Trust in sharing encounters among millennials

Abstract

The sharing economy is a defining feature of the millennial generation. We report on a study of 1047 millennials and find that trust has more of an impact on their willingness to engage in some sharing encounters than in others. In particular, trust matters more in high-dimensionality sharing encounters-those encounters that have a longer duration, require a greater financial investment, involve more social interaction, etc. Further, it is important to note that all sharing encounters take place through two-sided intermediary platforms, and we find that the role of trust among the different types of sharing partners is not symmetrical across the two sides. Trust in the intermediary platform matters more to customers than to service providers in their willingness to engage in service encounters. Overall, this research contributes to existing literature by developing the notion of a service encounter and associated dimensionality and by demonstrating that service encounter dimensionality affects the importance of trust in the sharing economy. Also, we show how trust matters differently for different sides of two-sided sharing platforms. Finally, this research focuses squarely on understanding the behaviours of millennialsthe generation important to the sharing economy.

Mobilising information systems scholarship for a circular economy: Review, synthesis, and directions for future research

“…First, offline collaborative consumption networks are more socially complex than currently reflected in existing online-only research. Typically, research on online market platforms and platform economics restrict the scope of involved actors to supply, demand, and an intermediary (Constantiou, Marton, & Tuunainen, 2017) to investigate how factors like price (Zimmermann et al, 2018) or trust (Mittendorf et al, 2019) affect collaborative consumption behaviour. However, collaborative consumption networks involve additional actors that provide essential complementary services to the platform model.…”

“…However, our review showed that platform research on intensified product use beyond a purely economic motive is scarce (Achachlouei et al, 2015; Achachlouei & Moberg, 2015; Cohen & Muñoz, 2016; King, Burgess, Ijomah, & McMahon, 2006; Vykoukal, Wolf, & Beck, 2009). Most IS research on collaborative consumption and the sharing economy refers to sustainability only indirectly or spuriously, if at all (Greenwood & Wattal, 2017; Guo, Li, & Zeng, 2019; Mittendorf, Berente, & Holten, 2019; Teubner & Flath, 2019; Weber, 2014, 2016, 2017; Zimmermann, Angerer, Provin, & Nault, 2018). Future research could leverage current knowledge on platforms to better understand how digital platforms enable intensified product use to improve both economic and environmental sustainability.…”

Does India Need a Shared Ride-Hailing Now More than Ever? Understanding Commuter’s Intentions to Share Ridesailing Now than Ever ? Understanding Commuters’ Intention to Share Rides

“…(driver and co-passenger/s), which is a non-recurring relationship based on digital and real-time interactions (Mittendorf, Berente, & Holten, 2019). Trust can also reduce the perceived risk of service sharing (Lamberton & Rose, 2012).…”

Do we care about the Societal Impact of our research?

“…In the fifth paper, Christoph Mittendorff, Nicholas Berente, and Roland Holten () explore the sharing economy from the perspective of millenials. They report on a study of 1047 millennials and find that trust has more of an impact on their willingness to engage in sharing encounters that have a longer duration, require a greater financial investment and involve more social interaction.…”