Sharing Cities and Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP)
In order to understand the range of sharing activity in cities, we classified 18 sharing activities into five key categories, to subsequently examine, evaluate and plot them according to two analytical dimensions: orientation of value creation (i.e. public or private interest) and the location of the activity on the SCP spectrum, embracing particularly diversity and hybridity in the analysis of the SCP space. From the results we derived a Sharing Cities-SCP Typology comprised by five ideal type, each of them representing a unique, hybrid form of SCP activity, with the potential to directly impact SCP systems in the context of urban environments. Our results allow for a conceptual expansion of SCP models and a new way of understanding how they may play out in cities.
In order to understand the range of sharing activity in cities, we classified 18 sharing activities into five key categories, to subsequently examine, evaluate and plot them according to two analytical dimensions: orientation of value creation (i.e. public or private interest) and the location of the activity on the SCP spectrum, embracing particularly diversity and hybridity in the analysis of the SCP space. From the results we derived a Sharing Cities-SCP Typology comprised by five ideal type, each of them representing a unique, hybrid form of SCP activity, with the potential to directly impact SCP systems in the context of urban environments. Our results allow for a conceptual expansion of SCP models and a new way of understanding how they may play out in cities.
It is clear from the plot that there is balance in the private-public interest domain and a slight tendency towards the sustainable consumption component of our SCP continuum. The 18 identified sharing activities are widely dispersed across both continuums.
The Sharing Cities-SCP Plot provides a framework for understanding the emergence (and diversity) of sharing activity in cities and their contribution to a transformation of urban economies towards increased sustainable consumption and production. Each activity likely has differential implications on SCP systems, and even within subcategories, business models and approaches to implementation likely result in different SCP impacts. Knowledge about the impacts of sharing activities are clearly beneficial for local policy makers, scholars, executives and entrepreneurs alike. Cities are only getting started in understanding the sharing economy, what it means for their city, and what kind of policy can be used to support those services that lead to positive benefits while limiting negative externalities. It is clear that many sharing activities may have profound impacts on the quality of life in cities and may serve to complement or disrupt existing public and private offerings |