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Andrius Plepys

Andrius Plepys

Lecturer

Andrius Plepys

Impacts of the sharing economy on urban sustainability : The perceptions of municipal governments and sharing organisations

Author

  • Lucie Enochsson
  • Yuliya Voytenko Palgan
  • Andrius Plepys
  • Oksana Mont

Summary, in English

By changing the institutionalised practices associated with resource distribution, the sharing economy could support sustainable urban transformations. However, its impacts on urban sus-tainability are unknown and contested, and key actors hold different perceptions about them. Understanding how they frame these impacts could help solve conflicts and outline what can be done to influence the development of the sharing economy in a way that fosters urban sustainability. This study explores the diversity of these frames across actors (sharing economy organisations and mu-nicipalities), segments (accommodation, bicycle, and car sharing), and cities (Amsterdam and To-ronto). A framework of the impacts on urban sustainability was developed following a systematic literature review. This then guided the analysis of secondary data and 51 interviews with key actors. Results show that accommodation sharing is framed most negatively due to its impact on urban liveability. Bicycle sharing is surrounded by less conflict. Still, in Amsterdam, which has a well-functioning bicycle infrastructure, it is viewed less positively than in Toronto. Car sharing is the most positively framed segment in Amsterdam as its potentials to lower emissions align with municipal sustainability agendas. Practical insights for negotiations between sharing economy organi-sations and municipalities to advance urban sustainability are proposed.

Department/s

  • The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics

Publishing year

2021

Language

English

Publication/Series

Sustainability (Switzerland)

Volume

13

Issue

8

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

MDPI AG

Topic

  • Social Sciences Interdisciplinary

Keywords

  • Accommodation sharing
  • Bicycle sharing
  • Car sharing
  • City
  • Framing
  • Sharing economy
  • Sustainability

Status

Published

Project

  • Sharing and the City

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2071-1050