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Characterizing the Sharing Economy State of the Research: A Systematic Map

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  • Rafael Laurenti

    (IPD Integrated Product Development, MMK Department of Machine Design, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
    HERUS Laboratory for Human Environment Relations in Urban Systems, EPFL Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland)

  • Jagdeep Singh

    (The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE), Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden)

  • Joao Miguel Cotrim

    (ISCTE-IUL Business School, University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Martina Toni

    (Department of Business Studies, University of Roma Tre, 00154 Roma, Italy)

  • Rajib Sinha

    (SEED Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden)

Abstract

The sharing economy is an emerging niche for innovation capable of disrupting established socio-technical and economic regimes. Because of this potential to cause radical changes in a wide array of domains, research in multiple disciplines addressing various aspects entailing this phenomenon is proliferating. In this emerging body of literature, the understanding and framing of the sharing economy are often different. Without knowledge about the current state of the research related to the sharing economy, delineating research trends, gaps, and needs for directing effectively primary research are not possible. This study aimed to synthesize the state and distribution of existing publications related to the sharing economy in multiple disciplines. We used the systematic mapping technique to scope, identify, and classify the publications at a fine level of granularity. We reviewed 589 journal articles (published from 1978 to 2017), and 454 met the selection criteria. The journal articles reviewed were published in 284 different journals. Intriguingly, 15 journals published five to 13 publications each and 221 journals had a single article about the topic. Journals belonging to the subject areas “business, management and accounting” (42.1%) and “social sciences” (35.2%) published more than 70% of the reviewed publications. Accommodation (19.8%) and car and ridesharing (17.2%) were the two most prominent sectors; 50.2% of the publications addressed C2C transactions (10.6% B2C, 24.4% more than one type); 62.3% were about accessing resources, and 5.1% concerned transfer of ownership (i.e., second-hand or donation); and 19.2% covered access and transfer of ownership simultaneously. While empirical studies were the majority (53.1%, when comparing with conceptual ones), qualitative approaches were most common (51.5% against 24.9% quantitative and 17.4% mixed methods). Literature review (22.9%), survey (13.2%), case study (7.3%) and interview (7%) were the most frequently used methods. User behavior (26.4%), business models and organizational aspects (22.7%), institution and governance system (18.7%), conceptualization matters (17%), and sustainability evaluation (15.3%) are research clusters identified from a grounded approach. The link between user behavior and net environmental impacts of sharing options was the largest gap found in the research needing attention from a sustainability perspective. Accordingly, multidisciplinary investigations quantifying behavioral root causes, magnitude, and likelihood of environmental rebound effects using real-world data are strongly encouraged.

Suggested Citation

  • Rafael Laurenti & Jagdeep Singh & Joao Miguel Cotrim & Martina Toni & Rajib Sinha, 2019. "Characterizing the Sharing Economy State of the Research: A Systematic Map," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-21, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:20:p:5729-:d:277219
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Jing Lan & Yuge Ma & Dajian Zhu & Diana Mangalagiu & Thomas F. Thornton, 2017. "Enabling Value Co-Creation in the Sharing Economy: The Case of Mobike," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-20, August.
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    7. Kate Minter, 2017. "Negotiating labour standards in the gig economy: Airtasker and Unions New South Wales," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 28(3), pages 438-454, September.
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    11. Rafael Laurenti & Jagdeep Singh & Rajib Sinha & Josepha Potting & Björn Frostell, 2016. "Unintended Environmental Consequences of Improvement Actions: A Qualitative Analysis of Systems' Structure and Behavior," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 381-399, May.
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    13. Fang, Bin & Ye, Qiang & Law, Rob, 2016. "Effect of sharing economy on tourism industry employment," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 264-267.
    14. Daiane Scaraboto, 2015. "Selling, Sharing, and Everything In Between: The Hybrid Economies of Collaborative Networks," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 42(1), pages 152-176.
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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Dewick & Magnus Bengtsson & Maurie J. Cohen & Joseph Sarkis & Patrick Schröder, 2020. "Circular economy finance: Clear winner or risky proposition?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(6), pages 1192-1200, December.
    2. Danning Zhang & Ming Yan & Haowen Wang & Weiwei Li, 2021. "Sustainable-Development Measurement of China’s Coworking Industry Using Social-Network Analysis Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-22, May.
    3. Anna Veretennikova & Kseniya Kozinskaya, 2022. "Assessment of the Sharing Economy in the Context of Smart Cities: Social Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-15, September.
    4. João Miguel Cotrim & Francisco Nunes & Rafael Laurenti, 2020. "Making Sense of the Sharing Economy: A Category Formation Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-23, December.
    5. Fritze, Martin P. & Benkenstein, Martin & Belk, Russell & Peck, Joann & Wirtz, Jochen & Claus, and Bart, 2021. "Commentaries on the Sharing Economy: Advancing New Perspectives," SMR - Journal of Service Management Research, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 5(1), pages 3-19.
    6. Ana María Arbeláez Vélez & Andrius Plepys, 2021. "Car Sharing as a Strategy to Address GHG Emissions in the Transport System: Evaluation of Effects of Car Sharing in Amsterdam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-15, February.
    7. Danning Zhang & Yanshu Shi & Weiwei Li, 2019. "China’s Sharing Economy of Mobility Industry: From Perspective of Industrial Ecosystem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-21, December.
    8. Liridona Sopjani & Johan Arekrans & Rafael Laurenti & Sofia Ritzén, 2020. "Unlocking the Linear Lock-In: Mapping Research on Barriers to Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-22, February.
    9. Manuel Sánchez-Pérez & Nuria Rueda-López & María Belén Marín-Carrillo & Eduardo Terán-Yépez, 2021. "Theoretical dilemmas, conceptual review and perspectives disclosure of the sharing economy: a qualitative analysis," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(7), pages 1849-1883, October.
    10. Zhenfeng Liu & Ya Xiao & Jian Feng, 2021. "Manufacturer’s Sharing Servitization Transformation and Product Pricing Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-20, February.
    11. Barbara Borusiak & Andrzej Szymkowiak & Elena Horska & Natalia Raszka & Elżbieta Żelichowska, 2020. "Towards Building Sustainable Consumption: A Study of Second-Hand Buying Intentions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-15, January.
    12. Chan Liu & Raymond K. H. Chan & Maofu Wang & Zhe Yang, 2020. "Mapping the Sharing Economy in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-19, August.
    13. Tünde Zita Kovács & Forest David & Adrián Nagy & István Szűcs & András Nábrádi, 2021. "An Analysis of the Demand-Side, Platform-Based Collaborative Economy: Creation of a Clear Classification Taxonomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-20, March.
    14. Meijian Yang & Enjun Xia, 2021. "A Systematic Literature Review on Pricing Strategies in the Sharing Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-28, August.

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