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Definitions and Mapping the Landscape in the Collaborative Economy

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Collaborative Economy and Tourism

Part of the book series: Tourism on the Verge ((TV))

Abstract

This chapter examines definitions of the collaborative economy and maps out the landscape of collaborative economy in tourism. We cast a wide and inclusive net, acknowledging that the collaborative economy is found in the intersection of two words: “collaborative” and “economy”. Any attempt to narrow its definition to digitally-mediated, monetised transactions limits the potential understandings that we may develop about this phenomenon. We argue that the collaborative economy involves collaboration through which there is an exchange of resources, assets or services. By corollary, researchers should pay attention to the properties of that exchange, the relational qualities of the actors directly and indirectly involved, and the social, economic, political and environmental factors that influence that exchange.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This argument is much cited in the literature and rests on altruistic ideas about the motivations of actors to address consumerism and “do good”. However, we feel compelled to offer a counter view to this argument. Frictionless transactions at minimal or no cost in the collaborative economy have created incentives for those with capital to invest. Investment properties and other goods are purchased for the purpose of offering them in the collaborative economy on a commercial basis. Not only does this allow the provider to bypass normal regulatory processes (e.g. land use planning, consumer protections, etc.) but lower transaction costs make the product or service highly competitive especially in price-sensitive markets. Thus, incentives exist for commercial motives to be foregrounded and collaborative/sharing motives become less important in the market-mediated digital collaborative economy.

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Acknowledgement

Some sections of this chapter have been inspired by Dredge, D. and Gyimóthy, S. (2015). The collaborative economy and tourism: Critical perspectives, questionable claims and silenced voices, Tourism Recreation Research, 40(3), 286–302.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Culture and Global Studies, Aalborg University, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15, Copenhagen, 2450, Denmark

    Szilvia Gyimóthy & Dianne Dredge

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  1. Szilvia Gyimóthy
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  2. Dianne Dredge
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Correspondence to Szilvia Gyimóthy .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Culture & Global Studies, Aalborg University, Copenhagen SV, Denmark

    Dianne Dredge

  2. Department of Culture & Global Studies, Aalborg University, Copenhagen SV, Denmark

    Szilvia Gyimóthy

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Gyimóthy, S., Dredge, D. (2017). Definitions and Mapping the Landscape in the Collaborative Economy. In: Dredge, D., Gyimóthy, S. (eds) Collaborative Economy and Tourism . Tourism on the Verge. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51799-5_2

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