The Gig Economy and Its Economic Implications

 In recent years, consumer attitudes among the population have changed radically, bringing with them greater social and environmental awareness (Albinsson and Perera, 2012; Botsman and Rogers, 2010), which has turned the collaborative economy or "sharing economy" into a potential alternative for eradicating traditional consumerism. There are increasingly more followers of this economic model, known as The Gig Economy, who, through the use of online platforms, leverage the power of the companies involved and create social cohesion on a global level.

Flexibility, convenience, and lower costs are some of the strengths of this model. However, despite all the positive factors associated with it, the "sharing economy" poses significant drawbacks for society, especially due to the lack of legal regulation, which affects not only individuals but also the entire community. In recent years, consumer attitudes among the population have changed radically, bringing with them greater social and environmental awareness (Albinsson and Perera, 2012; Botsman and Rogers, 2010), which has turned the collaborative economy or "sharing economy" into a potential alternative for eradicating traditional consumerism.

What is the collaborative economy

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The collaborative economy has arrived to radically change the mindset of consumers. Based on mutual trust, where the essence is sharing in order to grow, advance, and, above all, save, this business model has gone from being considered a small economic activity to expanding globally. The rise of new technologies has greatly favored its rapid growth, causing this economic model to become fully entrenched in the minds of individuals in recent years, changing the economic functioning of markets.

Furthermore, many argue that this is not only an economic revolution, but also a social one, as it allows power to shift from large corporations to different interconnected actors (Felländer, Ingram, & Teigland, 2015), producing a redistribution of profits and benefits. The rapid expansion and proliferation of the collaborative economy, which emerged around 2008 after the economic and financial crisis, is largely due to the multitude of advantages it offers, not only to the companies involved, but to society as a whole.

Collaborative economy: advantages and disadvantages

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Flexibility, convenience, and lower costs are some of the strengths of this model. However, despite all the positive factors associated with it, the "sharing economy" poses significant drawbacks for society, especially due to the lack of legal regulation, which affects not only individuals but also the entire community. In recent years, consumer attitudes among the population have changed radically, bringing with them greater social and environmental awareness (Albinsson and Perera, 2012; Botsman and Rogers, 2010), which has turned the collaborative economy or "sharing economy" into a potential alternative for eradicating traditional consumerism.

There are increasingly more followers of this economic model, who, through the use of online platforms, leverage the power of the companies involved and create social cohesion on a global level. The collaborative economy has arrived to radically change the mindset of consumers. Based on mutual trust, where the essence is sharing in order to grow, advance, and, above all, save, this business model has gone from being considered a small economic activity to expanding globally. The rise of new technologies has greatly favored its rapid growth, causing this economic model to become fully entrenched in the minds of individuals in recent years, changing the economic functioning of markets.

Examples of collaborative economy platforms

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Furthermore, many argue that this is not only an economic revolution, but also a social one, as it allows power to shift from large corporations to different interconnected actors (Felländer, Ingram, & Teigland, 2015), producing a redistribution of profits and benefits. The rapid expansion and proliferation of the collaborative economy, which emerged around 2008 after the economic and financial crisis, is largely due to the multitude of advantages it offers, not only to the companies involved, but to society as a whole.

There are increasingly more followers of this economic model, who, through the use of online platforms, leverage the power of the companies involved and create social cohesion on a global level. The collaborative economy has arrived to radically change the mindset of consumers. Based on mutual trust, where the essence is sharing in order to grow, advance, and, above all, save, this business model has gone from being considered a small economic activity to expanding globally. The rise of new technologies has greatly favored its rapid growth, causing this economic model to become fully entrenched in the minds of individuals in recent years, changing the economic functioning of markets.

Conclusion

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Furthermore, many argue that this is not only an economic revolution, but also a social one, as it allows power to shift from large corporations to different interconnected actors (Felländer, Ingram, & Teigland, 2015), producing a redistribution of profits and benefits.The rapid expansion and proliferation of the collaborative economy, which emerged around 2008 after the economic and financial crisis, is largely due to the multitude of advantages it offers, not only to the companies involved, but to society as a whole.

Flexibility, convenience, and lower costs are some of the strengths of this model. However, despite all the positive factors associated with it, the "sharing economy" poses significant drawbacks for society, especially due to the lack of legal regulation, which affects not only individuals but also the entire community. The rise of new technologies has greatly favored its rapid growth, causing this economic model to become fully entrenched in the minds of individuals in recent years, changing the economic functioning of markets.