The sharing economy and collaborative consumption: Strategic issues and global entrepreneurial opportunities

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and discuss the topics of sharing economy and collaborative consumption (CC) within the domains of global entrepreneurial opportunities, strategic issues, and emerging online businesses. Both topics remain immensely rich and intertwined because of their interdisciplinary perspectives and multifaceted issues. The sharing economy and CC-based digital platforms clearly support and complement today’s business models, corporate expansion, and entrepreneurial growth. The sharing economy and CC models continue to grow yet can be disruptive in international entrepreneurship. The paper investigates the sharing economy as well as CC in ten sectors (73 firms) from the perspective of “commercial sharing systems” (Lamberton and Rose 2012, p. 109). Findings of the paper reveal that the two topics distinctly remain interconnected when dealing with their business models, entrepreneurial initiatives, and consumers in global markets. The work systematically lays the foundation for future research in the international entrepreneurship literature and its related areas. Companies that pursue the areas of sharing-based systems tend to be inherently innovative and venturesome in their business models and digital platforms. The paper also provides a research agenda and managerial implications of this timely discussion that continues to grow in international entrepreneurship.