Sharing goods, services or knowledge is at the center of the so-called Sharing Economy. Businesses are usually based on online platforms that match demand and supply which is in many cases, but not always provided by individuals. Sharing Economy companies typically compete with traditional...

While the sharing economy is generally perceived to be very innovative, it has hardly been analyzed what defines this innovativeness. The main aspect for the sharing economy as a whole is the peer-to-peer (P2P) organization of its businesses. This allows sharing platforms to enter markets more...

Die Sharing Economy hat sich durch die neuen Kommunikationsmöglichkeiten aus der Nische in die Mitte der Ökonomie katapultiert. Dabei betrifft das Phänomen sehr unterschiedliche Marktbereiche: vom altruistisch motivierten Teilen unter Freunden und Nachbarn bis zu kommerziellen...

Online platforms play an increasingly important role in the European business landscape. Guided by questions from the European Commission’s consultation on this topic, the paper aims to provide insight into the characteristics of online platforms and the resulting regulatory challenges. Issues...