Analyzing the Potential of the Sharing Economy in a Post-COVID World

A Comparison of Literature on Cities

抄録

The sharing economy is an economic model that aims to increase sustainability by encouraging the more efficient use of underutilized assets through sharing. In recent years while many large sharing businesses exist, the number of governments attempting to implement the sharing economy has reduced. This paper aims to examine whether the sharing economy can still be considered a viable sustainable economic model post COVID-19 through a literature review. From the literature review, various government and business strategies that must be considered in the implementation of the sharing economy was found. For example, studies show governments should prioritize public interest while working together with businesses and the community. Looking at cities which have actively implemented the sharing economy, there are mixed results which calls into question the effectiveness of the sharing economy. The sharing economy was also hit hard due to travel restrictions and lockdowns combined with the added negative effect due to the intimate nature of sharing. While this may sound dire for the future of sharing, governments around the world have announced post-COVID-19 recovery programs that focus on increasing sustainability and community resilience which may help sharing businesses. Not only this, surveys indicate people want to be closer to their community and are also more open to sharing. This suggests sharing does have a place in a post-pandemic society, just in a different form. This is where the smart sharing city could step in as a new urban model. While the concept is still in the early stages of consideration, its emphasis on providing benefit to both users and society through sharing addresses the criticisms of the sharing economy and provides a more holistic approach that includes important stakeholders such as the community. Therefore, sharing in the form of the smart sharing city that promotes sustainability and community resilience has the potential to return as another sustainable urban model in a post-COVID-19 world.