Exploring stakeholder collaboration based on the sustainability factors affecting the sharing economy

• Published in: Sustainable production and consumption 2022-03, Vol.30, p.218-232
• Main Authors: Cui, Li, Yang, Ke, Lei, Zhimei, Lim, Ming K, Hou, Ying
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Collaboration; Sharing economy; Social network analysis; Stakeholder; Sustainable development
• ISSN: 2352-5509; 2352-5509
• DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2021.12.009

Stakeholder collaboration is receiving increasing attention due to its promoting effect on the sharing economy. However, what forms do stakeholders take to collaborate in light of the sustainability factors affecting the sharing economy on the economic, environmental and social dimensions is not clear. Therefore, this paper proposes a methodology that integrates the value net model and two-mode social network analysis to study stakeholder collaboration by analysing the network structure of stakeholders and sustainability factors. The research finds that the core stakeholders in the sharing economy consist of individual suppliers, firm suppliers and sharing economy platforms. The social motivation, security mechanism, industry supervision, economic benefits and level of cooperation are the key factors of sustainable development, which provide more paths for stakeholders to take measures for collaborative development. Regarding the encouragement of sustainable development of the sharing economy, more stakeholders, such as suppliers and platforms related to sharing economy, have the ability to generate economic and social value rather than environmental value. However, economic, social and environmental value can to some extent be simultaneously improved by adjusting the strategy of stakeholder collaboration.