SHARING ECONOMY
Module Overview
Module Name: Strategic Network and Business Ecosystem Management
Program: Master in Business Administration (MBA)
Key Instructor: Andreas Lucco (Email: andreas.lucco@hslu.ch)
Date: October 27, 2025
Module Framework
Introduction to Strategic Network & Business Ecosystems Management
Systems Thinking I: Network Analysis & Visualisation
Platform-based Business Models
Sharing Economy Business Models
Business Ecosystem Design
Sustainability - Shared Value Creation
Exam with Use Case Workshop – Own Business Case
Game Theory & Coopetition
Systems Thinking II: Decision Making & Negotiation
Historical Context
Background of the Industrial Revolution
INDUSTRY 1.0 (1784): Mechanization, steam power, weaving loom
INDUSTRY 2.0 (1870): Mass production, assembly line, electrical energy
INDUSTRY 3.0 (1969): Automation, computers, and electronics
INDUSTRY 4.0 (Present): Cyber-physical systems, internet of things, digitalization
Energy Efficiency
Definition: Aggregate energy efficiency is the “ratio of useful to potential physical work that can be extracted from materials.”
Context: Related to thermodynamic rules.
Internet and Efficiency
Types of Internet: Internet as a communication tool, Global Energy Internet, transport infrastructure (Road-Rail-Water-Air), Dark Net vs. Bright Net.
Benefits of Higher Efficiency: Higher productivity, lower ecological footprint, and marginal costs of production approaching zero.
Key Reference: Jeremy Rifkin on the Third Industrial Revolution addressing a radical new sharing economy.
Changing Perspectives on Asset Ownership
Transition from a car-based industry to an environment where car ownership is less critical.
Emphasis on access to mobility over ownership.
Societal Trends in Consumption
Statistic: 78% of millennials prefer to spend money on experiences over purchasing goods (Survey by Harris/Eventbrite).
Shift from pure capitalism to responsible consumption, moving towards platform capitalism.
Sharing Economy Defined
No Universal Definition: The term 'resource sharing' does not have a universally accepted definition.
Synonyms and Definitions:
Sharing Economy: Economy of making resources available and sharing them via online platforms (Weiber & Lichter, 2019).
Collaborative Consumption: Peer-to-peer-based activity (Decrop et al., 2017).
Access-Based Consumption: Transactions without transfer of ownership (Bhardi and Eckhardt, 2012).
Distinctions of Sharing Economy Terms
Access Economy: Focus on access over ownership.
Gig Economy: Participation through gigs or projects.
Freelance Economy: Participation through individual projects.
Peer Economy: P2P networks in production and funding.
Characteristics of Sharing Economy
Characterized by actors sharing values and resources, focusing on underutilized assets to improve efficiency, sustainability, and community engagement.
Characteristics and Growth Projections
Prominent Sharing Economy Sectors in US:
2013 Revenue: $255 billion (all sectors), $15 billion (sharing economy sectors).
2025 Revenue: $670 billion (all sectors), $335 billion (sharing economy sectors).
Growth sectors: On-demand staffing, media streaming, shared mobility, hospitality.
Societal Relevance of Sharing Economy
Ecological Sustainability: Reductions in traffic, emissions, resource depletion.
Economic Sustainability: Innovative business models risking traditional models while creating new income streams.
Social Sustainability: Addressing social gaps and promoting inclusivity.
Product as a Service & Circular Economy
Product-as-a-Service: Economic model focused on returning products to producers for recycling. Contrasts with traditional linear models (take-make-waste).
Objectives of Product-service Systems:
Convert conventional product selling to service-oriented models.
Redistribute under-utilized products.
Promote collaborative lifestyles.