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.