Globalization has generated interconnected markets and networks. The ability to instantly access mass quantities of information is changing the collective identity of what it means to be a consumer. Mobile technology, social media, and peer-to-peer software are enabling communication and organization in ways that are fueling the formation of a new collaborative economy. ‘Access over ownership’ is becoming the new consumption model and is changing the traditional economic system by expanding the volume of commerce and boosting purchasing power. The sharing economy can be defined as an economic model involving a peer-to-peer marketplace where goods and services are exchanged for a fee, barter or free. Within the past five years, the sharing
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Other references will be made to the work of Juliet Schor; a Professor of Sociology at Harvard University, whose essay “Debating the Sharing Economy” compares and contrasts the components of this sector to the traditional mechanisms of society. These sources are critical when making connections between the claims of proponents and critics, and the realities of genuine practice. Moreover, when studying this issue, political and cultural relationships need to be considered. “The sharing economy: A pathway to sustainability or a nightmarish form of neoliberal capitalism?” by Chris J. Martin highlights the conflict between this emerging sector and traditional policies that are enforced by local governments. This article identifies rising criticism that the sharing economy is ultimately driven by profit, rather than sustainability and collaboration. Concerns about public safety as well as just taxation and distribution of wealth are addressed by both of these sources and contribute to the discussion regarding socioeconomic implications. Ultimately, addressing the challenges of the sharing economy places the issue in a context of realistic dialogue, thus allowing people to extract positive elements of “sharing” and merge them with the standard economic system, in a way that fosters economic activity in a progressive and safe
Other references will be made to the work of Juliet Schor; a Professor of Sociology at Harvard University, whose essay “Debating the Sharing Economy” compares and contrasts the components of this sector to the traditional mechanisms of society. These sources are critical when making connections between the claims of proponents and critics, and the realities of genuine practice. Moreover, when studying this issue, political and cultural relationships need to be considered. “The sharing economy: A pathway to sustainability or a nightmarish form of neoliberal capitalism?” by Chris J. Martin highlights the conflict between this emerging sector and traditional policies that are enforced by local governments. This article identifies rising criticism that the sharing economy is ultimately driven by profit, rather than sustainability and collaboration. Concerns about public safety as well as just taxation and distribution of wealth are addressed by both of these sources and contribute to the discussion regarding socioeconomic implications. Ultimately, addressing the challenges of the sharing economy places the issue in a context of realistic dialogue, thus allowing people to extract positive elements of “sharing” and merge them with the standard economic system, in a way that fosters economic activity in a progressive and safe