researchers need to have a clear delineation of the concepts. This research seeks to provide clarity on the disparate literature streams and introduces the concept of liquid ownership to allow for the advancement of research and theory surrounding these forms of consumption.

Practical implications

Understanding existing marketplaces is vital for online platforms as they develop new offerings and differentiate themselves in the marketplace. Additionally, opportunities for traditional businesses abound as they pursue new market opportunities and adapt to changing technologies. Thus, research questions concerning consumers and platform managers are presented.

Originality/value

This research contributes conceptual clarity on elements commonly associated with the sharing economy while expanding it to include elements found in LEMs. The concept of liquid ownership is also presented to reflect the evolving consumption landscape. Research opportunities and questions are provided to guide future scholarly work.

Article
Publication date: 8 April 2020

Simon Hazée, Thijs Johannes Zwienenberg, Yves Van Vaerenbergh, Tine Faseur, Audrey Vandenberghe and Olivier Keutgens

Technological innovations such as smart mobile devices and mobile applications gave rise to a new business model: collaborative consumption. This business model, which is…

1961

Abstract

Purpose

Technological innovations such as smart mobile devices and mobile applications gave rise to a new business model: collaborative consumption. This business model, which is receiving significant attention from researchers and practitioners, is characterized by an intermediating digital platform that facilitates exchanges between customers and peer service providers. However, many digital platform providers still fail to build a critical mass of demand and supply. Accordingly, the aim of this research is to develop a better understanding of the barriers perceived by both customers and peer service providers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a mixed-method qualitative approach to develop a comprehensive understanding of the factors that explain the rejection of collaborative consumption. In particular, six focus groups and 14 in-depth interviews were conducted, totaling 50 Belgian participants (with a mean age of 33 years). In addition, 375 online critical incidents—retrieved from various sources, such as review websites and social networks—were used for triangulation purposes. All data were analyzed using a thematic analytic approach.

Findings

Customers and peer service providers reject collaborative consumption because of a complex set of multidimensional functional and psychological barriers. In particular, actors may perceive barriers related to complexity, value, risk, compatibility, contamination, image, and responsibility, which prevent them from participating in collaborative consumption.

Originality/value

This paper builds theory on the reasons why both customers and peer service providers reject collaborative consumption. The research identifies several barriers that were not captured in prior research. Digital platform providers can use the research findings to more fully understand actors' decision-making processes in collaborative consumption.

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2019

Dinara Davlembayeva, Savvas Papagiannidis and Eleftherios Alamanos

The sharing economy is a socio-economic system in which individuals acquire and distribute goods and services among each other for free or for compensation through internet…

1369

Abstract

Purpose

The sharing economy is a socio-economic system in which individuals acquire and distribute goods and services among each other for free or for compensation through internet platforms. The sharing economy has attracted the interest of the academic community, which examined the phenomenon from the economic, social and technological perspectives. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Given the lack of an overarching analysis of the sharing economy, this paper employs a quantitative content analysis approach to explore and synthesise relevant findings to facilitate the understanding of this emerging phenomenon.

Findings

The paper identified and grouped findings under four themes, namely: collaborative consumption practices, resources, drivers of user engagement and impacts, each of which is discussed in relation to the three main themes, aiming to compare findings and then put forward an agenda for further research.

Originality/value

The paper offers a balanced analysis of the building blocks of the sharing economy, to identify emerging themes within each stream, to discuss any contextual differences from a multi-stakeholder perspective and to propose directions for future studies.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 33 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 May 2018

Valentina Carbone, Aurélien Rouquet and Christine Roussat

The growth of collaborative consumption is beginning to stimulate management research on this phenomenon. However, so far, few scholars have studied the logistics aspects related…

1532

Abstract

Purpose

The growth of collaborative consumption is beginning to stimulate management research on this phenomenon. However, so far, few scholars have studied the logistics aspects related to these developments. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual approach to the logistics at work in collaborative consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopt an inductive, exploratory research method, based on a content analysis involving 32 collaborative consumption initiatives screened through their websites and other secondary sources.

Findings

Based on the way logistics is organized in these initiatives, the authors identify and describe four types of logistics: peer to peer, business, crowd, and open logistics.

Practical implications

The paper makes recommendations for improving the management of collaborative consumption logistics.

Originality/value

Our results enrich the literature about crowd practices and collaborative consumption by conceptualizing alternative roles played by logistics and revealing its specific organizational forms.

Details

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 48 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0960-0035

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 March 2023

María-del-Carmen Alarcón-del-Amo, Carlota Lorenzo-Romero and Miguel-Ángel Gómez-Borja

This study aims to understand the motivations behind using Airbnb as a collaborative housing platform brand, their impact on satisfaction and engagement, and how the latter…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to understand the motivations behind using Airbnb as a collaborative housing platform brand, their impact on satisfaction and engagement, and how the latter affects brand electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) and brand loyalty. It also analyzes the potential moderating effect of the use intensity of collaborative housing platforms for the proposed causal relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was addressed to active users of Airbnb with a final sample of 405 users. Data were analyzed using a covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the causal model and a multigroup SEM to test the moderator effect of the intensity of use.

Findings

The results show that convenience affects brand satisfaction and hedonic motivation influences brand engagement, and both affect return intention and eWOM. In contrast, sustainability motivations seem unrelated both with satisfaction and engagement. Furthermore, the mechanism by which people reach loyalty in terms of return intention varies according to their usage intensity. Thus, the engagement–intention way is stronger for more intensive brand users. In contrast, the satisfaction–intention mechanism is significantly stronger for those with more sporadic use.

Practical implications

The management of collaborative housing platforms should promote tools and actions that favor enjoyment and fun since they increase engagement. On the other hand, it should be interesting to communicate the idea of the convenience of the applications, such as availability for a great offer, ease of contracting, or saving time, since this type of motivation directly correlates with customer satisfaction.

Originality/value

The motivational and behavioral heterogeneity demonstrated in this research can make it easier for people to be reached through different communication strategies and arguments both by the collaborative housing platforms and by public agencies with interests in city tourism management.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, vol. 7 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2024

Fengwen Chen, Lu Zhang, Fu-Sheng Tsai and Bing Wang

This study focuses on the self-organized cooperative consumption of platform participants on social media platform, and reveals how the brand owner cooperates with two-sided…

Abstract

Purpose

This study focuses on the self-organized cooperative consumption of platform participants on social media platform, and reveals how the brand owner cooperates with two-sided customers to achieve value co-creation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopted a case study approach to explore how a Chinese beauty startup developed collaborative networks from 2013 to 2022, and tracked the the changes of network structure and cooperation mechanism.

Findings

The study finds that the brand owner cooperates with two-sided customers to integrate resources and establish diverse relational trust, which enhances the evolution of a heterogeneous collaborative network for value co-creation.

Originality/value

The study builds upon traditional dyadic actor-to-actor interactions between providers and customers, develops a novel interaction framework of actor-to-network to explain the value co-creation by collaborative networking, reveals the self-organized mechanism of cooperative consumption on social media.

Details

Management Decision, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 19 September 2023

Carlo Giglio, Irina Alina Popescu and Saverino Verteramo

This paper aims at understanding the differences between user profiles in collaborative consumption (CC) platforms in order to improve their management approaches and set up…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims at understanding the differences between user profiles in collaborative consumption (CC) platforms in order to improve their management approaches and set up customized strategies. Particularly, the authors investigate the emerging role of prosumers and their influence on the active participation and growth of CC platforms. Moreover, the authors study user experience to help promoting users' recommendation and offering intention.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample includes responses from 6,388 users of CC platforms across the EU. The data were collected through the European Commission's Flash Eurobarometer survey 467 and analyzed through a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).

Findings

The PLS-SEM findings suggest that prosumers are more likely than consumers to recommend and offer services through CC platforms. Furthermore, previous experience using platforms positively affects the switch from consumers to prosumers. The fsQCA suggests that only economic advantages affect the switchover decision.

Research limitations/implications

This study deepens the hitherto unexplored prosumer role in CC platforms and its antecedents and drivers.

Practical implications

The main limitations concern the generalizability outside of the EU, the unbalanced coverage of sectors and the number of moderator variables.

Social implications

Prosumers act as golden actors because they contribute to enlarge both the customer base (through recommendations) and the provider base (through offering intention). Hence, managers should focus on prosumers' experiences to increase the critical mass and positive externalities of CC platforms.

Originality/value

This study helps understand the importance of the role of prosumers in the growth of CC platforms. The study provides more robust results through a cross-country and mixed-method research.

Details

Management Decision, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 June 2023

Alexander Davidson, Mark R. Gleim, Catherine M. Johnson and Jennifer L. Stevens

The 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…

Abstract

Purpose

The 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/approach

Incorporating 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.

Findings

Four 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 implications

The 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/value

Given 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.

Details

Journal of Service Theory and Practice, vol. 33 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2055-6225

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 7000