South Caucasus, 40% of people do not have access to the Internet.
Opinions regarding the reliability of the sharing economy as an economic model that can meet the social objectives of sustainable development, particularly those that expect the decrease in poverty and inequality in the world, as stated above, are somewhat harsh. We cannot be categorical about a possible need to increase social inequalities, on the one hand, because the sharing and collaborative economy is a recent concept under construction. On the other hand, the implications of using trading platforms has to be analyzed with greater optimism.
Indeed, in the context of trading platforms, pilot projects, which have a purpose of reducing inequalities, have helped to strengthen social cohesion. Projects such as Soli-Food and Welfood, for example, reflect this desire by providing a vulnerable population with access to food under the aegis of the fight against waste (King Baudouin Foundation 2016).
The change brought about by the collaborative economy does not affect the nature of the goods consumed, but rather the behavior of consumers, in other words, their way of consuming, either through the B2C or B2B formula. Previous exchanges are now complemented by the emerging C2C formula, but also by other transactional methods that contribute to a more efficient flow of goods in the market.
Table 2.1. Configuration of new trade methods (Ertz 2017)
| System of aggregated marketing | Companies | Consumers | Government |
| Companies | B2B Example: financial leasing of chemicals Scheme | B2C Example: bike system managed by the marketer | B2G Example: official car fleet management |
| Consumers | C2B Example: recovery program | C2C Example: classified ads/auction sites | C2G Example: exchange programs for used cars sponsored by the government |
| Government | G2B Example: high-tech equipment rental | G2C Example: public auction blocks | G2G Example: forestry equipment rental |
Although a number of these exchanges involve new goods (B2B, B2C, B2G, G2B, G2C or G2G), others are only associated with second-hand goods (C2B, C2C, C2G). It is worth noting that C2C exchange schemes can be found in each exchange configuration, making it a dominant factor.
In fact, taking marketing into account inevitably implies taking C2C systems into account, because they fill the blind spots that marketers generally pay little or no attention to (C2B, C2C, C2G) (Ertz 2017).
In the context of the collaborative economy, there is an overlap between production and consumption functions, in such a way that roles between individuals have reversed. “Exchanges between individuals are brought to the forefront, while organizations act as intermediaries” (Ertz 2017).
As a result, the consumer is no longer a mere spectator, but rather an essential player in the business-consumer relationship. He can even do without the company by producing and marketing goods and services.
Box 2.4. Meaning of the different transaction methods
Transactions initiated by the company:
– B2B (Business to Business): describes business transactions between companies;
– B2C (Business to Customer): describes the business transactions between a company and end consumers;
– B2G (Business to Government): describes business transactions between companies and the government.
Transactions initiated by the consumer:
– C2B (Customer to Business): describes business transactions between consumers and businesses;
– C2C (Customer to Customer): describes the business transactions between consumers;
– C2G (Customer to Government): describes the business transactions between consumers and the government.
Transactions initiated by the government:
– G2B (Government to Business): describes business transactions between the government and businesses;
– G2C (Government to Customer): describes business transactions between the government and consumers;
– G2G (Government to Government): describes business transactions between governments.
Basically, the economic model of sharing is essentially based on the “consumer-to-consumer” (C2C) formula. The platforms have served as intermediaries between individuals (Buda and Lehota 2017).
Based on this operating logic, the relations between producer, consumer and government have been redefined and have revealed the new exchange methods discussed above. Collaborative consumption embodies the change that has led economic networks to move towards a more local and collective organization, similar to an ecosystem, guided by new patterns of exchange (Ertz et al. 2017).
By freeing the sharing economy, will companies be able to transform today’s threat into tomorrow’s opportunity?
So many issues call on business leaders to be players in this new economic model, not just bystanders suffering the consequences of this change. The answer to these issues is suggested by the honeycomb representation of the collaborative economy. It was developed by Jeremiah Owyang (founder of Catalyst Companies, industry analyst). It outlines the scope of the sharing economy in the different sectors of the economy.
The illustration in the form of a honeycomb structure is not accidental, explains the designer: “The cells are elastic structures that allow the accessing, sharing and improving of resources in a group” (Torfs 2016b).
The representation is evolutionary, interpreting the change in strategies in companies. Currently, we are on its third version, the first version only had six honeycombs in the center of the graph. Several companies have joined the sharing economy movement and the list of sectors that have integrated the sharing economy into their strategies includes “the finance, logistics, food and transport sectors” (Hallet 2018).
Figure 2.2. Honeycomb representation of the collaborative economy (Owyang 2016). For a color version of this figure, see www.iste.co.uk/sedkaoui/economy.zip
On the third version, Owyang argues that the collaborative economy allows people to get what they need from each other. Similarly, in nature, honeycombs are resilient structures that allow access, sharing and growth of resources within a common group:
Our latest version of the Honeycomb Framework, Honeycomb 3.0, shows how the collaborative economy market has grown to include new applications in the areas of reputation and data, worker assistance, mobility services and beauty. (Owyang 2016)
The collaborative
