Collaborative consumption (CC) has catalyzed a paradigm shift in management practices (Benoit et al., 2017), reshaping our understanding of ownership and access, challenging traditional business models and creating new avenues for value creation through shared goods and services (Barnes and Mattsson, 2017; Ertz et al., 2019).
This special issue of “Management Decision” seeks to explore the multifaceted phenomenon of CC, focusing on its implications for management practices, innovation and growth.
From a theoretical point of view, this special issue contributes to the burgeoning field of CC by examining how managerial approaches, online platforms and strategic alliances can foster innovation and stakeholder well-being. On a practical level, it aims to analyze cutting-edge perspectives and best practices that facilitate the design of innovative business models in CC.
The landscape of CC has been irrevocably altered by technological advancements and significant societal events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic (Clauss et al., 2021; Schiavone et al., 2021). This has led to a reevaluation of market entry strategies, business models and the very essence of co-creation in business innovation. The special issue delves into how these transformations affect strategic decision-making, marketing approaches and the creation of value through CC.
Contributions to this special issue offer a rich range of theoretical explorations and practical insights into CC from conceptual frameworks to empirical studies. The papers address the challenges and opportunities organizations face in integrating CC into their strategic operations, with a particular focus on organizational change, stakeholder collaboration and sustainable value creation.
Mahdiraji et al. (2024) explore the impact of Industry 4.0 technologies on value generation within CC and the sharing economy (SE). They identify and classify technological building blocks (TBBs) based on their significance to CC, using systematic literature review and thematic analysis and Bayesian best-worst method for weighting TBBs. Findings highlight virtual reality (VR) as the most determinant TBB, with digital twins, big data, VR categorized as fundamental, while metaverse, augmented reality and additive manufacturing are discretional.
Lange et al. (2024) investigate platform providers (PPs) in CC by analyzing 92 cases to identify distinct archetypes: functionalist, connector, hedonist, and environmentalist. These archetypes vary in their values, motives, and activities across industries. The authors contribute to understanding the diverse roles and strategies of PPs in CC.
The article by Corsaro and Murtarelli (2024), based on 49 qualitative interviews, discusses the B2B collaborative economy, emphasizing five areas of spheres creation: value co-creation, value appropriation, value communication, value measurement and value representation. It highlights the significance of these spheres for managerial practice and suggests that value co-creation has been overly emphasized in the past.
Chen et al. (2023) explore the development and impact of self-organized cooperative consumption on social media platforms, focusing on a Chinese beauty startup. The article details how the brand collaboratively engaged with customers to co-create value, emphasizing the transition from dyadic interactions to a broader network-based framework. The study highlights the evolution of collaborative networks, resource integration and the establishment of relational trust, contributing a novel perspective on value co-creation in social media-driven markets.
In their review of the literature on CC, Ferreira and Fernandes (2023) identify the main theoretical lineages and suggest future research directions. Their study employs bibliometric analysis to categorize research into three primary themes: theoretical roots of CC, drivers of CC, and outcomes of the SE.
Giglio et al. (2023) investigate the behaviors of prosumers versus consumers on CC platforms, using a sample of users from the EU. They find that prosumers are more likely than consumers to recommend and offer services on these platforms, with previous platform experience positively affecting the transition from consumer to prosumer. Economic advantages are the main factor influencing the decision to switch to prosumer status. This research contributes to understanding the role of prosumers in the growth of CC platforms.
Finally, Rizzo et al. (2023) examine the impact of customer cooperation on food-wasting reduction and the adoption of mobile technologies for food recovery in the food sector. They demonstrate that customer cooperation significantly influences the intention to use mobile applications for food recovery but not the adoption of food recovery measures, which depend more on internal firm factors.
In summary, this special issue represents a comprehensive effort to advance our understanding of CC and its implications for management theory and practice. By offering new theoretical insights and practical strategies, it aims to guide organizations towards successful adaptation and growth in the age of CC.
