Exploring the value of a geographical and critical perspective on the sharing economy

Recent years have seen a substantial growth of interest in the sharing or collaborative economy. The rapid expansion of new and highly successful sharing economy platforms (such as Uber, Airbnb, Taskrabbit, Blablacar) has attracted much media and academic attention. Enabled by digital platform technologies, the sharing economy allows households, individuals, businesses, governments and non-government organisations to engage in collaborative production, distribution and consumption of goods, services and experiences. New forms of digital platforms allow new forms of collaborative innovation, outsourced production, work and consumption. Its advocates argue that it increases employment, economic efficiency, and the sustainable use of resources, as well as facilitating new types of trust and enhancing social relationships. However, its critics argue that its leads to the exploitation of labour and does little more than provide legitimacy for digital business models. In many sectors, these new types of platforms are proving disruptive to conventional business models and create significant new challenges for legal and business regulation and policy.

There is still very little systematic understanding of the geography of the sharing economy across countries and regions, its organizational forms and their novelty, the enabling and constraining factors behind its growth, its relationships to space and place, the ways in which it adds value, and its impacts and consequences for particular industries, groups and individuals. This studentship would therefore explore the value of a geographical and critical perspective on the sharing economy. Key questions might include:
• Why and how does the sharing economy grow in particular sites and places?
• How are virtual spaces constructed and what are their effects on labour, intermediaries and consumers?
• To what extent do sharing economy platforms differ from, and disrupt, other business models?
• How can the sharing economy be best regulated and promoted?
• Are the potential environmental and social benefits of the sharing economy over-stated and what are the implications for life, work and consumption in contemporary cities?

Candidates must have or expect to gain a first or strong upper second class degree, in an appropriate discipline, not necessarily Geography. Details on how to apply are available from Julie Drewitt, email [Email Address Removed]. Informal enquiries may be made to the project supervisors. For the latest information on postgraduate opportunities within Geography and Environment, please visit our website at http://www.southampton.ac.uk/geography/postgraduate/research_degrees/studentships.page?

The Research Group details can be found at: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/geography/research/groups.page