Conceptual Framework for Explorations of the Collaborative Economy

Abstract

This paper aims to establish a comprehensive and easily operationalizable conceptual framework for explorations of the collaborative economy (CE). While the phenomenon has attracted increasing attention among businesses, customers, politicians/regulators, and researchers, a widely accepted conceptualization still does not exist. In the present study the CE accommodates for-profit and/or not-for-profit exchange of products that are: a) temporarily provided to others (i.e. shared) by their owners when the assets are under-utilized; b) shared occasionally i.e. up to a certain extent; c) shared by amateurs/ non-professionals when having a professional license is mandatory; and d) shared via on-line platforms. If all the requirements are (simultaneously) fulfilled, shared products embrace both goods and services and sharing providers embrace both individuals (e.g., P2P) and organizations (e.g., B2P). The proposed framework is discussed in the context of the CE key "surrounding" concepts – the on-demand economy, gig economy, second-hand & circular economy, and rental economy.