Moving beyond dichotomies? The Collaborative Economy scene in Andalusia and the role of public actors in shaping it

Abstract

Despite a lack of consensus around its meaning, the concept of Collaborative Economy has become popular over the last few years. At the same time, its controversial nature has triggered many debates. The concept is used to name a wide variety of very diverse experiences, from time banks and urban gardens, to global digital platforms or co-working spaces. Some authors have stated that Collaborative Economy opens the possibility for a more just and equitable society based on the logic of peer-to-peer (P2P) collaboration, while others, with a much more critical view, argue that it should be understood as capitalism’s last stand. In order to understand how these debates are transferred to a particular regional reality, this article analyses almost 140 Collaborative Economy experiences in the region of Andalusia (southern Spain) and the role of public actors as potential drivers of those initiatives. The experiences include both university-related and entrepreneurial initiatives in the region. The research is based on a mixed-method approach combining interviews, focus groups and questionnaires. The results reflect the state of Collaborative Economy in the region (geographical distribution, classification by sectors, age). They confirm the Janus face of Collaborative Economy activities, but they also reveal how some of them resist and overcome such dichotomies. The article’s final section discusses the specific characteristics of these initiatives and assesses the role of public engagement in the promotion of the regional scene.