Is sharing the solution? Exploring public acceptability of the sharing economy
By C. Cherry, Nick F. Pidgeon. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2018
155 citations recorded by the source corpus.
Abstract Advocated as a solution to a range of economic, environmental and social problems, the sharing economy has grown rapidly in recent years. However, despite rising up the political agenda, the concept has been increasingly critiqued in relation to unintended economic and social consequences. Whilst existing research has explored the motivations of existing participants in sharing-based practices and business models, little is yet known about wider public perceptions of the sharing economy. Investigating public discourses, this paper explores how citizens may respond to attempts to mainstream the sharing economy, discussing wider desires and concerns surrounding the concept. In a series of four two-day workshops (n = 51), we utilised deliberative research methods to engage participants in discussion surrounding the sharing economy and its role within a more sustainable, resource efficient future. Overall, positive perceptions dominated discussions, with participants independently highlighting reduced waste and resource use, increased access to unaffordable goods, and increased community cohesion as key benefits of sharing. However, echoing existing critiques, a number of concerns were also raised. Our findings suggest that, in addition to personal interests (such as affordability, convenience, and hygiene), public acceptability of the sharing economy was contingent on it meeting a number of broader social values. These include desire to: foster social equality, in relation to both the opportunity and benefits promised by the sharing economy; encourage and support the development of strong and independent local communities; and ensure that business practices operate fairly in the shared interest of business, consumers and the environment. Given the implications for everyday life and consumption practices, we argue public perspectives need to be given consideration within the debate surrounding which aspects of the sharing economy should, and should not, be fostered.
Subfields: Marketing, Sociology and Political Science
View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/7499584599ee6f045bd08084995271567ba61894
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Citations in the corpus
- An Overview of Shared Mobility (2018, background): “Sharing economies have the potential to encourage the distribution and use of underutilized assets and to promote a more sustainable consumption, with economic, social, and environmental consequences [1].”
- A decade of the sharing economy: Concepts, users, business and governance perspectives (2020, unknown): “…studies on the motivations and perceptions of active users of the sharing economy, less is known about the wider public perceptions of the sharing economy (Cherry and Pidgeon, 2018) and of the perspectives of non-users, e.g. why the current sharing economy may not be available or appealing to them.”
- Addressing the Social Aspects of a Circular Economy: A Systematic Literature Review (2020, background): “Moreover, practitioners of the theme suggest that this type of economy is conducted by three main assets: more efficient and resilient use of financial resources (economic), more efficient use of natural resources (environmental), and deeper social interactions among people (social) [57].”