¿Economía colaborativa o economía de plataforma? Más allá de un debate inacabable

La denominada cuarta revolución industrial dará lugar a la consolidación de nuevos tipos de intercambio, basados en tecnologías digitales de plataforma, que se caracterizarán por generar cambios disruptivos en la mayoría de funciones, agentes y resultados de la economía. Estos nuevos intercambios propiciarán la aparición de nuevos modelos de negocio. ¿Cuál será el modelo óptimo para competir en ese contexto? ¿Qué estrategias pueden ayudar a la hora de operar con modelos de este tipo

Economia compartida i consum col·laboratiu. Cap a les noves interpretacions, identitats, motivacions i evidències de l'intercanvi

El document de discussió analitza els fonaments, definicions, marcs conceptuals i l'evidència empírica de l'economia compartida i el consum col·laboratiu. A més, i a través d'una mostra per a 14,050 ciutadans dels 28 països de la Unió Europa el 2016, es caracteritza el perfil dels usuaris (1,792) i dels proveïdors (496) de les plataformes col·laboratives, així com se'n investiguen els seus predictors. Aquesta investigació empírica obté dos resultats principals. En primer lloc, es confirma que les motivacions per a l'ús de les plataformes col·laboratives són econòmiques i d'utilitat (preu i conveniencia), mentre que les motivacions per a la provisió són ideològiques (intercanvis no monetaris). En segon lloc, s'identifiquen tot un conjunt de factors socio-demogràfics que també prediurien el consum col·laboratiu. Les persones més joves; homes; que conviuen en llars amb més familiars; amb més anys de formació; en contextos professionals d'emprenedoria, responsabilitats directives o elevada qualificació; que viuen en grans ciutats o àrees metropolitanes; i que són ciutadans dels països de l'Europa continental, són les més propenses a l'ús de les plataformes col·laboratives. Finalment, el document discuteix les principals implicacions conceptuals (teoria de l'intercanvi compartit) i empíriques (causes i efectes) de l'economia compartida i el consum col·laboratiu.El documento de discusión analiza los fundamentos, definiciones, marcos conceptuales y la evidencia empírica de la economía compartida y el consumo colaborativo. Además, y a través de una muestra para 14,050 ciudadanos de los 28 países de la Unión Europa el 2016, se caracteriza el perfil de los usuarios (1,792) y de los proveedores (496) de las plataformas colaborativas, así como se investigan sus predictors. Esta investigación empírica obtiene dos resultados principales. En primer lugar, se confirma que las motivaciones para el uso de las plataformas colaborativas son económicas y de utilidad (precio y conveniencia), mientras que las motivaciones para la provisión son ideológicas (intercambios no monetarios). En segundo lugar, se identifican todo un conjunto de factores socio-demográficos que también prediurien el consumo colaborativo. Las personas más jóvenes; hombres; que conviven en hogares con más familiares; con más años de formación; en contextos profesionales de emprendeduría, responsabilidades directivas o elevada calificación; que viven en grandes ciudades o áreas metropolitanas; y que son ciudadanos de los países del Europa continental, son las más propensas al uso de las plataformas colaborativas. Finalmente, el documento discute las principales implicaciones conceptuales (teoría del intercambio compartido) y empíricas (causas y efectos) de la economía compartida y el consumo colaborativo.The discussion paper analyzes the fundamentals, definitions, conceptual frameworks and the empirical evidence of shared economy and collaborative consumption. In addition, and through a sample for 14,050 citizens of the 28 countries of the European Union in 2016, the profiles of users (1,792) and providers (496) of collaborative platforms are characterized, as well as their predictors are investigated. This empirical research obtains two main results. In the first place, it is confirmed that the motivations for the use of collaborative platforms are economic and useful (price and convenience), while the motivations for the provision are ideological (non-monetary exchanges). Second, we identify a whole set of socio-demographic factors that also predict collaborative consumption. The younger people; mens; Who live in households with more relatives; With more years of training; In professional contexts of entrepreneurship, managerial responsibilities or high qualification; Living in large cities or metropolitan areas; And who are citizens of continental European countries, are the most likely to use collaborative platforms. Finally, the paper discusses the main conceptual implications (shared exchange theory) and empirical (causes and effects) of shared economy and collaborative consumption

E-learning, employability and entrepreneurship: approaches from the economic framework

E-learning has become consolidated as an increasingly used method to train workers, managers and entrepreneurs. However, unlike face-to-face training, the models developed to evaluate the economic dimensions of virtual learning environments, in particular those associated with online training for employment and entrepreneurship, are rather scarce. In order to provide new evidence, this issue presents five articles analysing the effect of e-learning on the employability and entrepreneurship conditions of the workforce. The first article underscores the usefulness of e-learning in the development of skills that help to ensure job stability among European workers. The second article highlights the importance of virtual communities of practice for the development of professional practice and organisational dynamics in the healthcare field. The third article presents new business models underpinning the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) phenomenon. The fourth article reports on the design and validation of a scale for measuring the quality of e-learning in training for employment. And lastly, the fifth article analyses the effect of e-learning on the development of entrepreneurial competencies in firms located in business accelerators. They all open the door to future research and emphasise the need to carry on analysing the economic dimensions of e-learning

Collaborative Behavior and the Sharing Economy: Pan-European Evidence for a New Economic Approach

This chapter analyzes the sharing economy and collaborative consumption behaviors. The study addresses two lines of analysis. The first is theoretical, and it examines the background, definitions, and conceptual framework of the topic. The second is empirical and brings new evidence through a pan-European predictive analysis. From the theoretical angle, I conclude that the exchange behavior evolves toward a new paradigm, from initial digital formats into sharing formats. And for a more adequate interpretation of the sharing exchange theory, the economy will have to move forward and develop a formal apparatus that takes into consideration a set of relatively unusual principles. In particular a combination of new assumptions: rational/emotional decision-making, individual/prosocial interest, monetary/nonmonetary compensation, and ownership/use, which economics will have to incorporate into the functions thereof. From the empirical perspective, my research provides new evidence about the motivations of collaborative behavior. Particularly interesting is the result that self-employed or entrepreneurs are more prone to value collaborative platforms that are oriented as an alternative. On the contrary, managers and qualified employees have more practical and monetary motivations. Both results, theoretical and empirical, could open the door to new strategic orientations for the development of platforms

New human resource management systems in non-based-knowledge firms: Applications for decision making on the business performance

The aim of this paper is double. First, it provides a conceptual framework and modelling of the relationship between human resource management (HRM) systems and non-based-knowledge firms. Second, using survey data on 1.518 Catalan firms (in Spain, with capital in Barcelona), the paper: 1) identify two system of HRM (in progress HRM system and non-HRM developed system); 2) build a causal model of determinants of HRM systems; and 3) describe the association links between in progress HRM system and firm's performance. Using factor and cluster analysis, we find that only one-third of firms use in progress HRM system. Using logit binomial analysis, we find that features which are structural, technological, strategic, organisational and performance-related explain the adoption of in progress HRM system. Finally, using association analysis, we find that firms that adopt in progress HRM system: 1) are more internationalised and show greater ability to adapt to the changing environment, to innovate and to collaborate; 2) focus on product/service differentiation strategy enhancing quality; 3) apply a greater degree of new forms of work organization; 4) have more technological equipment and use IT more intensively; and 5) invest more in training their employees, than firms with non-HRM system developed

De la Nueva economía a la economía del conocimiento : hacia la tercera revolución industrial

Las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) se han convertido en la base material de un nuevo tipo de sociedad: la sociedad de la información y el conocimiento. Estas tecnologías, que inciden directamente en la capacidad humana de generación y aplicación económica del conocimiento, sitúan a este recurso y mercancía de progresiva importancia en el centro del escenario del desarrollo capitalista. En este artículo se analizan las particularidades económicas del conocimiento como input y como output, que nos conducirán a la definición de la economía del conocimiento, así como al desarrollo de una propuesta empírica para su medición. _______________________________________The information and communication technologies (ICT) have become the base of a new kind of society: the information and knowledge society. These technologies, which affect directly over the human capacity of generating and applying economic knowledge, set this source and commodity of progressive importance in the centre of the capitalist development scenario . In this paper the economic particularities of knowledge as input and output are analysed, driving us to the definition of economic knowledge, as well as to the development of an empirical proposal for its measure

Knowledge workers and job satisfaction: Evidence from Europe

This article analyzes the determinants of job satisfaction among knowledge workers (KWs). Data from a representative sample of 14,096 employed workers from the European Social Survey (2010) are used for an empirical analysis drawing on multiple binary logistic regression models. Job satisfaction among KWs in 21 EU countries is found to be explained better by non-financial characteristics than by monetary rewards. Career advancement opportunities, flexible work schedules, colleague support, and work-family relations, as well as job security, emerge as central in explaining job satisfaction among KWs in our sample. Unlike the case for other workers (OWs), opportunities for further training and career experience are not determinants of job satisfaction among KWs. Management divisions in companies employing KWs would be well-advised to take these points into account

ICT, co-innovation and firm productivity: empirical evidence from Catalonia and international comparison of results

A partir de los datos para una muestra representativa del tejido productivo privado en Cataluña (1.283 empresas), en este trabajo se analizan: a) las nuevas fuentes co-innovadoras (usos TIC, nuevas formas de organización y cualificación del trabajo) de la productividad empresarial; y b) su comparación internacional de resultados. Para la gran mayoría de empresas catalanas (el 80% que no usa intensivamente la tecnología y el conocimiento) no se ha encontrado evidencia que corrobore la existencia de nuevas fuentes co-innovadoras en la explicación de su potencial de crecimiento a largo plazo. La comparación internacional de resultados realizada nos sugiere: a) una incidencia superior de la co-innovación sobre la productividad en las empresas del ámbito de EE.UU. y Australia, que en el contexto europeo; b) la inexistencia de un impacto relevante de los usos TIC sobre la productividad de las empresas españolas; y c) un importante atraso en la implantación de las fuentes co-innovadoras de la productividad en el tejido productivo catalán._____________________________________________Using survey data on a representative sample of the Catalan productive private network (1,238 firms), this paper a) analyzes the new co-innovative (ICT uses, skilled labour and new forms of work organization) productivity sources; and b) compares the results in an international framework. For most Catalan firms (80% of which neither use technology nor are knowledge intensive) there seems to be no evidence to corroborate the existence of new co-innovation sources in the explanation of their long term potential growth. When the results are compared at the international level, findings suggest that: a) there is a higher incidence of co-innovation on productivity in U.S. and Australian firms, as it also happens in the European context; b) there is no relevant impact of ICT use in Spanish firms’ productivity; and c) related to that, there is a significant delay in the implementation of the co-innovative productivity sources in the Catalan firms