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Mallinson, Daniel J.; Morçöl, Göktuğ; Yoo, Eunsil; Azim, Shahinshah Faisal; Levine, Eli; Shafi, Saahir
2020 Information Polity
doi: 10.3233/IP-190190
In this paper we present the results of our analyses of the existing literature on the sharing economy. It is important to understand the nature of the sharing economy, because its impacts on the larger economy, society, and governance are extensive and potentially deep and long lasting. Analyses of the 610 articles published between 2006 and 2018 show that there was a rapid increase in publications starting in 2014. Researchers in business, economics, technology, and environmental sciences were interested the most in the topic. There were relatively fewer publications in political science, public administration, and political science. Uber and Airbnb were the most studied platforms. The United States, China, and United Kingdom were the most commonly studied countries. A majority of the literature was a-theoretical. A majority of authors applied some empirical (qualitative and quantitative) research methods.
2020 Information Polity
doi: 10.3233/IP-190203
This paper looks at the role of sociotechnical imaginaries surrounding the governance of the sharing economy in two different locations: Canada and United States. Policy makers are trying to tackle the sharing economy without potentially creating negative impact on innovation. While much of the recent discourse around the sharing economy portrays it negatively, early peer-to-peer digital platforms were envisioned as new pathways toward grassroots, inclusive, fair and low-impact economies (Schor, 2016). However Jasanoff & Kim argue that the evaluation of the positive and negative aspects of technological change have always been influenced by specific tacit or explicit political imaginations of nations in terms of how to power modern social life (Jasanoff & Kim, 2013, p. 190). Using a comparative approach, this paper analyzes these imaginations as they are expressed through policy reports and recommendations. The study shows that the sharing economy appears to be seeking a set of diverse imaginaries including new economic freedom, sustainable consumption, decentralized society, demise of social hierarchies and regulatory freedom.
2020 Information Polity
doi: 10.3233/IP-190206
In the sharing economy, competitively important user data is often controlled by a single platform. This is due to concentration tendencies in the market as well as a platform’s gatekeeper function regarding user groups and user data. Presently, a platform only has to grant access to its user data if the refusal to deal is considered an abuse of market power under competition law. The legal requirements in the EU for such a claim are, however, very narrow. Since EU competition law further follows a strict case-by-case approach, it is ill-suited to provide a systematic solution for data access issues. With data becoming increasingly important, particularly in view of Big Data and AI, the question thus arises whether regulators need to step in and provide for a statutory data access regime. In this context, the impact on innovation and competition of mandatory access to data should be carefully assessed. This paper argues that since user data is, in principle, collected by sharing platforms as a by-product without additional substantial investments, a sector-specific statutory data access regime could promote competition as well as innovation.
Lee, Seojin; Swindell, David; Vogt, Christine A.; Lee, Woojin
2020 Information Polity
doi: 10.3233/IP-190205
The sharing economy has disrupted industries and raises inquiries into the logic of existing regulations. Despite the varying levels of legislative status of the sharing economy, systematic research on governance that frames regulatory issues on such innovations has been lacking in the academic literature, particularly in the public administration field. In this research, we (1) examine determinants that influence the legislative status of regulations with a focus on sharing economy innovations in the U.S., and (2) explore the stakeholder groups that are perceived to be influential in shaping the regulatory environment among U.S. local government policymakers. The results indicate that stakeholder groups actively engaged in legislative lobbying as well as jurisdictional characteristics such as geographical region are associated with whether a local government is active in regulating the local sharing economy. This article offers insights into how policymakers govern the innovations taking place in their communities.
Reddick, Christopher G.; Zheng, Yueping; Liu, Te
2020 Information Polity
doi: 10.3233/IP-190207
The sharing economy has experienced tremendous growth as a result of rapid advances in information technology and user demand. Through a case study analysis of bike-sharing service providers in one of the largest cities in China, this paper examines the phases of regulation of the sharing economy from problem discovery, enacting regulation, and the aftermath of regulation. The public interest theory is used as a way of understanding the evolution of regulation of the sharing economy. Our analysis of the case study showed that the government took on three roles as protector, coordinator, and regulator that demonstrate working within the public interest theory. The results of this case study show the evolution of regulatory roles in a new and emerging industry within China and the lessons learned for public administrators.
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