A major transformation within the traditional market exchange has taken place during the last decade. Sustainability concerns and individuals’ attempt to protest against the crazy consumption have giving birth to a new movement, namely collaborative consumption. A new trend is identified where the consumers desire more sustainable types of consumption and a preference of access over ownership. Collaborative consumption is aiming to maximize the utility by a peer-to-peer solution, providing access to a wide range of products and generating environmental, social and economic benefits. Whereas sharing is considered as a universal form of economic human behavior, its implementation within a business context is relatively new, creating a scarcity of existing research. Previous research revealed that consumers possess a positive attitude towards sharing activities, however the adoption of using the services and products available on the market has been slow. Hence, the authors deemed it interesting to investigate the inconsistency regarding attitude and behavior within the concept of collaborative consumption.   The preliminary purpose of the study was to contribute with knowledge of how a collaborative consumption firm can increase the attitude-behavior consistency. The authors conducted the study through the perspective of non-users familiar with and positive to the concept in regard to the objective of the research. The study has throughout the process been guided by the research question; “How can a collaborative consumption firm increase the consumers’ attitude-behavior consistency?”. In consideration of existing research mainly been conducted by a usage of quantitative methods, the authors found it relevant to apply qualitative methods in combination with an inductive approach. Hence, the authors hoped to discover additional insights that have been overlooked by previous studies. Additionally, the authors investigated the phenomenon by taking the epistemological position of interpretivism together with the ontological position of constructivism. The authors conducted the study in two partsapplying different methods to examine whether a group setting would impact the individuals’ responses. The study on individual level was based on four unstructured interviews with two representatives from each age group; 20-30 and 30-60. These findings served the purpose of creating a framework for the following study on group level, conducted by two semi-structured focus groups.     Whilst the findings from the study revealed that positive attitudes were possessed, stronger conflicting attitudes also existed. The findings further provided evidence that individuals’ attitude and behavior consistency is affected by intrinsic motives or social pressure. Hence, the authors recommend two strategies that could be applied in order to increase the consistency among non-users within collaborative consumption. The firms should enhance the intrinsic motives by emphasizing the desired attributes provided; convenience and the ability to match preferences with purpose and by educating the non-users in order to inspire a reflective thinking. A social pressure could be achieved by highlighting the attributes that are in line with today’s social norms and by encouraging current users to display their participation. These two strategies could be applied to minimize the attitude-behavior gap and transform a non-user into a user.

A highly debated subject today is the high level of consumption, how to reduce it and how to start consuming more sustainably. One consequence is an economy based on sharing, or so-called collaborative consumption, which has become exceedingly popular. Grounded on the controversial topic of sustainability, it enables individuals to find alternative ways to consume, namely collaborative lifestyles. The purpose of this study is to explore how interpersonal trust affects engagement in collaborative lifestyles from a gender perspective. Different types of trust, interpersonal trust and online trust, as well as aspects of trust, risk and expectation, have been scrutinized. Empirical data was collected through a qualitative method using online focus groups. The findings show that different kinds of trust affect engagement in collaborative lifestyles. Although no generalization could be made between gender, an indication of gender differences was found in risk taking when engaging in collaborative lifestyle-services. Although interpersonal trust was not the most apparent factor, online trust was found to be of importance for the participants in general. In addition, we saw an indication of younger generations relying more on online trust than interpersonal trust. This study contributes with a greater understanding of consumer behavior in relation to collaborative lifestyles. This can in turn provide companies in the industry with knowledge about their consumers and therefore advantages in market positioning.

Um dos argumentos em favor do Consumo Colaborativo é a sua possível contribuição para um desenvolvimento mais sustentável. Nesta pesquisa, Desenvolvimento Sustentável é a satisfação das necessidades humanas do presente considerando a preservação dos recursos naturais para as próximas gerações. Logo, o alcance de padrões e níveis de consumo mais sustentáveis envolve a construção de relações entre diversos setores sociais, como produtores, comerciantes e consumidores. Partindo desse pressuposto, este estudo identificou de que forma o Consumo Colaborativo se relaciona com o Desenvolvimento Sustentável. Para isso, recorreu-se a um estudo de múltiplos casos, com quatro organizações colaborativas que representaram diferentes tipos de Consumo Colaborativo existentes no Brasil. Cada um dos casos pesquisados foi analisado a partir de uma série de características identificadas na literatura, tanto da perspectiva da organização colaborativa, como do consumidor e sobre suas bases para promover o desenvolvimento sustentável. Foram pesquisados quatro casos: Bliive, Airbnb, BlaBlaCar e Retroca, e obtidos dados de três formas: 21 entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com consumidores; análise dados existentes nas plataformas online e aplicação de questionários quantitativos aos entrevistados, para avaliar as atitudes e orientações coletivas de valor individualista-coletivista, a fim de comparar com as respostas obtidas pelas entrevistas. Os principais resultados destacados foram: a) motivações: econômicas, interação social em suas diversas formas, como formação de amizades, parcerias e cuidado ao próximo, preocupações com o meio ambiente e ativismo político. Além de curiosidade por explorar algo novo, qualidade dos produtos e busca por formas de aprendizado; b) dentre as características mais presentes destacou-se que a confiabilidade não é impedimento para os consumidores, alguns consumidores eram mais engajados nas plataformas e estavam mais dispostos em participar de outras formas de colaboração. Nos casos onde não existia anonimato os consumidores interagiam entre si. Essas características destacam as organizações colaborativas como fundamentais para que se desenvolva um sentimento de conexão e formação de comunidade; c) o Consumo Colaborativo é potencial para atender as necessidades humanas. Sendo cada caso com suas características e satisfatores específicos, em menor ou maior quantidade; d) os aspectos de relacionados à preservação dos recursos naturais foram encontrados em dois dos casos estudados, e foram considerados independentes da atitude ambiental dos consumidores, pois estes, de forma geral, apresentaram preocupação com a preservação dos recursos naturais; e) por fim, sobre a orientação coletivista dos consumidores, apenas as consumidoras do Retroca não destacaram uma consciência de grupo maior que a individual. Todos os dados permitiram concluir que se deu algum grau de relação entre o Consumo Colaborativo e o Desenvolvimento Sustentável, seja na sua dimensão ecológica social ou de coletividade. Limitações e contribuições gerenciais e teóricas foram evidenciadas. / One of the arguments in favor of Collaborative Consumption is its potential to contribute to a more sustainable development. About this research, Sustainable Development is the satisfaction of human needs of this considering the preservation of natural resources for future generations. Thus, the scope of standards and more sustainable consumption levels involves building relationships between various social sectors, as producers, traders and consumers. Based on this assumption, this study identified how the Collaborative Consumption is related to sustainable development. For this, it was used a multiple-case study with four cases representing different types of Collaborative Consumption in Brazil. Each one of the studied case was analyzed from a number of features identified in the literature, both from the perspective of collaborative organization as consumer and on its basis to promote sustainable development (current human needs and for the future and preservation of natural resources). Four cases were investigated: Bliive, Airbnb, BlaBlaCar and Retroca, and the data obtained in three ways: 21 semi-structured interviews with consumers; data analysis on existing online platforms and application of quantitative questionnaires to respondents to assess the attitudes and collective orientations of individualist-collectivist value in order to compare the responses from the interviews. The main results highlighted were: a) motivations: economic, social interaction in its various forms, such as forming friendships, partnerships and care for others, concern for the environment and political activism. Besides curiosity to explore something new, product quality and search for ways of learning; b) among the most present characteristics it stood out that reliability is no impediment to consumers, some consumers were more engaged in decks and were more willing to participate in other forms of collaboration. The cases where there are no anonymous consumers interacted with each other. These characteristics highlight the collaborative as key organizations in order to develop a sense of connection and community training; c) Collaborative Consumption is potential to meet human needs. As each case with their specific characteristics and Satisfiers, a greater or lesser quantity; d) aspects related to the preservation of natural resources were found in two of the cases studied, and were considered independent of the environmental attitude of consumers as these, in general, they showed concern for the preservation of natural resources; e) finally, on the collectivist orientation of consumers, only the consumers of Retroca have individual consciousness larger than collective consciousness. Every data has some relationship degree between the Collaborative Consumption and Sustainable Development, both in their social and ecological dimension or collectivity. Limitations and managerial and theoretical contributions were highlighted.

This paper presents a case for the expansion of a commuting system called casual carpool. The system is a grassroots network of carpoolers that collaborate to form rideshare for their commute to the downtown areas of San Francisco, Houston and Washington DC. Through the author’s experience with the system and personal attempts to deliver a rideshare network to the public, a framework of a greater casual carpool organization is presented.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to explore the early adopters of clothing libraries and find out why they become members of this new fashion business model within collaborative consumption. The study aims to obtain an evaluation of clothing library users and understand their motives and determinants for joining a clothing library. Methodology - The study pursues a quantitative approach. Firstly, the background research was conducted during which data were collected through open-ended interviews with managers of five clothing libraries in Sweden. This enabled the researchers to establish categories of determinants for clothing libraries which were then verified in the next part of the research: a survey filled out by clothing library members. The survey was distributed to members of five clothing libraries in Sweden and resulted in 30 responses from users from all five clothing libraries. Conclusions - The outcome of this study shows that clothing library members are not a new segment of collaborative consumption but rather they are already existing second-hand consumers. Joining clothing libraries merely adds another channel of consuming used clothing. Although the intentions to join a clothing library are mostly based on sustainable motives, style and design are still highly valued by the members.

Product sharing systems is recently starting to become a more common phenomenon. Carpools exist in more than 40 Swedish towns and both Stockholm and Gothenburg have established bicycle sharing systems. Other products for which sharing systems have been established throughout Sweden are clothing and tools. From the point of view of the consumer, product sharing systems is a form of consumption which can be placed somewhere in between renting and privately owning a product, where the consumers usually pay a membership fee or a monthly fee to have access to the products whenever they need them. The concept is relatively new, and there are many products for which product sharing systems do not exist. As a consequence, previous research in the area is scarce, with the exception of car pools. However, some research discussing product sharing systems in general exists, such as the research by Lamberton & Rose and Mont. In this thesis, previous research is further developed by analyzing what enables and hinders product sharing systems, and for what type of products these systems are suitable. A mix between a quantitative and a qualitative method is used, as both interviews with owners of sharing systems and a questionnaire survey with potential consumers are carried out. To analyze the concept, institutional and behavioral economic theory is used as well as traditional microeconomics. Both the interviews and the survey indicate that the general knowledge of product sharing systems is low and that it is hard in general for companies to reach out to new users. For the consumers, one of the biggest problems is the perceived risk of not having access to the products when they are needed. Another conclusion is that products for which variety is desired, such as clothing and books, that are used frequently, are especially suitable for product sharing systems. / Produktdelningssystem har under de senaste åren blivit ett allt vanligare fenomen. Bilpooler går att finna i över 40 orter runt om i Sverige, och i både Stockholm och Göteborg har cykeldelningssystem upprättats. Övriga produkter som delningssystem har uppkommit för på olika ställen i Sverige är bland annat kläder och verktyg. Ur konsumentens synpunkt kan delningssystemen ses som ett mellanting mellan hyrande och privat ägande, då konsumenterna oftast betalar någon sorts medlemsavgift eller månadsavgift för att få använda en produkt då de har behovet. Konceptet är relativt nytt och för många produkter finns det ännu inga produktdelningssystem. På grund av detta har produktdelning inte behandlats mycket av tidigare forskning, där undantaget är kring bildelning. En del forskning finns dock att hitta som behandlar produktdelning mer generellt, som exempelvis av Lamberton & Rose och Mont. I denna uppsats vidareutvecklas den tidigare forskningen genom att undersöka vad det är som möjliggör respektive förhindrar produktdelningssystemens uppkomst, och för vilka produkter dessa system är mest lämpade. En blandning av kvantitativ och kvalitativ metod används då både intervjuer med ägare av delningssystem och en enkätundersökning med potentiella konsumenter utförs. För att analysera konceptet använder vi oss av institutionell och beteendeekonomisk teori i kombination med traditionell mikroekonomi. Både intervjuerna och enkäterna tyder på att kännedomen om produktdelningssystem är låg och att det är svårt för företagen att nå ut till kunder. För konsumenternas del är ett av de största problemen den upplevda risken att inte ha tillgång till produkterna då de behövs. En annan slutsats som kan dras är att de produkter för vilka variation önskas, exempelvis kläder och böcker, är lämpade för produktdelning under förutsättningen att produkterna används ofta.

Um dos argumentos em favor do Consumo Colaborativo é a sua possível contribuição para um desenvolvimento mais sustentável. Nesta pesquisa, Desenvolvimento Sustentável é a satisfação das necessidades humanas do presente considerando a preservação dos recursos naturais para as próximas gerações. Logo, o alcance de padrões e níveis de consumo mais sustentáveis envolve a construção de relações entre diversos setores sociais, como produtores, comerciantes e consumidores. Partindo desse pressuposto, este estudo identificou de que forma o Consumo Colaborativo se relaciona com o Desenvolvimento Sustentável. Para isso, recorreu-se a um estudo de múltiplos casos, com quatro organizações colaborativas que representaram diferentes tipos de Consumo Colaborativo existentes no Brasil. Cada um dos casos pesquisados foi analisado a partir de uma série de características identificadas na literatura, tanto da perspectiva da organização colaborativa, como do consumidor e sobre suas bases para promover o desenvolvimento sustentável. Foram pesquisados quatro casos: Bliive, Airbnb, BlaBlaCar e Retroca, e obtidos dados de três formas: 21 entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com consumidores; análise dados existentes nas plataformas online e aplicação de questionários quantitativos aos entrevistados, para avaliar as atitudes e orientações coletivas de valor individualista-coletivista, a fim de comparar com as respostas obtidas pelas entrevistas. Os principais resultados destacados foram: a) motivações: econômicas, interação social em suas diversas formas, como formação de amizades, parcerias e cuidado ao próximo, preocupações com o meio ambiente e ativismo político. Além de curiosidade por explorar algo novo, qualidade dos produtos e busca por formas de aprendizado; b) dentre as características mais presentes destacou-se que a confiabilidade não é impedimento para os consumidores, alguns consumidores eram mais engajados nas plataformas e estavam mais dispostos em participar de outras formas de colaboração. Nos casos onde não existia anonimato os consumidores interagiam entre si. Essas características destacam as organizações colaborativas como fundamentais para que se desenvolva um sentimento de conexão e formação de comunidade; c) o Consumo Colaborativo é potencial para atender as necessidades humanas. Sendo cada caso com suas características e satisfatores específicos, em menor ou maior quantidade; d) os aspectos de relacionados à preservação dos recursos naturais foram encontrados em dois dos casos estudados, e foram considerados independentes da atitude ambiental dos consumidores, pois estes, de forma geral, apresentaram preocupação com a preservação dos recursos naturais; e) por fim, sobre a orientação coletivista dos consumidores, apenas as consumidoras do Retroca não destacaram uma consciência de grupo maior que a individual. Todos os dados permitiram concluir que se deu algum grau de relação entre o Consumo Colaborativo e o Desenvolvimento Sustentável, seja na sua dimensão ecológica social ou de coletividade. Limitações e contribuições gerenciais e teóricas foram evidenciadas. / One of the arguments in favor of Collaborative Consumption is its potential to contribute to a more sustainable development. About this research, Sustainable Development is the satisfaction of human needs of this considering the preservation of natural resources for future generations. Thus, the scope of standards and more sustainable consumption levels involves building relationships between various social sectors, as producers, traders and consumers. Based on this assumption, this study identified how the Collaborative Consumption is related to sustainable development. For this, it was used a multiple-case study with four cases representing different types of Collaborative Consumption in Brazil. Each one of the studied case was analyzed from a number of features identified in the literature, both from the perspective of collaborative organization as consumer and on its basis to promote sustainable development (current human needs and for the future and preservation of natural resources). Four cases were investigated: Bliive, Airbnb, BlaBlaCar and Retroca, and the data obtained in three ways: 21 semi-structured interviews with consumers; data analysis on existing online platforms and application of quantitative questionnaires to respondents to assess the attitudes and collective orientations of individualist-collectivist value in order to compare the responses from the interviews. The main results highlighted were: a) motivations: economic, social interaction in its various forms, such as forming friendships, partnerships and care for others, concern for the environment and political activism. Besides curiosity to explore something new, product quality and search for ways of learning; b) among the most present characteristics it stood out that reliability is no impediment to consumers, some consumers were more engaged in decks and were more willing to participate in other forms of collaboration. The cases where there are no anonymous consumers interacted with each other. These characteristics highlight the collaborative as key organizations in order to develop a sense of connection and community training; c) Collaborative Consumption is potential to meet human needs. As each case with their specific characteristics and Satisfiers, a greater or lesser quantity; d) aspects related to the preservation of natural resources were found in two of the cases studied, and were considered independent of the environmental attitude of consumers as these, in general, they showed concern for the preservation of natural resources; e) finally, on the collectivist orientation of consumers, only the consumers of Retroca have individual consciousness larger than collective consciousness. Every data has some relationship degree between the Collaborative Consumption and Sustainable Development, both in their social and ecological dimension or collectivity. Limitations and managerial and theoretical contributions were highlighted.

Um dos argumentos em favor do Consumo Colaborativo é a sua possível contribuição para um desenvolvimento mais sustentável. Nesta pesquisa, Desenvolvimento Sustentável é a satisfação das necessidades humanas do presente considerando a preservação dos recursos naturais para as próximas gerações. Logo, o alcance de padrões e níveis de consumo mais sustentáveis envolve a construção de relações entre diversos setores sociais, como produtores, comerciantes e consumidores. Partindo desse pressuposto, este estudo identificou de que forma o Consumo Colaborativo se relaciona com o Desenvolvimento Sustentável. Para isso, recorreu-se a um estudo de múltiplos casos, com quatro organizações colaborativas que representaram diferentes tipos de Consumo Colaborativo existentes no Brasil. Cada um dos casos pesquisados foi analisado a partir de uma série de características identificadas na literatura, tanto da perspectiva da organização colaborativa, como do consumidor e sobre suas bases para promover o desenvolvimento sustentável. Foram pesquisados quatro casos: Bliive, Airbnb, BlaBlaCar e Retroca, e obtidos dados de três formas: 21 entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com consumidores; análise dados existentes nas plataformas online e aplicação de questionários quantitativos aos entrevistados, para avaliar as atitudes e orientações coletivas de valor individualista-coletivista, a fim de comparar com as respostas obtidas pelas entrevistas. Os principais resultados destacados foram: a) motivações: econômicas, interação social em suas diversas formas, como formação de amizades, parcerias e cuidado ao próximo, preocupações com o meio ambiente e ativismo político. Além de curiosidade por explorar algo novo, qualidade dos produtos e busca por formas de aprendizado; b) dentre as características mais presentes destacou-se que a confiabilidade não é impedimento para os consumidores, alguns consumidores eram mais engajados nas plataformas e estavam mais dispostos em participar de outras formas de colaboração. Nos casos onde não existia anonimato os consumidores interagiam entre si. Essas características destacam as organizações colaborativas como fundamentais para que se desenvolva um sentimento de conexão e formação de comunidade; c) o Consumo Colaborativo é potencial para atender as necessidades humanas. Sendo cada caso com suas características e satisfatores específicos, em menor ou maior quantidade; d) os aspectos de relacionados à preservação dos recursos naturais foram encontrados em dois dos casos estudados, e foram considerados independentes da atitude ambiental dos consumidores, pois estes, de forma geral, apresentaram preocupação com a preservação dos recursos naturais; e) por fim, sobre a orientação coletivista dos consumidores, apenas as consumidoras do Retroca não destacaram uma consciência de grupo maior que a individual. Todos os dados permitiram concluir que se deu algum grau de relação entre o Consumo Colaborativo e o Desenvolvimento Sustentável, seja na sua dimensão ecológica social ou de coletividade. Limitações e contribuições gerenciais e teóricas foram evidenciadas. / One of the arguments in favor of Collaborative Consumption is its potential to contribute to a more sustainable development. About this research, Sustainable Development is the satisfaction of human needs of this considering the preservation of natural resources for future generations. Thus, the scope of standards and more sustainable consumption levels involves building relationships between various social sectors, as producers, traders and consumers. Based on this assumption, this study identified how the Collaborative Consumption is related to sustainable development. For this, it was used a multiple-case study with four cases representing different types of Collaborative Consumption in Brazil. Each one of the studied case was analyzed from a number of features identified in the literature, both from the perspective of collaborative organization as consumer and on its basis to promote sustainable development (current human needs and for the future and preservation of natural resources). Four cases were investigated: Bliive, Airbnb, BlaBlaCar and Retroca, and the data obtained in three ways: 21 semi-structured interviews with consumers; data analysis on existing online platforms and application of quantitative questionnaires to respondents to assess the attitudes and collective orientations of individualist-collectivist value in order to compare the responses from the interviews. The main results highlighted were: a) motivations: economic, social interaction in its various forms, such as forming friendships, partnerships and care for others, concern for the environment and political activism. Besides curiosity to explore something new, product quality and search for ways of learning; b) among the most present characteristics it stood out that reliability is no impediment to consumers, some consumers were more engaged in decks and were more willing to participate in other forms of collaboration. The cases where there are no anonymous consumers interacted with each other. These characteristics highlight the collaborative as key organizations in order to develop a sense of connection and community training; c) Collaborative Consumption is potential to meet human needs. As each case with their specific characteristics and Satisfiers, a greater or lesser quantity; d) aspects related to the preservation of natural resources were found in two of the cases studied, and were considered independent of the environmental attitude of consumers as these, in general, they showed concern for the preservation of natural resources; e) finally, on the collectivist orientation of consumers, only the consumers of Retroca have individual consciousness larger than collective consciousness. Every data has some relationship degree between the Collaborative Consumption and Sustainable Development, both in their social and ecological dimension or collectivity. Limitations and managerial and theoretical contributions were highlighted.

The biggest barrier for expansion and adoption in the field of sharing economy is risk and fear regarding safety. This new company form has resulted in higher competition in the service industry, resulting in increased focus on high quality. Since sharing economy is a new phenomenon a comparison with traditional companies has been made in order to see how the different forms of companies work with quality management. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how sharing economy companies within ridesharing and on demand rides, compared to traditional taxi companies, work with quality management. The thesis answers three subordinate questions: 1) How do companies work with quality assurance during the recruitment process? 2) How do companies work with continuous quality control and evaluation? 3) Is there a difference between the investigated industries within sharing economy and traditional taxi companies? Based on theories from management control and service quality management a theoretical framework was designed which provides guidance as to how researchers and managers can work with quality management in the service industry. A qualitative study was further performed through semi-structured interviews, where the gathered empirical material was presented through the theoretical framework. One conclusion that can be made in this thesis is that sharing economy companies have automated their services, as well as big parts of their quality management. Traditional companies seem to move more towards automating their services, as well as some parts of their quality control, but many parts are still handled manually. Another conclusion is that both types of companies have differences that lie in the nature of being a traditional company versus being a sharing economy company, and at the same time they have some fundamental similarities.

This report has focused on how important a buyers eWOM is compared to his/her visual information when sellers decide if they can trust this buyer. A focus company was Airbnb, an online P2P platform where private individuals can rent out their living quarters to other private persons. The method involved sending out online web surveys to approximately 200 students in Högskolan Kristianstad. Results from these surveys suggests that a buyer’s eWOM and visual information had little or no impact upon if a seller decides to trust this buyer or not. The variable that had the most significant impact upon trust and thus the host’s intention to rent was the variable risk propensity.