The Value of IS in Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Mobility Services - The Case of Carsharing

Result-oriented services that provide mobility on demand seem to be a promising means of meeting both societal trends and environmental sustainability targets. In this paper, we investigate the contribution of Information Systems (IS) to drive this substantial business model change towards sustainable mobility from a cus-tomer\u27s perspective. While doing so, we focus on the specific case of carsharing - a result-oriented mobility service that has been known for decades, which is re-cently receiving more attention due to environmental concerns. Employing a choice-based conjoint analysis (n = 221), we explore and evaluate the role of IS for the perceived attractiveness of carsharing. With our investigation, we show how IS, by their three functions of information, automation and transformation, may improve this sustainable form of individual mobility and thus contribute to the shift towards sustainable mobility

Piecing Together the Puzzle: Mobility as a Service from the User and Service Design Perspectives. Discussion paper

Many public transport authorities are looking to how they can enable better mobility for their citizens, in\ua0congested urban settings as well as in poorly connected peripheral communities and rural areas. Mobility as a\ua0Service (MaaS) is increasingly being presented as a possible solution in both contexts, although the path forward\ua0has proven far more difficult than hoped. Part of this may lie in underestimating the complexities of achieving\ua0integrated mobility services, which is often linked to a lack of practical experience in implementing and running\ua0MaaS services. To quote one project partner in a MaaS pilot project, who represented a public organisation\ua0new to MaaS but with long experience within one transport silo, and who shall remain nameless: “This was a\ua0lot harder than we expected”. So, what should one expect? Why has the MaaS vision not naturally coalesced?\ua0The purpose of this first discussion paper in the series is to try to understand the bigger picture of MaaS\ua0primarily from the user perspective but in an interplay with the service perspective, as the service offer and\ua0design inherently affect the use of the service. Questions include: What is MaaS? and What could it be?; Who\ua0are the (potential) users? and What do they stand to gain?; and How can related research and tools be utilised\ua0by public authorities and transport organisations to more proactively engage in MaaS developments so as to\ua0improve sustainability outcomes (ecological, economic and social) for users, public and private organisations,\ua0and society

Aligning users’ and stakeholders’ needs: How incentives can reshape the carsharing market

Carsharing services provide users with a new way of approaching mobility and accessing shared vehicles. Since the initial pilot studies in the early 90s, technological innovations (e.g., advances in mobile technology, increased range of electric cars) and the establishment of new business models (e.g, station–based, free–floating, peer-to-peer, packages by time and/or kilometers) helped branding carsharing as a sustainable yet flexible and personalized mobility alternative. On the other hand, the carsharing market today is extremely scattered, as it can include multiple operators, which are often in competition among each other. While this variety of operators provides the user with a variety of travel options, without proper coordination, this competition can reduce the efficiency of the carsharing market and, in extreme cases, of the entire transportation system. In this context, this paper studies the needs of travellers, local authorities, and carsharing service providers, and analyzes how incentives can be used to align their goals. Taking Munich, Copenhagen, and Tel Aviv-Yafo as case studies, focus groups were used to identify thirteen different travellers’ needs, which are grouped into five main categories: ownership issues, coverage area, financial aspects, vehicle settings, and integration of carsharing with other modes. Moreover, to understand the needs of service providers and public authorities, in-depth interviews were conducted. The results indicate that regulatory barriers, integration with other transport modes, and social equity issues are the most critical elements for the thriving of carsharing services. Our results also suggest that incentives can be divided into two main categories, namely direct and indirect incentives. With regards to direct incentives, parking stood out as the most important incentive. Among indirect incentives, those associated with the integration of carsharing with other transport services, were prominent. As part of the methodology, the results of the qualitative study are validated through a quantitative analysis. A bigger sample of the population answered an online survey, which was used to validate the list of potential incentives that can help aligning the goals of stakeholders and users