Car Sharing and Relocation Strategies: a Case Study Comparison in the Italian Market

The sharing economy represents an economic model based on the sharing of goods and services. In particular, this paper examines car sharing model, an attractive alternative to a self-owned car which has found large interest in the recent literature in different research fields. This study aims to investigate innovative and effective relocation strategies based on the analysis of data on users’ consumptions, for the constantly growing car sharing system. For this purpose, after a literature review, the paper presents a case study focused on the car repositioning algorithm developed by one of the market leader in this sector: car2go. More in detail, the paper evaluates differences and similarities in the strategic management of this model within the Italian context, through a comparison among the cities of Rome and Milan. Empirical results and practical implications for users will be provided, by highlighting opportunities and threats concerning the different settings

Synergistic Interactions of Dynamic Ridesharing and Battery Electric Vehicles Land Use, Transit, and Auto Pricing Policies

It is widely recognized that new vehicle and fuel technology is necessary, but not sufficient, to meet deep greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions goals for both the U.S. and the state of California. Demand management strategies (such as land use, transit, and auto pricing) are also needed to reduce passenger vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and related GHG emissions. In this study, the authors explore how demand management strategies may be combined with new vehicle technology (battery electric vehicles or BEVs) and services (dynamic ridesharing) to enhance VMT and GHG reductions. Owning a BEV or using a dynamic ridesharing service may be more feasible when distances to destinations are made shorter and alternative modes of travel are provided by demand management strategies. To examine potential markets, we use the San Francisco Bay Area activity based travel demand model to simulate business-as-usual, transit oriented development, and auto pricing policies with and without high, medium, and low dynamic ridesharing participation rates and BEV daily driving distance ranges. The results of this study suggest that dynamic ridesharing has the potential to significantly reduce VMT and related GHG emissions, which may be greater than land use and transit policies typically included in Sustainable Community Strategies (under California Senate Bill 375), if travelers are willing pay with both time and money to use the dynamic ridesharing system. However, in general, large synergistic effects between ridesharing and transit oriented development or auto pricing policies were not found in this study. The results of the BEV simulations suggest that TODs may increase the market for BEVs by less than 1% in the Bay Area and that auto pricing policies may increase the market by as much as 7%. However, it is possible that larger changes are possible over time in faster growing regions where development is currently at low density levels (for example, the Central Valley in California). The VMT Fee scenarios show larger increases in the potential market for BEV (as much as 7%). Future research should explore the factors associated with higher dynamic ridesharing and BEV use including individual attributes, characteristics of tours and trips, and time and cost benefits. In addition, the travel effects of dynamic ridesharing systems should be simulated explicitly, including auto ownership, mode choice, destination, and extra VMT to pick up a passenger

The consumer journey on collaborative consumption platforms : an empirical study using structure equation modeling

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Statistics and Information Management, specialization in Marketing Research e CRMThe consumption pattern in digital world is changing due to emerging platforms that allow individuals to share their underutilized assets so that others can access them without having any liability. These platforms based on collaborative consumption (CC) definitely provide economic gains but how consumers take this entire journey on CC platform is the focus of this research. To understand this phenomenon in detail, we first identified the key determinants of CC Platforms and then estimated the multiple relationships using partial least squares path modelling. The theoretical section included the dimension of consumer trust, social media and other relevant constructs along with technology acceptance theory, which further supported in developing the research model. In order to test the model, we conducted a detailed survey and validated the hypotheses. The outcome variables were sharing intention, user behaviour, trust, satisfaction, and intention to recommend. The explanation all the dependent variables was exceptionally good. In addition, we conducted a mediation analysis and found satisfaction as a mediator variable

Understanding consumer demand for new transport technologies and services, and implications for the future of mobility

The transport sector is witnessing unprecedented levels of disruption. Privately owned cars that operate on internal combustion engines have been the dominant modes of passenger transport for much of the last century. However, recent advances in transport technologies and services, such as the development of autonomous vehicles, the emergence of shared mobility services, and the commercialization of alternative fuel vehicle technologies, promise to revolutionise how humans travel. The implications are profound: some have predicted the end of private car dependent Western societies, others have portended greater suburbanization than has ever been observed before. If transport systems are to fulfil current and future needs of different subpopulations, and satisfy short and long-term societal objectives, it is imperative that we comprehend the many factors that shape individual behaviour. This chapter introduces the technologies and services most likely to disrupt prevailing practices in the transport sector. We review past studies that have examined current and future demand for these new technologies and services, and their likely short and long-term impacts on extant mobility patterns. We conclude with a summary of what these new technologies and services might mean for the future of mobility.Comment: 15 pages, 0 figures, book chapte

Drivers of the sharing economy that affect consumers’ usage behavior: Moderation of perceived risk

In the access to peer-to-peer sharing of goods and services through a technology platform, which is known as the sharing economy, there is no consensus on the factors that motivate consumers. This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of perceived risk on consumers’ participation in the sharing economy in a developing country. Following a quantitative approach, a survey was conducted among 400 consumers in the Metropolitan Zone of Puebla City, Mexico. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data. Economic benefits, enjoyment, and trust drove the usage behavior of consumers in the sharing economy. In addition, perceived risk significantly moderated the relationships that usage behavior has with the economic benefits and the feeling of the community. As predicted by social exchange theory, the consumers made choices based on a subjective cost–benefit analysis, showing flexibility in the type and amount of rewards. This study contributes to knowledge about customer behavior in the context of the sharing economy.En el acceso a bienes y servicios entre iguales a través de una plataforma tecnológica, lo que se conoce como economía compartida, no hay consenso sobre los factores que motivan a los consumidores. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar el efecto moderador del riesgo percibido en la participación de los consumidores en la economía compartida en un país en desarrollo. Siguiendo un enfoque cuantitativo, se realizó una encuesta entre 400 consumidores de la Zona Metropolitana de la Ciudad de Puebla, México. Se utilizó un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales de mínimos cuadrados parciales (PLS-SEM) para analizar los datos. Los beneficios económicos, el disfrute y la confianza impulsaron el comportamiento de uso de los consumidores en la economía compartida. Además, el riesgo percibido moderó significativamente las relaciones que el comportamiento de uso tiene con los beneficios económicos y el sentimiento de la comunidad. Como predice la teoría del intercambio social, los consumidores tomaron decisiones basadas en un análisis subjetivo de costes y beneficios, mostrando flexibilidad en el tipo y la cantidad de recompensas. Este estudio contribuye al conocimiento del comportamiento de los consumidores en el contexto de la economía compartida

DRIVERS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLABORATIVE CONSUMPTION

In this paper, we set out with two objectives: investigate the determinants to explain the satisfaction with different types of collaborative consumption and investigate the determinants to explain the intention to recommend different types of collaborative consumption. It develops and tests a research model using structural equation modeling. The survey data were collected from 431 collaborative consumers. Based on our results model, economic benefits and utility are the key motivators for these consumers. That is, collaborative consumers from Brazil are not very concerned about the environmental impacts, appear very independently-minded and opportunistic, and do not feel the impact of social influence upon their activities. Our model makes a contribution to the emergent stream of literature on the sharing economy, because, to our knowledge, this is the first study to formally test the drivers of collaborative consumption considering more than three kinds of collaborative practices.

Sustainability, Hedonic, Utilitarian, and Social Benefits of Car Sharing: Evidence from Tanzania

Purpose – Despite a boom in consumer services sharing globally, a thorough understanding of the antecedents to customer satisfaction in emerging markets is yet to be achieved. This study tested the influence of sustainability, hedonic, utilitarian, and social benefits on satisfaction derived from and behavioral intention with regard to car-sharing services in Tanzania. Design/Methodology/Approach – A total of 614 cases was subjected to variance-based structural equation modeling based on self-administered structured questionnaires to test hypothesized relationships. A combination of FIMIX-PLS and POS-PLS was used to identify unobserved heterogeneity in the sample. Findings and implications – Hedonic, sustainability, and utilitarian benefits were found to have a statistically significant effect on satisfaction and behavioral intention of car-sharing customers, while social benefits had no significant effect on both satisfaction and behavioral intention. Moreover, satisfaction is a partial mediator of hedonic, sustainability, and utilitarian effect on behavioral intention. The data showed significant unobserved heterogeneity with a four-cluster solution as optimal. Limitations – The study relied on a cross-sectional survey conducted in only one country (Tanzania), with the majority of the respondents being young people as the main embracers of the sharing economy. Originality – The study uses multi-theoretical lenses with overarching Social Exchange Theory (SET), factoring in multiple antecedents to satisfaction and intentions of using car-sharing services in a less researched sub-Saharan African context. Thus, it affirms the utility of the Social Exchange Theory, with utilitarian, hedonic, and sustainability factors having significant effects on satisfaction and intention. Practical recommendations are offered to the owners and platforms used for managing and promoting car-sharing services in the developing country context

Antecedents of the Sharing Economy in a Pandemic Scenario: Prosocial Attitudes, Past Behaviour and Transformation Expectations

The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have a significant impact on most sharing economy activities, and at present, it is particularly challenging to achieve a consensual model to predict sharing economy behaviour. Based on empirical and theoretical premises established before the pandemic, we intend to explore the association between a set of psychosocial variables (i.e., cooperation, environmental awareness, past behaviour) and sharing economy behaviour, particularly the use of shared assets (i.e., cars and accommodation) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the present study analyses the mediating role of transformation expectations, as the decision to engage or not in sharing behaviour may be influenced by beliefs about the consequences of those actions from the user’s perspective. This study comprised a total of 596 participants. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire and was statistically analysed and interpreted using PLS 3.0. Structural Equation Modelling statistical software. Contrary to our predictions, the results show that cooperation negatively influenced the willingness to participate in sharing activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, that environmental awareness was not a significant predictor, and that past sharing behaviour has the strongest influence on the willingness to share during pandemic times. Finally, the mediating effect of transformation expectations was significant in both associations, i.e., pro-environmental consciousness and past sharing experiences, and the willingness to adopt sharing behaviour during COVID-19.Se espera que la pandemia de COVID-19 tenga un impacto importante en la mayoría de las actividades de la economía colaborativa, y en la actualidad, es particularmente difícil lograr un modelo consensual para predecir el comportamiento de la economía colaborativa. Sobre la base de premisas empíricas y teóricas establecidas antes de la pandemia, pretendemos explorar la asociación entre un conjunto de variables psicosociales (es decir, cooperación, consciencia ambiental, comportamiento pasado) y el comportamiento de la economía colaborativa, en particular el uso de activos compartidos (automóviles y alojamiento), durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Además, el presente estudio analiza el papel mediador de las expectativas de transformación, ya que la decisión de participar o no en el comportamiento de compartir puede estar influenciada por creencias sobre las consecuencias de esas acciones desde la perspectiva del usuario. Este estudio comprendió un total de 596 participantes. Los datos se recopilaron a través de un cuestionario autoadministrado y se analizaron e interpretaron estadísticamente utilizando el PLS 3.0., un software estadístico de modelación de ecuaciones estructurales. Contrariamente a nuestras predicciones, los resultados muestran que la cooperación influyó negativamente en la voluntad de participar en actividades compartidas durante la pandemia de COVID-19, que la conciencia ambiental no fue un predictor significativo y que el comportamiento de compartir en el pasado tiene la influencia más fuerte en la voluntad de compartir durante tiempos de pandemia. Finalmente, el efecto mediador de las expectativas de transformación fue significativo en ambas asociaciones, es decir, la conciencia proambiental y las experiencias pasadas de intercambio, y la disposición a adoptar un comportamiento de intercambio durante COVID-19.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Antecedentes de la Economía Colaborativa en un Escenario de Pandemia: Actitudes Pro-sociales, Comportamientos Pasados y Expectativas de Transformación

[EN] The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have a significant impact on most sharing economy activities, and at present, it is particularly challenging to achieve a consensual model to predict sharing economy behaviour. Based on empirical and theoretical premises established before the pandemic, we intend to explore the association between a set of psychosocial variables (i.e., cooperation, environmental awareness, past behaviour) and sharing economy behaviour, particularly the use of shared assets (i.e., cars and accommodation) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the present study analyses the mediating role of transformation expectations, as the decision to engage or not in sharing behaviour may be influenced by beliefs about the consequences of those actions from the user’s perspective. This study comprised a total of 596 participants. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire and was statistically analysed and interpreted using PLS 3.0. Structural Equation Modelling statistical software. Contrary to our predictions, the results show that cooperation negatively influenced the willingness to participate in sharing activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, that environmental awareness was not a significant predictor, and that past sharing behaviour has the strongest influence on the willingness to share during pandemic times. Finally, the mediating effect of transformation expectations was significant in both associations, i.e., pro-environmental consciousness and past sharing experiences, and the willingness to adopt sharing behaviour during COVID-19.[ES] Se espera que la pandemia de COVID-19 tenga un impacto importante en la mayoría de las actividades de la economía colaborativa, y en la actualidad, es particularmente difícil lograr un modelo consensual para predecir el comportamiento de la economía colaborativa. Sobre la base de premisas empíricas y teóricas establecidas antes de la pandemia, pretendemos explorar la asociación entre un conjunto de variables psicosociales (es decir, cooperación, consciencia ambiental, comportamiento pasado) y el comportamiento de la economía colaborativa, en particular el uso de activos compartidos (automóviles y alojamiento), durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Además, el presente estudio analiza el papel mediador de las expectativas de transformación, ya que la decisión de participar o no en el comportamiento de compartir puede estar influenciada por creencias sobre las consecuencias de esas acciones desde la perspectiva del usuario. Este estudio comprendió un total de 596 participantes. Los datos se recopilaron a través de un cuestionario autoadministrado y se analizaron e interpretaron estadísticamente utilizando el PLS 3.0., un software estadístico de modelación de ecuaciones estructurales. Contrariamente a nuestras predicciones, los resultados muestran que la cooperación influyó negativamente en la voluntad de participar en actividades compartidas durante la pandemia de COVID-19, que la conciencia ambiental no fue un predictor significativo y que el comportamiento de compartir en el pasado tiene la influencia más fuerte en la voluntad de compartir durante tiempos de pandemia. Finalmente, el efecto mediador de las expectativas de transformación fue significativo en ambas asociaciones, es decir, la conciencia proambiental y las experiencias pasadas de intercambio, y la disposición a adoptar un comportamiento de intercambio durante COVID-19.This research is financed by national funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UIDB/04630/2020