Blockchains and the disruption of the sharing economy value chains

Abstract

Against the backdrop of debates and rising public sentiments against “Big Tech,” this paper takes a conceptual approach to explore the possibilities for blockchain technologies to disrupt the governance of the sharing economy value chains. Unlike centralized trust systems employed by multisided digital platforms, blockchains employ a decentralized, open-source system. Data can be shared, verified, and monitored using a consensus mechanism across multiple nodes. We bring insights and discussions from the extant literature to elucidate two guiding principles of the sharing economy value chains: resource optimization and data monetization. Against this backdrop, we propose a conceptual framework that compares traditional digital platforms' governance mechanisms and value drivers with block-chained enabled platforms, where resource optimization and data monetization are driven by decentralized platform co-owners rather than single platform owners. We offer case illustrations to explicate this framework and how it signposts a new, disruptive model for the governance of the collaborative economy, especially in developing countries.