The sharing economy and the use of the Airbnb platform in Slovakia

• Published in: Ekonomicko-manazerske spektrum 2022-12, Vol.16 (2), p.91-101
• Main Authors: Gogolova, Martina, Kovalova, Erika, Ližbetinová, Lenka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Business Economy / Management; Communications technology; Compliance; Consumption; Cooperation; Entrepreneurs; Financial Markets; Households; Information technology; Internet; Laws, regulations and rules; National Economy; Noncompliance; Pareto optimum; Prices; Questionnaires; Regulation; Renting; Rents (Property); Sharing economy; Social networks; Socio-Economic Research; Supply & demand
• ISSN: 1337-0839; 2585-7258
• DOI: 10.26552/ems.2022.2.91-101

Research background: The sharing economy operates on the principle of connecting demand and supply via the Internet. It enables cooperation that would not otherwise take place and contributes to increasing well-being in society without producing anything new. Goods and services are provided by households and ordinary people, not by entrepreneurs and companies. By using information and communication technologies, this form is highly available, flexible, and easy to use. Through a detailed analysis of theoretical aspects, we found that the topic of the sharing economy is broad and cannot do without healthy regulation. Through the available information, we have described the principles and operations of shared economy platforms. We paid special attention to the Airbnb platform, which is used by people for accommodation abroad and in Slovakia. People who own unoccupied or insufficiently occupied real estate usually decide to rent it. The main goal of the paper is to approximate the rental procedure using algorithms for classic private accommodation and through the sharing economy platform. Both methods are compared with each other and then economically and non-economically evaluated. The large differences in practices were due to the mismatch between private regulation of the sharing economy and public regulations. The rental of private accommodations is governed by state regulations, which require increased fees and lengthy processes even before the start of the rental and affect the amenities of the accommodation facility. On the other hand, renting through Airbnb is based on free registration, which is more affordable in terms of time and price. Accommodation prices are significantly lower and can provide unique experiences. On the other hand, private regulations do not enforce compliance with state laws, which can lead, for example, to non-compliance with the host's tax obligations. The sharing economy should be classified as a full-fledged form of economy.