The Sharing Economy. Airbnb and Uber as Business Models

Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject Business economics - Offline Marketing and Online Marketing, grade: 1,3, University of Applied Sciences Essen, language: English, abstract: The thesis aims to answer the question of whether the sharing economy benefits society and who benefits most from it. At the beginning, the term sharing economy is defined and the motives for participating in the sharing economy are analyzed. Then, the concept of the sharing economy is explained in more detail using the example of the technology companies Uber and Airbnb. Their business models and the controversies and scandals that surround both companies are presented. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus already knew 2500 years ago that the only constant in life is change. In a dynamic world that is oriented towards the free market economy, established companies regularly disappear or face new competition from innovative business models that meet the changing needs of consumers. Values and morals change, and people relocate. Nevertheless, it is guaranteed that there will always be providers who keep pace with the times and can react to current trends. One of these current trends is the sharing economy.