What Is a Sustainable Coworking Space?

Abstract

Coworking is a trend that is becoming increasingly popular and is often associated with sustainability. However, a lack of consensus exists on what a sustainable coworking space is. This study addresses this by investigating what is currently understood by a sustainable coworking space. Q-methodology is used to analyze 27 participants’ subjective ideas about what a sustainable coworking space is, resulting in four distinct perspectives. The four perspectives are identified as follows: 1. “New Work”, 2. “Resourceful Society”, 3. “Incubator, and 4. “Environmental”. These perspectives have distinct opinions on what important sustainability aspects in the context of coworking spaces are. Whilst some prioritize environmental and community factors, others have a mixed focus. Additionally, the four perspectives share some common beliefs. All of them believe in the importance of sustainable mobility, as well as in the moderate importance of encouraging their members to be socially responsible. These findings offer insight into the different understandings of coworking space sustainability. This is important because currently this field is under-researched, and a more systematic approach to sustainability in this field is needed. This research lays the foundation to do so and helps work toward a better understanding of coworking in a sustainability and innovative context.

Hatching start-ups for sustainable growth: a bibliometric review on business incubators

“…However, coworkingspaces are also used by individuals not necessarily involved with start-ups, such as freelancers or employees with incumbent firms ). Among other advantages, sharing space contributes to sustainable entrepreneuership (Fennhofer et al 2014;Oswald and Zhao 2020). Second, science or technology parks also share some analogies as they are commonly defined as "an innovation-related infrastructure through which knowledge is exchanged, and a university is often a catalyst for that symbiosis" (Hobbs et al 2017).…”

The sharing economy in the hospitality sector: The role of social interaction, social presence, and reciprocity in eliciting satisfaction and continuance behavior

“…Peer-to-peer accommodations allow owners to utilize their vacant properties and give opportunities for travelers to stay in these properties, creating a resourceful community. The coworking spaces have four constituents to their sustainability aspect: “New Work”, “Resourceful Society”, “Environmental”, and “Incubator” (Oswald and Zhao, 2020 ). “New Work” highlights the flexible nature of working conditions and sharing of resources, “Resourceful Society” emphasize efficient energy use while taking the social factors into account, “Environmental” stresses the environmental factors of the spaces, and “Incubator” highlights the community formed within the coworking spaces (Oswald and Zhao, 2020 ), making the coworking spaces sustainable.…”

“…The coworking spaces have four constituents to their sustainability aspect: “New Work”, “Resourceful Society”, “Environmental”, and “Incubator” (Oswald and Zhao, 2020 ). “New Work” highlights the flexible nature of working conditions and sharing of resources, “Resourceful Society” emphasize efficient energy use while taking the social factors into account, “Environmental” stresses the environmental factors of the spaces, and “Incubator” highlights the community formed within the coworking spaces (Oswald and Zhao, 2020 ), making the coworking spaces sustainable. The customers believe they have contributed to others, society, and nature (Li and Wen, 2019 ) by making sustainable choices.…”

Role of Incubation Centers in Promoting Sustainable Development in Nigeria

“…One such initiative is the establishment of incubation centers to play a vital role in nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation. An incubator is an enterprise that supports entrepreneurs in the early set-up to survive and carry out business activities by providing them with space and equipment (Appel-Meulenbroek, Weijs-Perree, and Orel, 2020; Bouncken & Reuschel, 2018;Bouncken & Kraus, 2021;Rese, Gorman and Herbig 2021;Oswald & Zhao, 2020). Incubation centers operate in clusters to support innovative business ventures (Charry, Perez, and Barahona, 2014).…”