The Sharing Economy: The End of Employment and the Rise of Crowd-Based Capitalism (MIT Press)

How often do we hear about the Sharing Economy, either through daily reports of the transformation it is constantly causing in markets and long incumbent firms, or the numerous debates between its proponents and skeptics? Very, if you read news outlets like the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, or if you are an entrepreneur, researcher, or executive. Even if not, you probably have already used a Sharing Economy platform (as has a whopping 70% of the US population).Arun Sundararajan, a professor who is an expert on the Sharing Economy, opens up by drawing from personal experience to motivate the questions that this book seeks to answer. I find his proposed “Crowd-based Capitalism” term to be a much more accurate and clear description of this economic model, but (as he does) I’ll be referring to it by the more popular Sharing Economy denomination.The first part of the book masterfully lays out foundations that should greatly benefit anyone attempting to delve into the Sharing Economy. The journey begins with the important lessons that the evolution of Sharing Economy thinking has taught us. Sundararajan then proceeds to uncover the factors that enabled the proliferation of these platforms, centering on digital technologies and on socioeconomic drivers such us the emergence of large urban centers - cities are, after all, Sharing Economies in and of themselves. A very intuitive framework is then constructed, that allows us to treat Sharing Economy platforms as structures spanning the spectrum between hands-off marketplaces and the traditional firm hierarchy. This part concludes by giving as a sneak-peek at a fast-approaching future, where blockchain technologies promise to further empower Sharing Economy platforms and even transfer a larger share of power into the hands of the people. It is not possible to overstate the importance of the first part to anyone who wants a firm grasp of the drivers of the Sharing Economy, as well as to those who have to predict whether such platforms are likely to succeed or fail.The second part is devoted to studying the impact that the Sharing Economy has been shown to have on the economy and the workforce. The excellent discussion of regulatory issues is one of my favorite parts of the book; Sundararajan carefully examines why current regulation can be ill-suited and might stifle innovation in Sharing Economy platforms and hinder economic growth. He then provides well-thought and innovative suggestions towards a better regulatory framework which highlight the need for worker protections and rights. I found these suggestions not only particularly interesting, but also potentially applicable outside the Sharing Economy context.I could go on for much longer, but I will stop the spoilers here. It should be clear from the above that this is not another hagiographic book touting the latest fad. Instead, Sundararajan provides us with a concise, deep, and multidimensional study of the Sharing Economy, pointing out both the tremendous potential benefits and perils. The arguments he makes are careful and detailed, always grounded on academic research and made clear through numerous examples.Among the strongest points of this book is that it does not only impart deep knowledge about the inner workings of this new economic system, but will also unavoidably kindle your enthusiasm for the future that the Sharing Economy promises. Sundararajan is an affable optimist, and makes an important case why we should join him.

It is a hard cover book that came in very good shape - brand new. I purchased it for a school research project on the sharing economy. It helped give me a good foundation so that I could use complementary resources to further my knowledge. It is well written and also easy to follow. The sharing economy is a relatively new phenomenon so I was very pleased to see that there was a book already out about the topic matter.

Sundarajan writes about a complex and contested topic with remarkable ease. The comfort with which he writes is telling of his entrenched knowledge and embeddedness in the practice and science of the sharing economy world. The book is divided into two halves. In the first, Sundarajan covers the fundamental concepts necessary for understanding the functioning of the sharing economy (what he calls the ‘cause’ side of the equation). He draws on numerous economic models and terms but explains each term diligently. The second half of the book is dedicated to disentangling the range of outcomes associated with this new form of production and consumption (the ‘effect’ side of the equation). Most prominently, he discusses the emergence of a new form of ’non-hierarchical’ market economy that has the potential for more inclusive growth, consumer protection, as well as labor issues currently dominating the discourse.The author draws richly on previous literatures and provides a plethora of examples both illustratively and to make his case. Overall, the book is a highly synthetic treatment of the sharing economy. Sundarajan not only contributes significantly to moving the conversation further along, he also raises many questions that are likely to become central in the near future. While it is written by an academic, the book is accessibly to non-technical audiences.

A refreshing look at the disruptive impact of platform-based businesses that leverage network effects and the power of the crowd. Arun does a superb job of cutting through jargon and soft language about sharing and collaboration to identify real drivers of change that will shape the economy of the future. These are irreversible shifts in how we do business, access products and services, and think about careers. It's a must read.

yet another book wherein academics and bystanders make a topic that could be explained quite straightforwardly into a conversation that celebrates who knows who and who said what when about who knows. by page 30 i had rolled my eyes so many times i realized i had spent $30 on another ‘we love ourselves’ book about the internet’s ‘entrepreneurs’ and their ‘vision’.

A lucid, careful, and well-written guide to the economic, cultural, and legal shifts that we broadly call "the sharing economy," including a blessedly clear explanation of the blockchain. I've been working on sharing economy issues for years, and still found much new material and fresh insights from this book.

This is a great read! The book provides a structural framework to conceptualize and better understand the sharing economy ("crowd based capitalism"). It gives a balanced view of the current state of both the industry and the academic community regarding the sharing economy. I believe that this is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the importance of the sharing economy in the digital world. It is well written, and especially helpful for today's graduate business student (e.g., MBAs); it will give them the necessary lens with which to view the the sharing economy.

Received timely and in good condition. I thought the book format was a bit confusing and not well written but I understood the analysis.

Fabulous book and very important to anyone in the shared economy/multi-sided platform game.

Gäste in der eigenen Wohnung unterzubringen, jemanden im Auto mitzunehmen oder Speisen für jemanden zuzubereiten, sind überhaupt keine revolutionären Ideen. Schon seit Ewigkeiten tun sich die Menschen solche Gefallen. Aber seitdem diesen großzügigen Gesten ein kapitalistischer Geschmack gegeben wurde, wurde auch unsere Privatsphäre in eine Marktsphäre transformiert.Der Begriff Sharing Economy ist in der letzten Zeit überall zu hören. Der Ausdruck schwebt in unseren Ohren, aber es ist noch nicht klar, was genau man unter diesem Begriff verstehen soll. In sich selbst widersprüchlich, inkonsistent, und ambivalent, klingt die Sharing Economy, wenn man sie zu definieren versucht. Das Konzept weckt sowohl die Assoziationen zu dem Austausch von Geschenken, der Verbundenheit, und emotionalen Nähe, als auch einige in Richtung gefühlslosen Streben nach Profit, Entfremdung und Distanz.Die Sharing Economy flirtet mit Gefühlen der Autonomie und Selbstständigkeit. Einerseits befreit sie uns von der Notwendigkeit zu besitzen um zu nutzen, aber andererseits zwingt sie uns dazu, von einer digitalen Plattform und den Ressourcen der anderen abhängig zu sein.Um diesem höchst kontroversen Phänomen näher zu kommen, kann man nach einer Neuerscheinung in der MIT Press Buchreihe greifen. Auf etwa 200 Seiten bietet Professor Arun Sundararajan eine ausführliche und wissenschaftlich begründete Einführung in die Welt der Ökonomie des Teilens an. Auf der Suche nach einer Definition bedenkt er die Sharing Economy aus allen Perspektiven und bezeichnet sie schließlich als crowd–based capitalism.Sundararajan beschäftigt sich in seinem Buch mit Ursachen und Wirkung der Sharing Economy. Im ersten Teil des Buches stellt er die Ursachen und Gründe des Phänomens dar. Er diskutiert die Position der Sharing Economy zwischen Marktökonomie und Geschenkökonomie und erklärt die sozioökonomischen und digitalen Grundlagen, die zu diesem Phänomen geführt haben. Noch dazu erörtert er den Zusammenhang zwischen den digitalen Plattformen und dem Blockchain Konzept und der Evolution der Sharing Economy. In diesem Kontext erläutert Sundararajan sowohl wie digitalen Technologien, die Wirtschaftsaktivität reorganisieren, als auch die Art und Weise wie der dezentralisierte Peer-to-Peer Austausch funktioniert und er untermauert das mit mehreren Beispielen wie z.B. Bitcoin, OpenBazaar und Smart Contracts. Im zweiten Teil des Buches fokussiert sich Sundararajan auf die Effekte der Ökonomie des Teilens und analysiert, wie die Sharing Economy das Bruttoinlandsprodukt, die Verbraucher und den Arbeitsmarkt tatsächlich beeinflusst. Hier weist der Autor auf die Herausforderungen der Erfassung des Bruttoinlandsproduktes im Kontext der Sharing Economy hin und diskutiert, wie sich die Marktregulierung verändern könnte, womit er besonders die mögliche Veränderung des Ausgleichs zwischen privaten und öffentlichen Marktteilnehmern durch die Digitalisierung betont. Besonders viel Augenmerk richtet Sundararajan auf die Veränderungen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Er diskutiert wie die Freiberuflichkeit, die Automation und das Offshoring die zukünftige Arbeitswelt beeinflussen könnten.Es steht außer Frage, dass die Sharing Economy durch digitale Plattformen den Markt, den wir kennen, und die Arbeitsbedingungen, an die wir gewöhn sind, stark prägen wird.Sharing Economy ermöglicht dem Einzelnen seine eigenen Ressourcen direkt zu kapitalisieren aber gleichzeitig erschüttert sie die soziale Säule der Arbeit. Man kann sich klickschnell in dieser neuen digitalisierten Arbeitswelt bewegen und selbst entscheiden wann, wo und wie viel man arbeiten möchte. Man verliert jedoch man die Sicherheit und Vorteile der unbefristeten Arbeitsverträge.Obwohl die Sharing Economy innovative Geschäftsmodelle fordert und nachhaltige Wirkungen unterstützen kann, muss man sich auch ihrer Risiken und Nebenwirkungen bewusst sein. Sundararajan betrachtet ein breites Spektrum von Leistungen und Herausforderungen und bietet viel Stoff zum Nachdenken an.  The Sharing Economy (MIT Press): The End of Employment and the Rise of Crowd-Based CapitalismThe Sharing Economy (MIT Press): The End of Employment and the Rise of Crowd-Based Capitalism

Sundararajan has produced a valuable study of the transforming qualities of the Sharing economy. Some very useful research on the nature of trust and this essential emotion of attachment's value to the new online platforms such as Uber, Air BnB, Ouishare, Luff, Take5 among many others. From an economic perspective, yes, but a writer who is aware of the many other perspectives needed to play, plan and thrive in shifted work, company, collective world emerging as a challenge to the past conventional wisdom of industrial management studies.

Lo compré a pesar de que había algún que otro comentario crítico con la redacción del libro. Es cierto que el autor incluye comentarios que no resultan del todo relevantes para comprender la "sharing economy" (probablemente para que la lectura se le haga algo más amena al lector). Por otro lado, sí que me ha gustado el análisis que hace sobre el tema y cómo trata de explicar el fenómeno, por lo que recomiendo su compra.

Sigo buscando aproximaciones sobre la economía colaborativa y este libro es otro básico. En mi opinión no es para tirar cohetes, pero bueno, todo apunta claves interesantes. Sigo buscando el "libro definitivo" sobre el tema y este no lo ha sido