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Consumer segmentation within the sharing economy: The case of Airbnb
Abstract
The sharing economy is a global phenomenon with rapid growth potential. While research has begun to explore segmentation between users and non-users, only limited research has looked at consumer segmentation within sharing economy services. In this paper, we build on this research gap by investigating consumer segmentation within a single sharing economy platform: Airbnb. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, with both a quantitative survey and a qualitative content analysis of Airbnb listings, we compare two different types of accommodation offered on Airbnb: shared room and entire home. Our findings indicate that within a single platform, the variety between offerings can create distinct consumer segments based on both demographics and behavioral criteria. We also find that Airbnb hosts use marketing logic to target their listings towards specific consumer segments. However, there is not, in all cases, strong alignment between consumer segmentation and host targeting, leading to potentially reduced matching efficiency.
... The study of consumer behavior encompasses a range of factors, including demographic characteristics, psychological influences, cultural backgrounds, and situational contexts [24], [25]. In recent years, the focus has shifted towards a more granular analysis of consumer habits, with an emphasis on how specific demographic variables such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status influence retail patterns [26], [27], [28]. The emergence of big data and advanced analytical techniques has revolutionized the way retailers understand and respond to consumer behavior [29]. ...
... Age is a critical factor in determining consumer behavior, with different age groups exhibiting distinct preferences, spending habits, and responsiveness to marketing stimuli. For instance, younger consumers, often referred to as Millennials and Generation Z, are more likely to engage with digital platforms, prefer experiences over products, and are highly influenced by social media and online reviews [26]. They are also more responsive to promotions and discounts, and tend to shop more frequently but spend less per transaction. ...
... • Hypothesis 1: Younger consumers (aged [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] are more likely to engage in frequent shopping and are more responsive to promotions compared to older consumers (aged 35 and above). ...
This study examines consumer habits by analyzing retail patterns across various demographics using a dataset encompassing 3,900 transactions. The data includes variables such as age, gender, item purchased, purchase amount, location , and more, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of consumer behavior. Key insights reveal significant trends in purchasing decisions influenced by demographic factors like age and gender, as well as external elements such as sea-sonality and promotional activities. The analysis identifies predominant shopping preferences among different age groups, highlighting the influence of discounts and promotional codes on purchasing behavior. Additionally, the study explores the correlation between customer loyalty, as indicated by subscription status and frequency of purchases, and spending patterns. By decoding these retail patterns, this research provides valuable insights for retailers aiming to optimize marketing strategies and enhance customer engagement through targeted interventions. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how demographic factors shape consumer behavior, offering actionable insights for businesses seeking to adapt to evolving market demands.
... Sharing platforms connect people and allow transactions of goods or services (Tussyadiah & Pesonen, 2018;Yang et al., 2017). P2P accommodation has grown exponentially in recent years under the umbrella of the philosophy of the sharing economy (Chen & Chang, 2018;Tussyadiah & Zach, 2017;Young et al., 2017), with Airbnb being the most representative P2Pbusiness model in the hospitality industry (Guttentag, 2015;Lee and Kim, 2019;Lutz & Newlands, 2018;Moon et al., 2019;Oskam & Boswijk, 2016;Phua, 2018;Yang et al., 2017). ...
... Besides the economic motivation, many customers value the possibility of renting a space that looks like home and has the same amenities, but also allows for social interaction with the local hosts (Farmaki & Stergiou, 2019;Young et al., 2017). People who travel alone, looking for social interaction, tend to rent shared rooms or a room in a shared house (Lutz & Newlands, 2018). This fact is related with the assumption that cosmopolitan tourists, who are less biased by cultural differences, tend to choose P2P accommodation also to interact with other people and learn about different cultures (Casais & Cardoso, 2023). ...
... (Ert et al., 2016;Kim et al., 2015;Moon et al., 2019;Tussyadiah & Park, 2018;Tussyadiah & Pesonen, 2017;Tussyadiah & Zach, 2017;Wu et al., 2023;Yang et al., 2017) P.3 There are differences in the relationship between hosts and guests according to the type of business (B2C or C2C) and the type of accommodation. (Lutz & Newlands, 2018;M€ ohlmann, 2015;Negi & Tripathi, 2023;Xie et al., 2021;Young et al., 2017) P4. The digital platform is the primary form of contact between hosts and guests in sharing accommodations and facilitates relationship marketing strategies. ...
Most research on Airbnb focuses on the guests' perspective or the effects of host-guest interaction. This paper explores the way professional and nonprofessional hosts develop relationship marketing with their guests. The results of 30 semi-struc-tured interviews with Portuguese Airbnb hosts show the conscious importance of interactions with guests and custom-ization to generate trust and increase guest satisfaction. The paper shows that the interactivity and functionalities of the Airbnb platform deepens the relationships between hosts and guests. Nonprofessional hosts are those who develop a closer relationship with guests, requiring guidance toward possible advanced electronic relationship marketing tools in the future.
... according to the study by Lutz & Newlands (2018), platforms such as AirBnB have generated spectacular growth as options chosen by tourists to find accommodation. AirBnB started its activity in 2008, and has now expanded to more than 34,000 cities in 191 countries, being one of the few profitable platforms in the sector and proving its validity in the whole global market (stone & Zaleski, 2017). in 2017, this platform had more than four million listings offered in 190 countries, with an estimated capacity for some 200 million potential users. ...
... 1. motivations for using AirBnB (e.g. Lutz & Newlands, 2018;Varma et al., 2016); 2. importance of trust and reputation (e.g. chen & chang, 2018;Teubner et al., 2017); 3. online reviews and descriptions of AirBnB (e.g.abramova et al., 2015;Dai et al., 2017); 4. the effect of images on AirBnB listings (e.g.ert et al., 2016;Gunter & Önder, 2018); 5. prices reflecting the variety of AirBnB (e.g. ...
... other recent research has identified the main barriers (demographics, behaviour) that may need to be overcome for providers in the shared economy (e.g. AirBnB hosts), as well as for platforms to encourage greater adoption of shared services (Lutz & Newlands, 2018). in this line, Jaremen & Nawrocka (2023) research show that among many motives of choice for uber the most important are experiences: being trendy, using the taxi and saving (money and time). ...
Collaborative consumption has generated the appearance of new business models, such as those created by peer-to-peer platforms, such as AirBnB, focused on renting the accommodation of the users themselves to other users. The growing popularity of AirBnB has resulted in an emerging body of literature examining the factors that drive or deter consumers from choosing AirBnB (Sakr et al., 2024;). This work is based on a sample of 405 travellers who regularly use AirBnB to book accommodation on their journeys. They are asked about about their different motivations toward use of this type of reservation (e.g. hedonic, environmental sustainability, economic benefit, convenience, etc.), user personality values (i.e. individualism-collectivism; communal-exchange relationships), engagement with the AirBnB brand, and some personal characteristics (e.g. gender, age, education, economic situation, etc). A latent segmentation -through Latent Gold® software- was developed to obtain different profiles of AirBnB users based on above variables. Preliminary results show quite heterogeneity in the motivations and effects on the indicated dimensions. This helps to segment the users and detect different profiles with different motivational connections with the personal characteristics of users, engagement with this platform and their communal orientation about this type of sharing tourism. This motivational and physiological heterogeneity can make it easier for people to be reached through different communication strategies and arguments both by the tourism sector’s businesses and by public agencies with interests in city tourism management.
... They provide tourism activities, experiences, lodging, food, and transportation. They do not call themselves 'microentrepreneurs' -they are mostly known as hosts or categorized under terms such as small business, family business, craft tourism, and lifestyle entrepreneurship (Kc et al., 2021;Lutz & Newlands, 2018) which are associated with the type of products they offer to tourists. ...
... Thanks to the increasing number of sharing economy-led microentrepreneurs, tourists can now explore new places to visit, get advice from locals, and compare other people's opinions to locate real and meaningful experiences in authentic destination communities (Gretzel, Fesenmaier, & O'Leary, 2010). As a result, microentrepreneurship in tourism is increasingly becoming popular and catalysed by digital platforms such as Airbnb that democratize the practice of microentrepreneurship in tourism (Lutz & Newlands, 2018). ...
... Several typologies of motivation have been proposed for participating in the sharing economy, most of which underline utilitarian, hedonic, social, and moral (or sustainability) factors (Lutz & Newlands, 2018). For example, Belk (2014a) argued that functional (e.g., survival) and altruistic reasons (e.g., kindness) motivate people to engage in the act of sharing. ...
The article / book chapter entitled "The Impact of the Sharing Economy on Tourism Microentrepreneurship" by Esfandiar et al. (2024) explores how digital disruptions and the rise of Web 2.0 have facilitated the growth of the sharing economy, significantly impacting tourism. It highlights that sharing economy platforms like Airbnb enable individuals to become microentrepreneurs, offering unique and authentic tourism experiences. These platforms lower entry barriers, foster gender-neutral labor markets, and enhance local innovation capacity. However, they also pose challenges, including privacy issues, property risks, and lack of employment protection. The chapter concludes by identifying research gaps and calling for further investigation into the dynamics of tourism microentrepreneurship within the sharing economy contex
... "Privacy Concerns" items were adapted from Lutz and Newlands (2018), addressing critical issues of security and personal privacy in P2P accommodations. Finally, "Behavioral Intentions" items were adapted from So et al. (2018), reflecting users' future intentions and recommendations regarding P2P accommodations. ...
... This significant positive relationship indicates that tourists who have higher privacy concerns may perceive P2P accommodation platforms as easier to use if they believe that these platforms have implemented robust privacy measures. This finding aligns with literature suggesting that effective privacy protections can enhance user comfort and perceived ease of use (Lutz & Newlands, 2018;Kusyanti et al., 2022). It highlights the importance of privacy assurances in reducing user anxiety and making the platform feel more user-friendly. ...
This study investigates the factors influencing the adoption of peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation services among Indian tourists, integrating Behavioral Reasoning Theory (BRT), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Data were collected from 526 tourists using self-administered online and paper-based surveys. The findings reveal that modern lifestyles significantly enhance perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, which positively influence behavioral intentions toward P2P accommodations. Psychological ownership emerged as a critical factor, indicating that emotional attachment to the accommodation enhances user engagement and satisfaction. Interestingly, privacy concerns did not significantly impact behavioral intentions or perceived usefulness but did influence perceived ease of use, suggesting that robust privacy measures can improve user comfort. The study highlights the importance of modern lifestyles and psychological ownership in technology adoption, offering practical insights for P2P accommodation platforms to enhance user experience. Managers should focus on user-friendly design and robust privacy measures to attract and retain users. The study acknowledges limitations, such as the use of convenience sampling and a focus on Indian tourists, suggesting future research to explore diverse populations and additional factors influencing P2P accommodation adoption.
... In the recent years, because of developments in information and communications technologies, the way people buy goods and services is changing. This is worsened by the fact that, there has been a continuous economic meltdown in most of the economies making disposable income to be quite low for most of the people in different economies have become very challenging (Lutz & Newlands, 2018 ...
... This increases the respondents satisfaction since they tend to feel homely. This is supported by Owyang, Samuel, and Grenville (2014); Lutz and Newlands (2018) who pointed out that most of the accommodation offered via the shared economy is normally homes spaces shared with the tourists, if not fully furnished homes relegated particularly for tourists, offering the visitors an opportunity to have a rental home far away from their own which easily creates a feeling of belonging amongst the young people especially when they are also allowed to share with their peers, increases customer satisfaction levels. ...
This paper sought to investigate young consumers’ satisfaction and intention in sharing economy using Airbnb as the ideal case company. In doing so the entity sought to fill up gaps in the literature on hotel management, since the study discovered that there is no detailed concept of consumer behaviour in the process of providing services as an intermediary platform in the market. In ensuring these gaps were adequately filled the study relied on quantitative research methods which ensured that voluminous data was collected within limited time limits and included using questionnaire survey, and finally have the collected data analysed using SPSS. Accordingly, the study found out that customer satisfaction has a general positive relationship towards young customer’s intention to use Airbnb. This was has been gained as a result of benefits of the share economy that customers tend to gain through affordability, familiarity, trust or even offering customers a feeling of belonging that induce higher satisfaction and eventually high intention to use Airbnb. Therefore, the study recommends that Airbnb should consider offering customized services for different markets and also, the entity should also increase investment in innovation so that it can enable it come up with winning products within Airbnb hence increase the customers satisfaction and resultant customer intention.
... Second, we followed recent studies in the homesharing sector that have acknowledged the importance of contingency factors, such as location, platform side, and holding different roles (Jun, 2020;Lutz & Newlands, 2018;Rossmannek & Chen, 2023;Rossmannek et al., 2022). More precisely, we analyzed the role of one specific contingency factor: management by a platform's local service office (LSO). ...
... Practical Implications. Broadly, the results imply that segmentation matters in the homesharing sector (Lutz & Newlands, 2018). Indeed, platforms must apply strategies tailored to different groups of hosts to improve sustainability intentions. ...
Homesharing platforms are under substantive pressure to become more environmentally sustainable. Key to this challenge is these platforms’ homesharing hosts, who have the opportunity to introduce new sustainability innovations (e.g., water-saving measures). However, knowledge of what drives hosts’ sustainability behavior is currently limited. We address this gap and investigate antecedents for hosts’ sustainability intentions. Our study is based on a survey in Europe (conducted in 12 languages), resulting in a sample of 1,392 hosts. Building on the theory of planned behavior, we perform three analyses: (a) quantitative and theory testing, (b) quantitative and explorative, and (c) qualitative and explorative. Notably, we find that attitude and norms, as well as financial resources and time, are the main drivers of hosts’ sustainability intentions. In addition, the presence of local service offices (i.e., a platform business model that internalizes service operations from hosts) moderates the effects of sustainability antecedents.
... Two different perspectives have been applied: the offer and the demand. As for the former, consumer typologies are deduced basing on the characteristics of the proposed services, such as different types of accommodation (Lutz and Newlands, 2018) or B2C versus P2P car sharing systems (Münzel et al., 2019), that reflect differences in the demographics, behaviours and motives of consumers. As for the latter, trait-related, motivational and perceived socioeconomic variables have been used to cluster sharing consumers, and consistently to identify different approaches to the sharing economy (Hellwig et al., 2015;Sands et al., 2020). ...
... Integrating research Figure 9 Sustainability cluster in the double-loop model Figure 10 Directions for advancing research in the field with purchase data and household panel data is critical to reach unbiased knowledge. This aspect has been called for by scholars that pinpoint the need to increase the reliability and completeness of research (Khan et al., 2020;Aguilera-García et al., 2021;Hallem et al., 2020) and to turn to experiment and longitudinal analysis (Möhlmann, 2015;Hawlitschek et al., 2018;Lindblom et al., 2018;Lutz and Newlands, 2018;Newlands et al., 2019;Prieto et al., 2019;Si et al., 2020). ...
Purpose
The impact of the sharing economy on traditional businesses has largely been analysed from both company and consumer perspectives. In the case of the latter, scholars have produced a rich field of research into different aspects of consumer behaviour and the way it is reshaped in these alternative consumption patterns. This study aims to provide a systematization of these studies and to develop a model for consumer behaviour in the sharing economy.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a three-step approach, a systematic literature review has been performed to analyse and classify 108 scientific papers about consumer behaviour in the sharing economy.
Findings
Four main research topics came up from the analysis: sharing approach, consumption pattern, post-purchase behaviour and sustainability. Basing on these clusters, the double-loop model of consumer behaviour in the sharing economy is presented and discussed.
Originality/value
The research allows to provide scholars and practitioners with the state of the art on consumer behaviour in sharing economy and to draft future research avenues to orient research and practice in the field.
... Other publications are looking at how hotel brands, and comments shared by customers on TripAdvisor (Giglio et al., 2020) are influencing choices of accommodation; how natural hotel setting are impacting consumption (Cozzio et al., 2020). Publications are also looking at the wellbeing of patients at hospitals ; the impact of cleanliness on the perception of hostels (Amblee, 2015); what motivates customers to stay in Airbnb (Lutz & Newlands, 2018); etc. To remain competitive, it is important for businesses in the hospitality industry to constantly innovate (Hossain et al., 2023), and therefore to further their understanding of the needs of the customers. ...
... In one of the two leading hospitality management journals (as of 29.05.23), there are only eight papers (all published between 1990 and 2023), mostly published in the last seven years (see Altinay et al., 2023;Amblee, 2015;Lutz & Newlands, 2018). The knowledge of customer behaviour and motivation that is currently available in academic literature in hospitality is mainly industry centric. ...
This study has investigated Intrinsic and Extrinsic Intersectional Cues taken into consideration by consumers when evaluating a product or a service at the intersection between the hospitality industry and the dating industries. The five main contributions of this study are as follow: First, the cue theory is a valid approach to investigate industry specific and intersectional products and services alike. Second, understanding of customer needs in the hospitality industry is partial, as existing research is based only on industry specific examples. Third, speed dating events, could potentially be a competitive advantage for bars and restaurants. Fourth, online reviews are not always the most suitable and reliable data, as consumers are sometimes adopting a protective self-presentation attitude particularly when frustrated about something. Finally, events are characterised by the types of activities participants are involved in; their level of involvement; encounters; and emotions experienced.
... El contar con esta información es altamente útil para cualquier destino turístico en la actualidad, especialmente considerando que existe un gran debate sobre iniciativas de regulación de servicios digitales y actividades relacionadas con la economía colaborativa a nivel mundial. Entre los trabajos de referencia que inspiraron el desarrollo de esta investigación se encuentran las investigaciones relacionadas al análisis territorial de la oferta de Airbnb (Boros et al., 2018;Dudás et al., 2017a;Gutiérrez et al., 2017;Ključnikov et al., 2018;Quattrone et al., 2018;Yrigoy, 2016Yrigoy, , 2017, aquellos que investigan la relación de la economía colaborativa y servicios digitales de intermediación (Alizadeh et al., 2018;Crommelin et al., 2018;Ke, 2017;Lutz, 2018;Phua, 2018;Yang y Ahn, 2016), y aquellos que analizan los impactos económicos de esta oferta de servicios dentro de los destinos turísticos (Blal et al., 2018;Dudás et al., 2017b;Gunter y Önder, 2018;Heo et al., 2019;Xie y Kwok, 2017). Todos estos trabajos concuerdan en la importancia que tiene para los destinos el contar con información actualizada respecto del desarrollo de este fenómeno, no solo para comprender sus efectos positivos y negativos, sino también para diseñar modelos de gestión turística apropiados que permitan aprovechar todos los beneficios derivados de esta actividad. ...
... En la revisión bibliográfica, que realizan Berlamino y Koh (2020) acerca de la economía colaborativa en el fenómeno de los servicios de alojamiento a través de plataformas digitales como Airbnb, se identifican ocho áreas particulares de estudio, las cuales son: el comportamiento de los consumidores de este tipo de servicios (e.g.Lutz y Newlands, 2018;So et al., 2018), aspectos legales (e.g.Guttentag, 2017; von Briel y Donilcar, 2020;Wegmann y Jiao, 2017), la conceptualización de servicios de alojamiento privado (e.g.Mody y Hanks, 2019;Priporas et al., 2017), la naturaleza de la economía colaborativa (e.g.Camilleri y Neuhofer, 2017; Cheng y Foley, 2018;Zervas et al., 2017), el impacto económico del desarrollo de esta oferta de alojamiento (e.g.Caldicott et al., 2020;Chica-Olmo et al., 2020), el fenómeno de confianza o desconfianza en estas experiencias (e.g.Mao et al., 2020;Sthapit y Björk, 2019;Wang et al., 2019), el desarrollo de motivaciones tanto de oferentes como de consumidoresWang y Jeong, 2018) y aspectos generales de gestión de los espacios utilizados para proveer estos servicios (e.g. Cheng y Zhang, 2019;Gibbs et al., 2018;Gunter, 2018).Adicionalmente, en la revisión bibliográfica que realiza Guttentag (2019), se identifican seis categorías temáticas de relevancia: características de la demanda (e.g. ...
El presente trabajo investiga las características de la oferta de alojamiento privado disponible en la plataforma de intermediación digital Airbnb. El surgimiento de esta oferta de hospedaje en los últimos años ha contribuido a modificar tanto la estructura y dinámica de la industria de alojamiento tradicional como la experiencia de viaje del turista contemporáneo a nivel mundial. Este trabajo se concentra en revisar el caso de la ciudad de Guanajuato, uno de los principales destinos urbano-culturales en México. A través de una metodología de minería de datos, se recolectó y analizó información de manera automática y sistematizada con el objetivo de entender mejor las características de esta oferta incluyendo su tamaño, dinámica y evolución. Los resultados obtenidos permiten identificar estas características y promueven la reflexión sobre sus efectos inmediatos dentro del destino. A partir de los hallazgos de este estudio, otros destinos podrían considerar llevar a cabo ejercicios similares de investigación.
... These guests may be particularly attracted to certain STRs because of features like price, proximity to nightlife, and unit size. For other traveler accommodations (hotels/motels), lower prices are associated with higher crime (LeBeau, 2012), and research on STR usage suggests that unit features will shape guest demographics (Lutz & Newlands, 2018). In sum, the supply of motivated offenders (shaped by unit features) can help explain crime concentration among both residential and STRs. ...
Background
The number of studies about crime at short-term rentals (STRs), and about crime concentration has surged in recent years, but few have bridged these literatures. This study examines crime and calls for service at STRs in relation to other rentals, hotels, and all other addresses in a university city.
Methods
Police circumstances, rental properties, hotels and motels, liquor licenses, and all other addresses are assessed from January 2021 through June 2023 to understand public safety at STRs compared to other address-types.
Results
STRs make up less than 10% of rental addresses. Police circumstances are significantly and negatively associated with both distance to campus and to liquor licenses. The maximum unrelated occupancy is positively and significantly associated with issues. STRs have greater issues for their lower maximum occupancy, but other rentals and hotels present substantially more problems on a per-address basis.
Conclusion
These findings highlight the scope of STR circumstances, clarify potential differences in crime versus calls for service, and suggest that on a per-address basis, both are substantially worse at hotels and longer rentals than STRs.
... Thus, for this study, Airbnb data from the Fifth Ring Road of Beijing served as the focal point. This research aims to achieve the following objectives: (1) Extracting topics and factors indicative of customer preferences from online reviews. (2) Segmenting homestays based on a combination of sentiment polarities and listing scores. ...
Peer-to-peer accommodation has gained prominence in the sharing economy and e-commerce sectors, with big data playing a crucial role in understanding customer preferences and evaluating homestay satisfaction. This study proposes a novel methodology that integrates Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, a Random Forest model, and Geographic Information System (GIS) functionalities to quantify the complex relationship between homestay satisfaction and diverse customer preferences. Notably, this study addresses the positive bias inherent in listing scores by segmenting homestays into three categories (satisfactory, moderate, and dissatisfactory) based on sentiment analysis from online reviews. Furthermore, this study not only identifies eight key determinants of homestay satisfaction but also unveils the nonlinear relationships and interactions between them. More significantly, we identify specific threshold values for geographic determinants, offering actionable recommendations for homestay planning and layout. These findings provide valuable insights that can be leveraged to improve homestay experiences and promote the sustainable development of urban homestays.
... Further, Tussyadiah (2015) found the consumer side of the STR market to be characterized by those who are highly educated, have higher incomes, travel often, and are open to alternative accommodation and innovation in the travel space. Lutz and Newlands (2018) uncovered substantial differences between American consumer markets for sharedroom and entire-home listings, with guests who are younger, single, lower-income, and open to social interaction more likely to seek out shared rooms, and older adults and families with higher incomes more inclined to opt for entire homes. ...
With historical roots in the once-common practices of lodging and boarding, short-term rentals (STRs) have become in recent years a prominent feature of the global travel accommodation space. Worth roughly US115 billion in 2019. Despite a significant hit on business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the STR market is showing strong signs of rebounding. The increased popularity and accessibility of the STR market can be largely attributed to the emergence of digital sharing economy platforms, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, which play the role of mediator in simplifying interactions and transactions between hosts and guests from around the world. As this platform-facilitated STR market has grown, home sharing has garnered increasing attention. Many have celebrated such innovation in the hospitality sector for the benefits it has delivered, among them lower prices, increased consumer choice, local economic development, community revitalisation, and a reliable income stream for property owners. However, others have been quick to decry the practice, accusing STR platforms of engaging in anti-competitive behaviour, exacerbating issues of over-tourism and a lack of affordable housing, and undermining the habitability of communities. Of notable concern among many STR skeptics is a potential shift in practice away from individual hosts renting a primary residence or space therein, and towards commercialization, whereby corporate entities are buying up what were once residential properties to list in the more lucrative STR market. The above picture of costs and benefits points to a market that is rife with tensions. Naturally, this reality has produced calls for regulation and government involvement, and in some cases, has even fuelled campaigns for all-out ban of the practice.As governments have stepped into the regulatory fold, however, they have faced significant challenges. This is because STR activity, different in composition and dynamics from that which plays out in traditional markets, pushes conventional policy boundaries, undermining in some cases the effectiveness of standard legal, regulatory, planning, and governance processes. Regulatory struggles can be attributed to three key factors. First, most conceptions of home sharing employed in the regulatory space treat the STR market as conventional and thus two-sided; that is, as encompassing interactions between those supplying the service (hosts) and those accessing it (guests). Such understandings fail to capture the involvement of additional players—digital STR platforms, most notably, but more recently professional property managers as well— not to mention the nature, extent, and implications of their involvement. Importantly, STR platforms are more than passive facilitators of market activity, and not only influence the contours and dynamics of the market, but also actively shape the regulatory space. Second, attempts to regulate home sharing have been hampered by the widespread tendency, within both policy and academic circles, to treat the market as a monolith. Yet, an assessment of drivers of participation and dynamics among guests, hosts, and platforms makes manifest the complexity of the STR market and the diversity of activity that plays out within it. Notably, STR hosting spans a spectrum of activity, from low- or no-fee home sharing in the spirit of collaborative consumption, to renting a suite in a primary residence, to the commercial multi-hosting referenced above. Drivers of guest participation in the market are similarly diverse. Far from passive, platform involvement is shaped by the desire to create and benefit from network effects, and thus spans partnership development, bridging to distinct but related markets, and even the pursuit of socially minded or philanthropic endeavours. The above diversity suggests that one-size-fits-all approaches to management are destined to fail. Third, governments and policymakers have relied on traditional regulatory concepts and parlance, such as the notion of regulatory violation, to characterize various forms of STR market activity. However, in the case of platform-mediated home sharing, the concept of regulatory fractures—instances in which new modes of activity do not map well onto existing frameworks, thus disrupting regulatory effectiveness—is more apt. The conceptual frame of regulatory fractures enables one to uncover the tensions and complications that are produced when novel activity arises within the context of longstanding institutions and processes, and underscores the extent to which reimagined regulatory and policy approaches, tailored to the unique features of the STR market, are vital. Further, if not addressed, regulatory fractures will not only undercut the intent and effectiveness of regulation but will also curtail the potential benefits of home sharing activity. Going forward, successful management of the STR market will hinge on the ability of policymakers to confront the factors currently hindering the effectiveness of policy and regulatory approaches, namely an under-developed understanding of the STR market and its dynamics, and a continued use of tools ill-suited to novel economic activity. Fortunately, governments ready to innovate in the regulatory space and reimagine management strategies will learn that a number of less conventional approaches show promise. Among such emerging approaches is co-regulation, a tactic employed with success throughout the European Union in particular. Given their prominent role in the market, as well as their desire to influence regulation to maintain network dominance, platforms could make willing and effective partners in co-regulation, just as some other industries are entrusted with a degree of self-regulation. Though it would require the development of a robust framework to ensure effectiveness, co-regulation could help governments to overcome existing issues, such as those related to compliance and enforcement, while also enabling access to more comprehensive data, without which tailored policy and regulatory solutions are significantly hampered.
... While Airbnb offers a range of options from a couch in a shared apartment to entire houses, windmills, and islands, hotel rooms incline to be more uniform. Airbnb further encourages that localised elements and the hosts' personal styles are reflected in the listings (Lutz & Newlands, 2018;Mody et al., 2019). Along with a closer encounter between host and traveller, this is intended to generate a homely feeling that can purportedly never be achieved in a traditional hotel (Zhu et al., 2019). ...
In recent years, Airbnb has disrupted the accommodation industry, becoming both a valid alternative and a serious competitor to traditional accommodation. Understanding the consumer values associated with Airbnb and hotel accommodations is critical to comprehending travellers’ preferences for the one or the other. This study illuminates the utilitarian and hedonic aspects of travellers’ accommodation experiences with Airbnb and hotels and compares their roles and constitutions. We further examine which aspects elicit satisfaction and dissatisfaction, uncovering the qualities and weaknesses of the accommodation types. Using text-mining methods (STM, sentiment analysis), we analysed 437,820 web-scraped reviews from travellers who stayed at an Airbnb or a hotel via Booking.com in Prague, Czechia. We found that hedonic values – the host, neighbourhood ambiance, enjoyment, and homeliness – are the distinguishing aspects of Airbnb experiences, while utilitarian categories associated with convenience – room comfort, food and drink, and cost-effectiveness – distinguish hotel experiences. We further found that the key quality of one form of accommodation is simultaneously the main weakness of the other: in hotels, the main source of satisfaction is the room, and the main dissatisfying aspect the staff, while in Airbnb, the host elicits only positive sentiments, and the room is the main source of dissatisfaction. We also revealed a substantive common base of the experiences. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
... The idea of sharing resources and services between owners and users was first introduced in the year 1978 and was termed as sharing economy [19]. This has recently attracted interest in the housing and transportation sectors [20,21]. It has also Fig. 1. ...
... 1. space -encompasses many types of spaces suited for overnight stay, ranging from low-quality shared rooms to luxury apartments aimed at various market segments (Lutz and Newlands, 2018;Dolnicar, 2019). ...
The employee satisfaction and motivation become one of the main subjects due to the lack of employees in tourism industry. The objective of this paper is to find what is the satisfaction level of female employees in the lodging industry and significance of chosen satisfaction factors. The quantitative research was conducted by the questionary on 262 female employees from 10 countries. Perception of satisfaction was measured on the five-point Likert scale. The mean scores of the satisfaction, the ratio of participants with responses 1 and 2 ("non-satisfied") and the ratio of participants with responses 4 and 5 ("very satisfied") were applied. For comparison between groups Student’s two sample t-test of independent samples and
two sample z-test of proportions were used. It was found, in general, that female employees show the highest degree of satisfaction with safety and stability of job and work independence, and the lowest degree of satisfaction with working hours and variable salary. There was no statistically significant difference between younger female employees up to age of 35 and female employees older than 36 on present job, except for the possibility of getting good tips with which younger employees were more satisfied. Fulltime female employees were more satisfied with safe and stable job, working hours, defined job description and responsibilities, work performance measuring, and the possibility of further education through
seminars and trainings organized by the employer than seasonal employees. There was statistically significant difference between female employees on cruise ships and land lodging providers for factors such are the possibility of getting tips, paid expenses, possibility of getting to know other destinations through work mobility, and basic salary. The cruise ships female employees were more satisfied with these factors. In addition, the land lodgings female employees were more satisfied with safety and stability of job.
... These methods include collaborative filtering, which analyzes similar buyers' preferences to suggest vehicles aligned with their tastes [40], and contentbased filtering, which recommends cars based on attributes like performance and design combined with user preferences [41]. Hybrid approaches integrate these methods for more personalized recommendations [42], while demographic segmentation categorizes buyers by factors such as age and income level to tailor suggestions accordingly [43]. Behavioral segmentation divides consumers based on past interactions [44], and contextual recommendations consider factors like location and time to offer relevant suggestions [41]. ...
The concept of luxury, considering it a rare and exclusive attribute, is evolving due to technological advances and the increasing influence of consumers in the market. Luxury cars have always symbolized wealth, social status, and sophistication. Recently, as technology progresses, the ability and interest to gather, store, and analyze data from these elegant vehicles has also increased. In recent years, the analysis of luxury car data has emerged as a significant area of research, highlighting researchers’ exploration of various aspects that may differentiate luxury cars from ordinary ones. For instance, researchers study factors such as economic impact, technological advancements, customer preferences and demographics, environmental implications, brand reputation, security, and performance. Although the percentage of individuals purchasing luxury cars is lower than that of ordinary cars, the significance of analyzing luxury car data lies in its impact on various aspects of the automotive industry and society. This literature review aims to provide an overview of the current state of the art in luxury car data analysis.
... With its successful integration into various business models, the shared economy has revolutionized sectors like transport and accommodation over the past ten years. Companies like Uber, Ola, Zoomcar, Airbnb, and HomeToGo across different nations have adopted this model [6], [7]. The potential of a shared economy extends to smart grid solutions as well [8]- [10]. ...
... En esta infancia de la conformación de una comunidad epistémica en torno a este tema ya se pueden distinguir dos vertientes interpretativas que seguramente ganarán influencia en los años por venir. En primer término, se encuentran los estudios que celebran, incluso sin perder su sentido crítico, el progreso de la economía compartida como un fenómeno de nuestro tiempo que, si bien tiene importantes implicaciones sociourbanas, ofrece también un amplio potencial para redistribuir las rentas del turismo (Blal et al., 2018;Lutz y Newlands, 2018). En segundo término, están los trabajos que desde una perspectiva crítica se preocupan por las implicaciones que tiene la proliferación de este tipo de arrendamientos en cuatro temas clave: a) la lógica empresarial de este tipo de arrendamiento y sus implicaciones económicas (Kadi et al., 2019); b) la sustentabilidad del uso de los recursos naturales y su manifestación más amplia: la resiliencia del destino turístico (Cheng et al., 2020); c) la agudización de las desigualdades socio-espaciales y sus consecuencias en el derecho a la ciudad y la justicia urbana (Chamusca et al., 2019;Morales-Pérez et al., 2020); y d) la naturaleza compleja del crecimiento de este fenómeno como un asunto de interés público que debe ser procesado como reto de política urbana y regional por tomadores de decisiones locales en condiciones de asimetría de poder, capacidad de negociación y de acceso a la información (Cardona et al., 2021;González-Morales et al., 2021;Liang et al., 2021). ...
El turismo es un fenómeno social, cultural y económico relacionado con el tránsito
de personas de su lugar de residencia habitual a otro por un tiempo menor a un
año, ya sea por cuestión de ocio, educación, negocios, entre otros (Nava, 2013). Por la naturaleza de su consumo, está engarzado a las industrias culturales inmóviles (Scott, 2004), que son aquellas en las que los espacios y lugares en concreto se convierten en parte del bien de consumo que se adquiere. En este sentido, el turista, al evaluar u opinar sobre un servicio en específico, rememora y aprecia su estadía en el destino a partir del conjunto de sensaciones experimentadas, en la cual no solo inciden los bienes y servicios claramente identificados en la prestación de servicios turísticos, sino que el lugar como espacio social (Park, 1999) se convierte en insumo del destino como producto y, como sugiere Hudson (2006), es también un espacio social resultado de la diversidad de interrelaciones que reflejan la identidad de quienes lo constituyen.
... Overall, the impact of the sharing economy (Daviesa et al., 2017) (Frenken & Schor, 2017) is visible everywhere, from the lifelong learning process (Choi, 2020) to changes in consumer behavior (Lutz & Newlands, 2018). This conceptual framework, focused on digital technologies and entrepreneurship, contributes to developing both interconnections between fields of study (Nambisan et al., 2019) and the emergence of new ones (Eckhardt et al., 2019). ...
In a digitally driven society, the present research endeavor aims to map the topic of digital entrepreneurship, based on the existent research published in the Web of Science database for providing a systematic and integrative review of the literature, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. To achieve the set goal, a bibliometric study was undertaken using the VOSviewer software and a systematic review of the academic literature was conducted. Performing the bibliometric analysis on 3366 publications indexed in the Web of Science has returned 178 relevant terms, divided into 6 clusters. In brief, the clusters feature the effects of information and communications technologies adoption on economic activities, with general debates on the reconsideration of traditional business, sharing economy, and performance, with reference to digital entrepreneurship. The focus on digital instruments (i.e., digital platforms, social media, Internet) and the need for dynamic capabilities are seen as promoters of adopting new business models and strategies for increasing firms’ performance. Additionally, the emergence of a digital entrepreneurial ecosystem, having as a starting point elements such as smart city, big data, and artificial intelligence, was analyzed, as well as the creation of new start-ups, in the context of the digital divide. The research limitations relate to the use of a single database, a restrictive Boolean interrogation, the spotlight on a time frame when the debate is still growing, and also, the insufficient space allocated to the measurements of aspects. Thus, the future research directions will expand the analysis to other databases for achieving a more comprehensive bibliometric approach and will include another period, for comparing the results. The value of the article is represented by the up-to-date literature on digital entrepreneurship analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The originality of the topic and the gap discovered in prior research on digital entrepreneurship led us to adopt an integrated approach, using a bibliometric analysis.
... Additionally, mature sharing platforms in travel and tourism, such as Uber, have increased their transaction volume by recruiting users across different segments through M&As and offering sharing products or services such as home food delivery (Uber Eats) and boat rental (Uber Boats). Airbnb's launch of Airbnb Plus targeted users seeking enhanced services and experiences, contributing to the platform's growth (Lutz & Newlands, 2018). For example, Turo, a car-sharing platform, illustrates how insurance coverage for shared cars has reduced transaction uncertainty. ...
The emergence of sharing platforms in travel and tourism is an important transformation over the past two decades. An understanding of why some sharing economy platforms grow while others fail is an important area for travel and tourism research. Using transaction cost economics (TCE), we argue successful sharing platforms achieve both effective governance and monetization of transactions. This requires a shift from enthusiastic and committed bartering of passionate users towards a more systematic, integrated sharing platform, managed by a scaled travel or tourism corporation. The paper develops a framework explaining platform growth and offers recommendations on how transaction cost economizing and monetization can play complementary roles and can both improve platform growth and viability. ARTICLE HISTORY
... Furthermore, the collaboration between local government and academia ensured that the needs and goals of the authorities were addressed directly. Until now, much of the collaborative research has focused on the business perspective, so their results are not necessarily aligned with environmental goals (Buldeo Rai et al., 2021;Lutz and Newlands, 2018;Sands et al., 2020). ...
To accomplish the sustainability potential of the sharing economy (SE), there is a need for proactive governanceof the SE. In this paper, we aim to generate knowledge on household product consumption and sharing to supportSE governance in Gothenburg City (Sweden). Data from two independent cross-sectional questionnaire surveyswere statistically analyzed, which generated insights within 7 product groups covering household durables; andwithin 20 demographic categories regarding gender, age, dwelling type, education level, family composition, andincome. Results were in accordance with the well-known attitude-behavior gaps regarding sustainable practices,though variance was seen for these gaps depending on the product and demographic group considered. The studysuggests that, for 2021, clothes were consumed in high amounts (units/year) but there was relatively low interestand participation in sharing them, while the opposite was seen for tools and leisure items. As for demographicgroups, men were less likely than women to reduce their consumption through participating in sharing, contraryto respondents with higher education. Governance reflections are included for the highlighted cases, such as investigating the reasons why men are less interested in the SE and in reducing their consumption; and exploring hinders to achieving a critical mass of users and providers in clothes sharing
... Previous studies have used either a qualitative (Huang, Coghlan, & Jin, 2020) [2] and/or a quantitative (Guo, Liu, Song, & Yang, 2022; Lutz & Newlands, 2018) [86,87] approach to Airbnb research in tourism and the hospitality sector using the Airdna database. Given the amount of research output on the topic of e-hospitality, understanding professionalism in the sector is germane to further expanding the discourse on sharing platform research. ...
The sharing economy relating to e-hospitality is threatened globally with sanctions and closure owing to incessant noise and partying complaints, as well as complaints relating to reckless driving, tax evasion, and its social and economic effect on residents and accommodation vendors of longer stay rentals. Because the government is seeking a balance in regulating the e-hospitality sector, we sought to explore how professionalism of the e-hospitality platforms could potentially contribute to the sustainable growth of the sector in local and regional communities. In our study we developed a conceptual narrative that distinguishes two dimensions of professionalism for the sharing economy, namely the ticket clipper and end-to-end model. Data for the research was obtained from Vacation Rental Data (Airdna). Airdna provides a databank for both Airbnb and VRBO/Stayz. For the study a dataset from Airdna for HomeAway, also popularly known as Stayz, was utilized as a representative sample from a tourism town in Western Australia. For analysis of the dataset, path/panel regression was utilized, with a hierarchical linear model subsequently adopted for cross-section and multi-sectional analysis. Findings in the study demonstrate that professionals tend to improve the overall rating, and where the overall rating mediates the relationship between management firm (property/apartment/accommodation venue) and price. It was further observed that no relationship exists between overall rating and the number of HomeAway supply types; nevertheless, professionals promote the image and reputation of the property. Contrary, bad, or negative e-hospitality reviews lead to avoidance by prospective visitors. Lastly, results from the study took the form of two theoretical contributions, namely the ticket clipper model and the end-to-end model. More complaints were received concerning ticket clippers and it was noted that this model has caused severe shutdown in several cities and regions. The end-to-end model appears to be more sustainable. Moreover, literature suggests that there are more complaints from residents concerning ticket clippers and it was noted that this model has caused severe shutdown in several cities, nonetheless the end-to-end model appears to be more sustainable.
... Consumer segmentation: The literature on the sharing economy, such as the discussion on Airbnb consumers, highlights the importance of understanding different consumer segments within the sharing economy ecosystem (Lutz & Newlands, 2018). This recognition allows businesses to tailor their offerings and marketing strategies to meet the specific needs and preferences of various consumer groups. ...
Purpose
This study aims to provide a cutting-edge evaluation of the sharing economy's impact within the realm of tourism and hospitality. The primary objectives guiding this research are as follows: to uncover the prevalent discussions and debates within the tourism and hospitality sector concerning the implications and effects of the sharing economy on urban destinations; and to analyse how scholarly inquiries and empirical investigations have contributed to a comprehensive comprehension of the intricate theoretical foundations and practical intricacies inherent in the sharing economy. This exploration takes place within the extensive expanse of existing literature.
Methodology
The study used the non-conventional method for data mining. An artificial intelligence (AI) tool called www.dimensions.ai was used to mine data between the year 2002 and 2021. After which the data was analysed, using Citespace software that assisted in building themes for answering the research questions.
Findings
The sharing economy has multifaceted implications for rural and urban destinations. For instance, the findings demonstrated that emotional solidarity fosters community bonds between tourists and residents, enhancing authenticity. While, management firms optimise short-term rentals, boosting revenue and occupancy rates despite capped at 20%. It further demonstrated that the sharing economy disrupts traditional accommodations, especially hotels, impacting rural and urban destinations differently based on location and regulatory flexibility. Technological advancements would shape the digital future, transforming the resource in sharing and connectivity in urban settings.
Practical implications
Management firms or agents significantly enhance property facilities, revenue and occupancy rates. Properties managed by professionals perform better in terms of revenue and occupancy; furthermore, traditional accommodations need innovative strategies to compete with sharing economy platforms. Policymakers must consider location-specific regulations to balance sharing economy impacts. Embracing technological advancements ensures urban destinations stay relevant and competitive.
Social implications
Emotional solidarity fosters bonds between residents and tourists, contributing to a sense of community. Management firms contribute to local economies and stability. However, Airbnb's impact on traditional accommodations raises concerns about the effect on residents and communities.
Theoretical implications
The study incorporates classical sociology theory to understand emotional solidarity and extends the concept of moral economy to guide economic behaviour in the sharing economy. The analysis also underscores the influence of technological trends such as mobile technology, Internet of Things, AI and blockchain on sharing practices in reshaping existing theoretical frameworks in the sharing atmosphere. Furthermore, the co-creation of value theory highlights collaborative interactions between hosts and guests, shaping the sharing economy experience. Consumer segmentation and choice theories shed light on sharing economy dynamics. Institutional and location-based theories provide insights into regulatory and location-specific impacts.
Originality
This research contributes by comprehensively exploring the multifaceted implications of the sharing economy on a tourist destination. It delves into emotional solidarity, management firm roles and location-specific impacts, enriching the understanding of the sharing economy's effects. The application of co-creation of value theory and examination of platform technologies offer fresh perspectives on value creation and user engagement. The study's focus on practical dimensions guides stakeholders in optimising the benefits and addressing challenges posed by the sharing economy in urban contexts. The exploration of moral economy and its relevance to the sharing economy provides a novel perspective, while the examination of technological influences on sharing practices contributes to understanding the digital future of the sharing economy.
The sharing economy has emerged as a transformative model in the digital age. However, existing reviews often focus on isolated aspects and provide limited insights into its complexity. This paper comprehensively reviews 92 studies through a dual‐framework approach, employing both the Antecedents–Decisions–Outcomes (ADO) and the Theories–Contexts–Methods (TCM) frameworks. The ADO framework reveals key factors influencing user decisions—including adoption, usage, booking, continued use, engagement, participation, purchase, and switching—that are shaped by economic, social, technological, trust‐related, environmental, and political antecedents. Meanwhile, the TCM framework structures an in‐depth examination of dominant theories (e.g., Technology Acceptance Model, Social Exchange Theory), diverse contexts (e.g., studies in China, the US), and methods (e.g., quantitative and qualitative) prevalent in the literature. Key findings emphasize the importance of regulatory dynamics and market shifts on user engagement and platform sustainability. Practical implications offer actionable guidance for platform managers to enhance user retention and to align strategies with evolving regulatory and market environments. The review also identifies future research directions to expand our understanding of global trends and challenges within the sharing economy.
This chapter deals with the path leading consumers to adopt and use SE, casting light on the drivers and barriers that characterize their experiences. In examining the area of studies on SE drivers, the chapter presents a framework to classify the different motivations, as well as the preconditions and the enablers supporting SE adoption. Trust issues are also covered in this chapter, being a critical element that strongly impacts on SE usage, since exchanges take place both online and often among peers. The ways a platform copes with this issue are highlighted, also through an analysis of Vinted. Different types of SE consumers are described by turning to contributions which identify target profiles. This also helps understand the features of non-users. Finally, the barriers to SE adoption are presented and classified according to consumer attitudes and behaviour.
The sharing economy has given rise to prosumers, who actively participate in both consuming and producing goods and services on collaborative platforms. Understanding prosumer behavior is crucial for sharing economy platforms to create thriving ecosystems. This chapter explores the key factors influencing prosumer behavior, including economic, social, psychological, and platform-specific drivers, and examines the dynamics of prosumer participation and loyalty. Strategies for segmenting the prosumer base and the implications for sharing platforms are also discussed. The case study of Idle Fish, a Chinese secondhand marketplace platform, illustrates successful prosumer engagement strategies and challenges faced. As the sharing economy evolves, platforms that effectively harness the power of prosumption will thrive. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers must continue exploring prosumption dynamics to create an inclusive, sustainable, and value-creating sharing economy for all stakeholders.
The sharing economy, which is considered a better way of utilizing existing resources, is associated with positive effects not only on the financial aspects of sustainability but also on its environmental and social dimensions. But is this true? Previous research has typically discussed either the positive or negative aspects of the sharing business model in specific contexts. This study adopts a dual perspective regarding the sustainability of sharing business models by critically analyzing the relationship between sharing business models and sustainability. Building on the resource‐based view of the firm and practice theory, the current research develops a conceptual framework for evaluating the sustainability of sharing business models at the level of the individual, the firm, and society. Our proposed dual‐process model suggests that two competing processes contribute to sustainability. The study's conceptual model and propositions advance theory and provide a research agenda for future empirical studies. This research also provides valuable guidance to managers and policymakers regarding the sustainability of sharing business models, which can inform the business model innovation process.
Purpose
Drawing upon extended-self theory, this research aims to understand how different access modes of consumption and product type influence consumers' perceptions of self-product connection and sense of individual and collective ownership.
Design/methodology/approach
Two experiments assessed the impact of access modes (temporary vs permanent) and product types (tangible vs intangible) on individual and collective psychological ownership (IPO and CPO) as well as the mediating role of self-product connection in these relationships.
Findings
Temporary access reduces IPO compared to permanent access. Moreover, self-product connection mediates the relationship between access modes and both IPO and CPO. Product type significantly moderates the degree of psychological ownership, with intangible products having a notable influence on the impacts of access modes on IPO and CPO.
Practical implications
Understanding the nuances of access-based consumption and its effects on psychological ownership can inform marketers and businesses in designing more effective strategies for product offerings and access modes. Highlighting self-product connection can aid in cultivating stronger consumer relationships and loyalty in access-based consumption contexts.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing literature on consumer access-based consumption by shedding light on the changing dynamics of material possessions and the psychological mechanisms underlying ownership perceptions in access-based models.
The entrepreneurship of private households and incumbent companies operating as hosts on the Airbnb platform plays an important role in tourism development. Despite Airbnb’s gain in importance for tourism, the literature highlights its manifold negative externalities, which impair the achievement of sustainability goals. However, the platform also contributes to sustainable rural development through facilitating the micro-entrepreneurship of, and consumption and investment by, rural dwellers through income earned on the platform. This chapter explores this link for Nordic rural regions in a two-step approach: firstly, a literature review will elaborate three research gaps in the extant literature about Airbnb, Airbnb hosts, sustainability, and rural tourism. Subsequently, and based upon this review, an exploratory case study of Nordic Airbnb hosts in three rural case regions (North Iceland, Iceland; Northern Jutland, Denmark; and Nordland, Norway) will highlight the link between Airbnb-based entrepreneurship and local consumption and investment empirically. The case study utilises a sample of 64 Airbnb hosts, gathered through phone surveys in 2022 in the selected case regions. The chapter concludes by summarising the obvious, yet underresearched link between Airbnb hosts and sustainable development in rural tourist destinations that emphasises the entrepreneurial potential and redistributive effect of hosts on the digital platform.
This study adopts a cognitive heuristic perspective to examine the role of congruence in communication in influencing customer decision-making in the Airbnb context. It is well accepted that home-feeling is an important guest experience of Airbnb. We particularly examine how potential guests source credible online home-feeling-oriented information to make booking decisions. Existing research on home-feeling and its positive impact focus on a single source of information, either from the host or the guest while overlooking the (in)congruence of information of these sources. The results of polynomial regressions on 2,644 matching data from Airbnb support our view. Our findings show that booking will be higher when guest reviews and host self-descriptions are aligned with a high-level congruence of home-feeling-oriented information. However, when they are not closely aligned, a better outcome of booking is achieved based on a high level of home-feeling-oriented information from guest review than that from host self-descriptions.
RESUMO A vida urbana metropolitana tem experimentado um processo de substituição de serviços tradicionais por serviços digitais, tendo como contexto a emergência das tecnologias da informação e comunicação. O Airbnb, objeto de investigação deste artigo, é um serviço digital por aplicativo que permite locação descomplicada de imóveis para curtas durações. Com essas transformações tecnológicas, o espaço urbano também se transforma, e questiona-se em que medida essas relações comerciais podem encarecer o custo da moradia nas áreas urbanas mais atrativas aos usuários do Airbnb. Levanta-se a hipótese de que isso pode pressionar o ônus excessivo com o aluguel, o componente que mais pesa nos números do déficit habitacional brasileiro desde 2011. Por meio de análise quantitativa dos anúncios ativos no Airbnb, nas metrópoles brasileiras, em contraste com os dados do déficit habitacional, este artigo corrobora resultados de pesquisas de outros países e infere que a plataforma de locações temporárias é mais uma questão a ser pensada quando se discute o déficit habitacional crônico que perpassa todos os momentos da história do Brasil urbano. Palavras-chaves: Economia de compartilhamento. Mercado imobiliário. Déficit habitacional. Airbnb. ABSTRACT Urban life in metropolitan areas has undergone a significant transition, shifting from traditional to digital services facilitated by advancements in information and communication technologies. Airbnb, the focus of inquiry in this study, represents a mobile application-based service facilitating convenient short-term home rentals on a global scale. Such technological innovations have not only reshaped urban lifestyles but also transformed urban spaces, as these commercial exchanges contribute to heightened living expenses in urban areas desirable to Airbnb users. Consequently, Airbnb's presence exerts pressure on rental expenditures, the main component of Brazil's housing deficit index since 2011. Utilizing quantitative analysis to examine active Airbnb rental listings in Brazilian metropolises alongside housing deficit data, this research aligns with findings from international studies, suggesting that the home rental platform exacerbates a persistent housing deficit ingrained in Brazil's urbanization history.
This paper deals with the tension between digital technologies, which are unterritorial by nature, and regulatory patterns which are inherently local. Sometimes this results in an interesting hybridisation of regulatory models and/or operational solutions; in other instances, the clash takes the form of a regulatory conflict (as it happened in the field of electronic mass surveillance).
With the aim of illustrating the way in which similar technologies tend to be embedded into different institutional packages, I will provide an analysis of scoring evaluations and automated decision-making having legal effects on the personal sphere.
The sharing economy concept has been firmly incorporated into various scientific fields and applied broadly in practice. This paper aims to gain a detailed insight into the contemporary intellectual structure of the sharing economy in the fields of economics, business and management. Using a two-stage approach: a critical literature review and social network analysis (SNA), the dominant research niches and under-investigated issues within sharing economy were identified, along with the most influential authors and papers. Author collaboration and citation connection of papers have also been examined. It was concluded that sharing economy knowledge is gradually approaching the stage of maturity bearing in mind the growing number of articles, the presence of emerging research niches, as well as scarcity of approaches directed to purely quantitative analysis. Additionally, it was discovered that despite the study focus on the predefined research field, sharing economy concept exhibit a remarkable level of postdisciplinarity.
This study extends the nascent literature on luxury services and shared luxury by delving into how consumers are drawn to shared luxury services (SLS). Through a multigroup analysis on survey data from 803 consumers, we investigate whether diverse motivations affect consumers’ attitude and purchase intentions towards two different types of SLS reflecting different levels of sharing, namely simultaneous (i.e., when they are consumed in the presence of others – high sharing) and sequential (i.e., when they are consumed successively, without the concurrent presence of others – low sharing). Hedonism and environmental consciousness emerge as the main drivers of consumers’ attitudes towards both forms of SLS. Additionally, perceived privacy risk, need for uniqueness and bandwagon effect appear to drive consumers’ attitude towards simultaneous luxury. Overall, our findings advance knowledge vis-à-vis the changing nature of luxury services by highlighting the role of sharing level in shaping consumers’ attitudes towards sharing economy offerings.
The sharing economy (SE) is growing rapidly around the globe, but SE firms often encounter challenges and even failures when entering some countries. The authors conduct a meta-analysis to investigate the effectiveness of key strategic drivers of SE participation (utilitarian value, social value, hedonic value, sustainability value, and trust) and examine their relative effectiveness across global contingencies (economic/competitive, cultural, societal, technological, regulatory, and demographic factors). Results indicate that hedonic value generates the most cross-national benefits, whereas social and sustainability values provide the least. The results reveal a complex pattern of global contingencies that firms should consider when developing their entry strategies, designing governance mechanisms, and evaluating the most promising markets. Finally, the authors offer three tenets that establish an emerging perspective of global SE participation: (1) High levels of economic and social inequality between SE participants lessen the importance of hedonic benefits, but enhance the importance of utilitarian and social benefits; (2) consumers are most motivated by the benefits associated with the lowest level of their unsatisfied needs on the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; and (3) consumers are more influenced by governance mechanisms that increase their trust in providers and platforms in markets with low levels of generalized trust.
Purpose
Positive reviews can enrich the favorable impression of peer-to-peer accommodation products, and seizing this impression is vital for hosts. This study aims to focus on hosts’ response strategies to positive reviews and their effects.
Design/methodology/approach
This study categorizes hosts’ response strategies to positive reviews into cordial and tailoring responses. This study empirically analyzes the influence of these response strategies on subsequent review volumes using 1,283 valid listings and zero-inflation negative binomial regression models.
Findings
While hosts use cordial responses more, tailoring responses are more likely to drive subsequent reviews. In addition, when the host chooses entirely shared accommodation or sets a high price, the facilitating effect of the two response strategies on subsequent reviews weakens.
Research limitations/implications
This study enriches the knowledge system on managerial responses by proposing two specific response strategies to positive reviews that can be adopted by peer-to-peer accommodation hosts and by finding the promoting impact of these strategies on subsequent review volumes.
Practical implications
This study recommends that peer-to-peer accommodation hosts adopt cordial and tailoring responses to encourage subsequent consumer reviewing behavior.
Originality/value
As an early attempt to explore hosts’ responses to positive reviews and their impacts on subsequent review volumes, this study provides valuable insights into further research on positive review response strategies in the digital space.
A COVID-19 járványhoz kapcsolódó korlátozások jelentős hatást gyakoroltak a fenntarthatóságra fókuszáló üzleti gyakorlatok elterjedésére. A tanulmány célja kettős: egyrészt feltárni, hogyan változott a fenntartható üzleti gyakorlatok fogyasztói elfogadása a járvány hatására, másrészt megvizsgálni, várható-e visszarendeződés a járvány elültével, azaz tetten érhető-e részleges vagy teljes visszapattanó hatás. A szerzők egy 622 fős minta alapján leíró statisztikák, illetve faktor- és klaszterelemzés segítségével vizsgálták a fentieket. Az eredmények alapján a fogyasztók nyitottsága általánosságban nőtt a vizsgált gyakorlatokkal kapcsolatban, egyedül a megosztáson alapuló megoldások (szállás, közlekedés) esetében csökkent. A fenntarthatóságot célzó üzleti gyakorlatok elfogadásában a COVID-hoz kapcsolódó korlátozások elmúltával ugyanakkor visszarendeződés várható (ez részben már megfigyelhető is, például az anyagi fogyasztás és az elmaradt utazások tekintetében). A várt visszapattanó hatás jelentős a fenntarthatósági gyakorlatok iránt nyitott klaszterek („Felelős zöldek” és „Innovatívak”) körében is, ami különösen fontossá teszi, hogy vállalati innovációk, illetve szakpolitikai és oktatási megoldások révén megtartható legyen a válság idején elért nagyobb nyitottság.
This study examines, from a comparative standpoint, the contribution of domestic tourism and international tourism to hotel sales revenue (HSR) and its three key revenue sources: room sales revenue (RSR), food and beverage sales revenue (FBR), and other sales income (OSR), using data from 2003 to 2020. The results indicate that domestic tourism has a greater impact on HSR than international tourism. In addition, we discovered that domestic tourism contributes more to OSR than RSR and FBR, but international tourism contributes more to FBR than OSR and RSR. Notably, panel threshold regression test results indicate that the effects of DTA on hotel sales (HSR, RSR and FBR) show different degrees of sensitivity to economic fluctuations. Domestic tourism’s impact on hotel sales (HSR, RSR, FBR and OSR) is less sensitive to economic fluctuations than the impact of international tourism. The RSR’s response to tourism is the least sensitive to economic cycles, whereas the FBR is the most sensitive.
Purpose
Senior tourist is a salient segment of the tourism sector. This segment reflects a robust ageing population with discretionary income and an appetite for tourism activities. However, to date, there has been a paucity of empirical insight on how the combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations may influence senior tourists’ connectedness and booking intentions towards home-sharing accommodation. Thus, this study aims to investigate how senior tourists’ curiosity and social interaction may influence their connectedness towards Airbnb and subsequently booking intention.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual model was developed and tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling to analyse data collected from a sample of 195 senior tourists in Malaysia.
Findings
The results showed that intrinsic (curiosity) and extrinsic (social interaction) motivations positively influence senior tourists’ connectedness towards platform accommodation, which in turn positively affects the outcome variable. Furthermore, this study found that a sense of connectedness is crucial in linking motivators and booking intentions.
Research limitations/implications
This research was carried out in Malaysia; therefore, cross-national studies are encouraged to establish whether the findings described in this study can be extrapolated to other cultures/countries.
Practical implications
From a practitioner’s perspective, this study reinforces the need to address and understand senior tourists’ curiosity and how it may invoke their connectedness and behavioural actions towards the Airbnb platform. More importantly, this study gives home-sharing practitioners practical leverage on how combined intrinsic and extrinsic motivations may deduce senior tourists’ booking intentions.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the literature on senior tourism and the home-sharing sector by demonstrating the role of curiosity and social interaction in shaping senior tourists’ connectedness towards Airbnb and behavioural intentions.
Ubrzani tehnološki razvoj zadnjih nekoliko desetljeća doveo je do odmicanja od tradicionalnog modela poslovanja poduzeća na razvoj novih modela koji se oslanjaju na korištenje digitalnih platformi za dijeljenje nedovoljno iskorištenih dobara ili usluga, što je poznato kao ekonomija dijeljenja. Porast ekonomije dijeljenja značajno mijenja potrošačko ponašanje milijuna ljudi širom svijeta. Ekspanzivan rast ekonomije dijeljenja i njezin dramatičan utjecaj na različite aspekte današnjeg društveno-ekonomskog sustava potaknuo je sve veći interes javnosti posljednjih desetak godina. Na tržište su ušli novi igrači na mnogim poljima koji su stekli značajnu važnost, a neki su čak i nadigrali postojeće igrače. Ekonomija dijeljenja značajno mijenja modele poslovanja u raznim industrijama te nameće brojna ekonomska, društvena i pravna pitanja. Cilj ovog rada je ukazati na trendove u razvoju koncepta ekonomije dijeljenja, te kroz pregled relevantne literature pružiti iscrpnu analizu dosadašnjih spoznaja, kao i sagledati potencijalna neistražena područja ekonomije dijeljenja. Stoga se u radu daje pregled literature o motivaciji i iskustvima korisnika, utjecaju recenzija na odabir usluga, te čimbenicima koji utječu na formiranje cijene. Osim aspekta korisnika, proučava se i aspekt pružatelja usluga, njihova motivacija za sudjelovanjem kao i strategije i ponašanje pružatelja usluga. Rad također naglašava važnost proučavanja svih sektora i platformi u ekonomiji dijeljenja, temeljem spoznaje da se najveći broj dosadašnjih studija odnosi na područje smještaja.
Purpose
This paper aims to address three research questions (1) Who is the main stakeholder that shapes Airbnb experience, (2) Does Airbnb offers an authentic travel experience? and (3) What should be the future research trends in Airbnb?
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses the systematic literature review (SLR) with a well-defined protocol, research strategy and methods to answer the research questions.
Findings
The review revealed that while Airbnb plays a significant role as the platform provider, the stakeholders influencing the experiences are multifaceted. Hosts, guests, local communities and even regulatory bodies all contribute to shaping the overall Airbnb Experience ecosystem. Hosts, in particular, have a crucial role in curating and delivering unique experiences, which significantly impacts the quality and authenticity of the offerings. On the question of whether Airbnb offers an authentic travel experience, the review uncovered mixed findings. For examples, some studies emphasized the potential for Airbnb to provide authentic and local experiences, allowing travelers to engage with the community and cultural aspects of a destination. However, other studies raised concerns about the commodification and standardization of experiences, leading to a potential loss of authenticity.
Originality/value
This paper is different from previous SLR where previous research systematically reviewed; motivations to use and choose Airbnb, institutionalization of Airbnb, stakeholders of Airbnb. This paper addresses authentic experience as a factor that influences activity participation.
Smart tourism innovations are changing tourism. Tourists are increasingly demanding more authentic experiences and non-traditional accommodations (e.g., Airbnb) that offer closer connections to hosts and locals. Airbnb presents lodgings ranging from shared rooms and apartments to treehouses. Peer-to-peer accommodations create value for customers via reasonable prices, flexibility, ease of use, and local-guest interactive communication. Smart tourism has facilitated this new business ecosystem’s development within the sharing economy. This study sought to examine guests’ experiences in Bucharest Airbnb apartments and the main themes associated with these tourists’ subjective well-being. The sample of 750 online reviews were analysed using Leximancer, which revealed five themes—apartment, stay, old, host, and nice (view)— and their positive outcomes recommend(ation), thank you(s), and value (for money). The results reveal that hosts’ friendliness contributes the most to guests’ affective wellbeing, which has theoretical and practical implications for Romania’s tourism industry.
Purpose - This study explores the use of time series analyses to examine changes in travelers’ preferences in accommodation features by disentangling seasonal, trend, and the COVID-19 pandemic’s once-off disruptive effects.
Methodology - Longitudinal data are retrieved by online traveler reviews (n=519,200) from the Canary Islands, Spain, over a period of seven years (2015 to 2022). A time series analysis decomposes the seasonal, trend, and disruptive effects of six prominent accommodation features (view, terrace, pool, shop, location, and room).
Findings – Single accommodation features reveal different seasonal patterns. Trend analyses indicate long-term trend effects and short-term disruption effects caused by Covid-19. In contrast, no long-term effect of the pandemic was found.
Practical implications – The findings stress the need to address seasonality at the single accommodation feature level. Beyond targeting specific features at different guest groups, new approaches could allow dynamic price optimization. Real-time insight can be used for the targeted marketing of platform providers and accommodation owners.
Originality - A novel application of a time series perspective reveals trends and seasonal changes in travelers’ accommodation feature preferences. The findings help better address travelers’ needs in P2P offerings.
Airbnb has grown very rapidly over the past several years, with millions of tourists having used the service. The purpose of this study was to investigate tourists’ motivations for using Airbnb and to segment them accordingly. The study involved an online survey completed in 2015 by more than 800 tourists who had stayed in Airbnb accommodation during the previous 12 months. Aggregate results indicated that respondents were most strongly attracted to Airbnb by its practical attributes, and somewhat less so by its experiential attributes. An exploratory factor analysis identified five motivating factors—Interaction, Home Benefits, Novelty, Sharing Economy Ethos, and Local Authenticity. A subsequent cluster analysis divided the respondents into five segments—Money Savers, Home Seekers, Collaborative Consumers, Pragmatic Novelty Seekers, and Interactive Novelty Seekers. Profiling of the segments revealed numerous distinctive characteristics. Various practical and conceptual implications of the findings are discussed.
Shared consumption is proposed as a comparably sustainable consumption practice. However, little is known about effects of shared consumption on individuals. We build on the theory of planned behavior and the value-belief-norm theory using cross-lagged structural equation modeling based on a two-wave panel study with 168 consumers to examine the effects a shared consumption pattern has on consumers' values, attitudes, and norms. Our structural model explains a medium to large amount of variance in self-reported shared consumption. We find shared consumption has statistically significant positive cross-lagged effects on future altruistic values, attitudes, subjective norms, and personal norms. However, no statistically significant effects of shared consumption are found on consumers' future biospheric and egoistic values. Thus, the more consumers engaged in shared consumption, the more concerned they were for others, while it did not affect their concern for the environment or themselves. Theoretical and practical implications of our results are discussed.
The sharing economy is a fast-growing and heavily debated phenomenon. This study provides an overview of motivations of people willing to participate in different forms of the sharing economy. A survey was held amongst 1330 respondents from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Using stated preference data, we investigate the relative importance of (1) economic, (2) social and (3) environmental motivations to participate in peer-to-peer sharing. Hereby we consider differences between (a) sectors of the sharing economy, (b) socio-demographic groups, and (c) users and providers. Results are descriptive as well as based on ordered logit models. Notable differences are observed in the motivations for sharing between sectors. To a lesser extent there is variety in sharing drivers between socio-demographic groups. Finally, users seem more economically motivated than providers of goods.
OPEN ACCESS: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/toc/jtf/2/1
Purpose
Although networked hospitality businesses as Airbnb are a recent phenomenon, a rapid growth has made them a serious competitor for the hospitality industry with important consequences for tourism and for tourist destinations. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the nature of the phenomenon, its potential further development in the next five years and the impact this developments will have on tourism, on hotels and on city destinations.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature study, combined with scenario workshops and a Delphi panel, were used to map current trends and uncertainties. With this input, future scenarios were elaborated using the Global Business Network (“scenario cross”) method.
Findings
Network platforms as Airbnb are often classified under something called the “Sharing Economy”, a denomination that obscures their true nature. Airbnb is a challenging innovation to which traditional hospitality will have to respond. Its impact has at the same time led to a call for regulatory policies. The definition of these policies and the evolution of tourism are variables that determine future scenarios. Attempts to ban the phenomenon mean a disincentive to innovation and protect oligopolistic markets; more receptive policies may have the desired results if tourism grows moderately but in booming destinations they may lead to a harmful commercialization.
Originality/value
Until now, Airbnb has been described in conceptual studies about the so-called “Sharing economy”, or more recently in empirical studies about isolated effects of holiday rentals. This paper contextualizes the evolution of networked hospitality and seeks to synthesize the sum of its impacts, thus enabling businesses and local governments to define positions and strategies.
Mechanical Turk (MTurk), an online labor market created by Amazon, has recently become popular among social scientists as a source of survey and experimental data. The workers who populate this market have been assessed on dimensions that are universally relevant to understanding whether, why, and when they should be recruited as research participants. We discuss the characteristics of MTurk as a participant pool for psychology and other social sciences, highlighting the traits of the MTurk samples, why people become MTurk workers and research participants, and how data quality on MTurk compares to that from other pools and depends on controllable and uncontrollable factors.
This article explores the emergence of Airbnb, a company whose website permits ordinary people to rent out their residences as tourist accommodation. The company was just recently established, but it has grown extremely rapidly and is now selling many millions of room nights annually. This rise is examined through the lens of disruptive innovation theory, which describes how products that lack in traditionally favoured attributes but offer alternative benefits can, over time, transform a market and capture mainstream consumers. The concepts of disruptive innovation are used to consider Airbnb's novel business model, which is built around modern internet technologies, and Airbnb's distinct appeal, which centres on cost-savings, household amenities, and the potential for more authentic local experiences. Despite Airbnb's growing popularity, many Airbnb rentals are actually illegal due to short-term rental regulations. These legality issues and their corresponding tax concerns are discussed, with an overview of the current state of regulatory flux and a possible path for resolution. Thereafter, the article considers Airbnb's potential to significantly disrupt the traditional accommodation sector, and the positive and negative impacts Airbnb may have on destinations. Finally, numerous questions for future research are proposed.
The public perception of shared goods has changed substantially in the past few years. While co-owning properties has been widely accepted for a while (e.g., timeshares), the notion of sharing bikes, cars, or even rides on an on-demand basis is just now starting to gain widespread popularity. The emerging "sharing economy" is particularly interesting in the context of cities that struggle with population growth and increasing density. While sharing vehicles promises to reduce inner-city traffic, congestion, and pollution problems, the associated business models are not without problems themselves. Using agency theory, in this article we discuss existing shared mobility business models in an effort to unveil the optimal relationship between service providers (agents) and the local governments (principals) to achieve the common objective of sustainable mobility. Our findings show private or public models are fraught with conflicts, and point to a merit model as the most promising alignment of the strengths of agents and principals.
This article explores the concept of sharing in three distinct spheres: Web 2.0, whose constitutive activity is sharing (links, photos, status updates, and so on); “sharing economies” of production and consumption; and intimate interpersonal relationships, in which the therapeutic ethos includes a cultural requirement that we share our emotions. It is argued that a range of distributive and communicative practices—not all of which are entirely new—are converging under the metaphor of sharing. Thus, practices in one sphere are conceptualized in terms of practices from other spheres. What all three spheres of sharing have in common are values such as equality, mutuality, honesty, openness, empathy, and an ethic of care. Moreover, they all challenge prevalent perceptions of the proper boundary between the public and the private.
Sharing is a phenomenon as old as humankind, while collaborative consumption and the “sharing economy” are phenomena born of the Internet age. This paper compares sharing and collaborative consumption and finds that both are growing in popularity today. Examples are given and an assessment is made of the reasons for the current growth in these practices and their implications for businesses still using traditional models of sales and ownership. The old wisdom that we are what we own, may need modifying to consider forms of possession and uses that do not involve ownership.
The extended self was proposed in 1988. Since it was formulated, many technological changes have dramatically affected the way we consume, present ourselves, and communicate. This conceptual update seeks to revitalize the concept, incorporate the impacts of digitization, and provide an understanding of consumer sense of self in today’s technological environment. It is necessarily a work in progress, for the digital environment and our behavior within it continue to evolve. But some important changes are already clear. Five changes with digital consumption are considered that impact the nature of self and the nature of possessions. Needed modifications and additions to the extended self are outlined, and directions for future research are suggested. The digital world opens a host of new means for self-extension, using many new consumption objects to reach a vastly broader audience. Even though this calls for certain reformulations, the basic concept of the extended self remains vital.
Access-based consumption, defined as transactions that can be market mediated but where no transfer of ownership takes place, is becoming increasingly popular, yet it is not well theorized. This study examines the nature of access as it contrasts to ownership and sharing, specifically the consumer-object, consumer-consumer, and consumer-marketer relationships. Six dimensions are identified to distinguish among the range of access-based consumptionscapes: temporality, anonymity, market mediation, consumer involvement, the type of accessed object, and political consumerism. Access-based consumption is examined in the context of car sharing via an interpretive study of Zipcar consumers. Four outcomes of these dimensions in the context of car sharing are identified: lack of identification, varying significance of use and sign value, negative reciprocity resulting in a big-brother model of governance, and a deterrence of brand community. The implications of our findings for understanding the nature of exchange, consumption, and brand community are discussed.
The purpose of this paper is to examine home swap - a form of non-commercial hospitality that has witnessed a great expansion in the last decade. In conjunction with prior writings on various subjects related to home swap, this study can be utilised in compiling a preliminary conceptualisation of home swapping, as a form of non-commercial hospitality, with its own characteristics. In particular this study identifies six dimensions of home swap, namely (a) escape of the market, (b) asymmetric exchanges, (c) need for trustiness, (d) use of a hospitality exchange network, (e) demand for domesticity and (f) quest to experience local authenticity. The results of this study are being utilised to construct a preliminary conceptualisation of home swapping as a distinct vacation alternative building on old virtues and using new technology.
Sharing is the constitutive activity of Web 2.0. But when did ‘sharing’ become the term used to describe the activities that constitute participation in Web 2.0? What does sharing mean in this context? What is its rhetorical force? This paper argues that a new meaning of sharing has emerged in the context of Web 2.0 with three main features: fuzzy objects of sharing; the use of the word ‘share’ with no object at all; and presenting in terms of sharing functions of social network sites that used not to be so described. Following a critique of the use of the notion of sharing by social network sites, the article concludes by suggesting affinities between sharing in Web 2.0 and in other social spheres.
During last years, ICTs have enabled the rise of the so-called “collaborative consumption” (CC) – a form of consumption where people share goods and services online. CC has been expected to alleviate societal problems such as hyper-consumption, pollution, and poverty by lowering cost of economic coordination within communities. However, beyond anecdotal evidence, there is a dearth of understanding why people participate in CC. Therefore, in this paper we investigate people’s motivations to participate in CC. The study employs survey data (N=168) gathered from people registered into a collaborative consumption site. The results show that participation in collaborative consumption is motivated by many factors such as its sustainability, enjoyment of the activity as well as economic gains. An interesting detail in the result is that sustainability is not directly associated with participation unless it at the same time is also associated with positive attitudes towards CC. This suggests that sustainability might only be an important factor for those people for whom ecological consumption is important. Furthermore, the results suggest that in CC an attitude-behavior gap might loom; people perceive the activity positively and say good things about it, but this good attitude does not necessary translate into action.
Sharing is a fundamental consumer behavior that we have either tended to overlook or to confuse with commodity exchange and gift giving. Sharing is a distinct, ancient, and increasingly vital consumer research topic that bears on a broad array of consumption issues ranging from sharing household resources versus atomized family possessions to file sharing versus intellectual property rights. This theoretical review distinguishes between sharing in and sharing out, and suggests that sharing in dissolves interpersonal boundaries posed by materialism and possession attachment through expanding the aggregate extended self. However, such sharing is challenged by growing market commoditization. Implications for consumer theory and research are considered. (c) 2009 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..
Although Mechanical Turk has recently become popular among social scientists as a source of experimental data, doubts may linger about the quality of data provided by subjects recruited from online labor markets. We address these potential concerns by presenting new demographic data about the Mechanical Turk subject population, reviewing the strengths of Mechanical Turk relative to other online and offline methods of recruiting subjects, and comparing the magnitude of effects obtained using Mechanical Turk and traditional subject pools. We further discuss some additional benefits such as the possibility of longitudinal, cross cultural and prescreening designs, and offer some advice on how to best manage a common subject pool.
The sharing economy has shifted the way in which goods and services are consumed - from exclusive ownership toward collective usage with economic benefits. Current literature addresses consumer motives to participate in commercial sharing of goods and services with a physical manifestation. In contrast, this study shows the relevance of intangibility for sharing services and empirically examines consumers' motives, perceptions, and experiences in the context of a new insurance model. A qualitative investigation reveals three main characteristics of intangible service sharing: financial benefits as a main motivator for participation, emerging weak social and symbolic values in a controlled environment, and a network of strangers as a crucial precondition for sharing. The work contributes to research on the sharing economy as well as to managerial considerations for the design of sharing services. In particular, managers need to balance between community development and the preservation of anonymity when promoting sharing services based on intangible elements.
The sharing economy, a rising pattern in consumption behavior that is based on accessing and reusing products to utilize idle capacity, presents both tremendous possibilities and significant threats for emerging as well as incumbent businesses. As of today, it is unclear whether this economy is merely another ephemeral trend in consumption or whether we are experiencing a real shift in how goods are accessed, distributed, and used. Furthermore, little is known about how existing business models are affected by the sharing economy. These two issues represent the central motivation for the development of this article. Consequently, an examination of why the sharing economy has the potential to produce a long-term transformation in consumption behavior is followed by a consideration of how this change might affect companies’ business models. Based on a renowned business model framework and a variety of current illustrative examples, we propose central questions managers must ask themselves in order to be prepared to respond to changes brought about by this new economic trend.
If you would like a copy of the article for your personal use, please email me: mingming.cheng@otago.ac.nz
This paper provides an objective, systematic and holistic review of the sharing economy (SE) academic literature to uncover the theoretical foundations and key themes underlying the field by using co-citation analysis and content analysis. Sixty-six publications on sharing economy with ten papers related to tourism and hospitality from 2010 to 2015 (inclusive) have been identified. This paper revealed three broad areas of foci with sharing economy research in general: (1) SE's business models and its impacts, (2) nature of SE, and (3) SE's sustainability development as well as two areas of foci in tourism and hospitality specifically: (1) SE's impacts on destinations and tourism services (2) SE's impacts on tourists. The sharing economy has a strong intellectual tradition from lifestyle and social movement field, consumption practice and sharing paradigm. This paper presents a more robust framework and holistic understanding of the sharing economy field and calls for a new theory-informed research agenda on sharing economy to coalesce multi-level perspectives.
Commercial sharing systems (CSS) evolve to a relevant business concept that provides access to product benefits without ownership. A series of three studies delivers new knowledge on how to target consumers who still refrain from sharing to widen the market potential of CSS. Study 1 demonstrates that materialism's sub-dimension possessiveness is the dominant inhibitor of sharing. Study 2 then confirms that this negative impact of materialism diminishes with elevating levels of the desire for unique consumer products. Study 3 reveals that this interaction effect is further qualified by the ownership of a product if the product category has a strong product-need-fit. This research outlines implications of how marketers can design CSS so that they are also attractive to the critical target segment of materialistic consumers.
In this contribution, we scrutinize the diverse motives for internet-mediated sharing as well as their role in shaping attitudes towards sharing one's possessions in commercialized as well as non-commercialized settings. On the basis of qualitative and quantitative research, we first develop a scale of sharing motives, showing that the reasons for participating in online sharing platforms are more nuanced than previously thought. Second, employing a motivational model of sharing, rooted in the theory of planned behavior, we show that sharing attitudes are driven by moral, social-hedonic and monetary motivations. Furthermore, we identify materialism, sociability and volunteering as predictors of sharing motives in different sharing contexts. Against this background, we explore the possible role of monetary incentives as a necessary but not sufficient condition for sharing one's possessions with others.
Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) is an online labor market that defines itself as "a marketplace for work that requires human intelligence." Early advocates and developers of crowdsourcing platforms argued that crowdsourcing tasks are designed so people of any skill level can do this labor online. However, as the popularity of crowdsourcing work has grown, the crowdsourcing literature has identified a peculiar issue: that work quality of workers is not responsive to changes in price. This means that unlike what economic theory would predict, paying crowdworkers higher wages does not lead to higher quality work. This has led some to believe that platforms, like AMT, attract poor quality workers. This article examines different market dynamics that might, unwittingly, contribute to the inefficiencies in the market that generate poor work quality. We argue that the cultural logics and socioeconomic values embedded in AMT's platform design generate a greater amount of market power for requesters (those posting tasks) than for individuals doing tasks for pay (crowdworkers). We attribute the uneven distribution of market power among participants to labor market frictions, primarily characterized by uncompetitive wage posting and incomplete information. Finally, recommendations are made for how to tackle these frictions when contemplating the design of an online labor market.
Sharing instead of buying is regaining traction among today's consumers. This study aims at identifying segments of sharing consumers to unearth potentially viable clusters of a consumer behavior that is a market of growing economic relevance. By means of a qualitative study and a survey with a roughly representative sample of 1121 Swiss‐German and German consumers, a set of trait‐related, motivational, and perceived socioeconomic variables is identified that can be used to group individuals into segments that differ with regard to their approach to sharing. A cluster analysis based on these variables suggests four potential clusters of sharing consumers—sharing idealists, sharing opponents, sharing pragmatists, and sharing normatives. Two sets of testable propositions are derived that can guide further research in this domain and pave the way to a more targeted approach to the growing market of “sharing” businesses.
Collaborative consumption, often associated with the sharing economy, takes place in organized systems or networks, in which participants conduct sharing activities in the form of renting, lending, trading, bartering, and swapping of goods, services, transportation solutions, space, or money. In this paper, a framework on the determinants of choosing a sharing option is developed and tested with two quantitative studies by applying partial least squares path modeling analysis. In study 1, users of the B2C car sharing service car2go (N = 236), and in study 2, users of the C2C online community accommodation marketplace Airbnb (N = 187) are surveyed. The results reveal the satisfaction and the likelihood of choosing a sharing option again to be predominantly explained by determinants serving users' self-benefit. Utility, trust, cost savings, and familiarity were found to be essential in both studies, while service quality and community belonging were identified solely in study 1. Four proposed determinants had no influence on any of the endogenous variables. This applies to environmental impact, internet capability, smartphone capability, and trend affinity. Finally, research and managerial implications are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Online marketplaces often contain information not only about products, but also about the people selling the products. In an effort to facilitate trust, many platforms encourage sellers to provide personal profiles and even to post pictures of themselves. However, these features may also facilitate discrimination based on sellers’ race, gender, age, or other aspects of appearance. In this paper, we test for racial discrimination against landlords in the online rental marketplace Airbnb. Using a new data set combining pictures of all New York City landlords on Airbnb with their rental prices and information about quality of the rentals, we show that non-black hosts charge approximately 12% more than black hosts for the equivalent rental. These effects are robust when controlling for all information visible in the Airbnb marketplace. These findings highlight the prevalence of discrimination in online marketplaces, suggesting an important unintended consequence of a seemingly-routine mechanism for building trust.
This Essay offers a framework to explain large-scale effective practices of sharing private, excludable goods. It starts with case studies of carpooling and distributed computing as motivating problems. It then suggests a definition for shareable goods as goods that are "lumpy" and "mid-grained" in size, and explains why goods with these characteristics will have systematic overcapacity relative to the requirements of their owners. The Essay next uses comparative transaction costs analysis, focused on information characteristics in particular, combined with an analysis of diversity of motivations, to suggest when social sharing will be better that secondary markets at reallocating this overcapacity to nonowners who require the functionality. The Essay concludes with broader observations about the attractiveness of sharing as a modality of economic production as compared to markets and to hierarchies such as firms and government. These observations include a particular emphasis on sharing practices among individuals who are strangers or weakly related; sharing's relationship to technological change; and some implications for contemporary policy choices regarding wireless regulation, intellectual property, and communications network design.
There has been increased attention given in the tourism literature to the experiential consumption of tourism. This article addresses the lack of attention in previous studies to the experiential nature of accommodation products, especially with regard to boutique or specialist accommodation. Attention to tourists’ experiences with accommodation is essential for determining guest satisfaction and the personal benefits that guests derive from their stay. In-depth interviews with 19 hosts and 30 guests at boutique accommodation establishments in Nelson in the South Island of New Zealand highlighted the emotive aspects of the experiences gained by guests and revealed five key experiential dimensions that are seen as important to the success of boutique accommodation product: unique character, personalized, homely, quality, and value added. Ways in which the experiential qualities offered by boutique accommodation are perceived to differ from that provided by other traditional and specialist types of accommodation are also discussed.
We examine alternative consumption including collaborative consumption, sharing, and unconsumption (i.e., postconsumption activities such as upcycling, reuse, recycling, etc.) at non-monetary-based private and public sharing events including Really Really Free Markets (RRFMs). These alternative marketplaces (RRFMs) were initially organized by the Anarchist Movement as a form of resistance to the capitalist economic model. However, many consumer groups now utilize this model to stage public sharing events as a means of raising awareness about various issues including sustainability and overconsumption. Participants bring, share, and take goods without any expectation of monetary or other exchange. There is limited research on collaborative consumption and sharing in non-monetary marketplaces. We address this gap by exploring alternative marketplaces, organized by consumers for consumers, utilizing qualitative research methods. Our findings indicate that a sense of community is both a driver of participation and an outcome of these events. Organizers and participants utilize these venues to share knowledge and possessions for various ideological and practical reasons. Our findings also indicate that these events challenge the entrenched notions of exchange and reciprocity. Our research contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of community, collaboration, and changing consumer mindsets to the success of such sharing efforts. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sharing systems are increasingly challenging sole ownership as the dominant means of obtaining product benefits, making up a market estimated at over $100 B annually in 2010. Consumer options include cell phone minute sharing plans, frequent flyer mile pools, bike sharing programs, and automobile sharing systems, among many others. However, marketing research has yet to provide a framework for understanding and managing these emergent systems. The present paper conceptualizes commercial sharing systems within a typology of shared goods. Three studies then demonstrate that beyond cost-related benefits of sharing, the perceived risk of scarcity related to sharing is a central determinant of its attractiveness. Results suggest that managers can use perceptions of personal and sharing partners’ usage patterns to affect risk perceptions and subsequent propensity to participate in a commercial sharing system.
While the literature on anti‐consumption is rich and growing, there is still a lack of understanding among consumer researchers regarding why consumers choose to avoid consumption. This study seeks to extend the literature by exploring whether a group of consumers who reduce consumption through choosing to share rather than own are motivated by anti‐consumption reasons. The authors use quantitative data from 397 toy library members to explore why members choose to participate in this form of sharing. The study reveals four groups – Socialites, Market Avoiders, Quiet Anti‐Consumers and Passive Members. The Socialites enjoy the social benefits of active participation in their library. The Market Avoiders also perceived social and community benefits, are interested in sharing and are the least materialistic of the groups. The Quiet Anti‐Consumers feel a sense of belonging to their toy library and hold strong anti‐consumption, frugality and sharing values. The Passive Members are not socially involved, nor did they hold strong anti‐consumption values. Thus, the authors find evidence that sharing may be one possible alternative market structure that may be adopted by anti‐consumption consumers.
Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proprietors of British bed-and-breakfasts houses and recent Australian tourists to the U.K. were interviewed in depth about their respective experiences as hosts and guests in such establishments. Accounts covered their motives for involvement with bed-and-breakfast transactions, their familiarity with and preparedness for them, the nature of their interactions, the effect of the domestic scale and location of the transaction, and the interpenetration of economic and other psychological components. The transaction went beyond the commercial; its dominant characteristics appeared in psychological rather than material forms. Of particular importance was the negotiation of mutually acceptable rules of conduct for being a host and guest in an essentially ambiguous situation. Difficulties of understanding between hosts and certain nationalities among tourists were reported. Comments are added on the applicability of the study's findings.
In this paper, we explore how privacy settings and privacy policy consumption (reading the privacy policy) affect the relationship between privacy attitudes and disclosure behaviors. We present results from a survey completed by 122 users of Facebook regarding their information disclosure practices and their attitudes about privacy. Based on our data, we develop and evaluate a model for understanding factors that affect how privacy attitudes influence disclosure and discuss implications for social network sites. Our analysis shows that the relationship between privacy attitudes and certain types of disclosures (those furthering contact) are controlled by privacy policy consumption and privacy behaviors. This provides evidence that social network sites could help mitigate concerns about disclosure by providing transparent privacy policies and privacy controls.
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