10 December 2019
Online platforms in our ‘sharing economy’ encourage people to ‘connect with others’ as Airbnb hosts, 'earn money when it suits them' as an Uber driver, and 'get paid for riding around your city' as a Deliveroo riders.
The new collaborative economy offers many benefits to citizens, such as easy access to services and finding flexible employment. At the same time, it leads to ethical risks and challenges, by increasing ambiguity about whether one is an employee or self-employed, or whether a service is provided by a professional or a non-professional?
Although knowledge about the collaborative economy is accumulating, little is still known about the psychological factors driving users’ behaviour. In particular, little knowledge exists on whether people consider those that are indirectly affected by their use, such as the neighbours of an apartment excessively rented out on platforms like Airbnb. Shalvi wants to gain a better understanding of how people use sharing platforms. Specifically, he is interested in understanding what makes users consider the consequences of sharing, and whether transparent sharing platforms promote responsible sharing.
Consolidator Grants are intended for researchers who obtained their PhDs 7 to 12 years ago. The grants enable the researchers to consolidate their position as independent researchers.