Work

Relational ownership in the sharing economy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Greater sharing of resources is widely promoted as a pathway to sufficiency, ecological sustainability and social equity. However, existing sharing economy scholarship has largely approached sharing through the lens of access, leaving underlying ownership structures and the associated power relations insufficiently examined. This article foregrounds ownership as a critical analytical lens on sharing. Drawing on 27 semi-structured interviews with sharing experts, we discuss ownership across four dimensions: decision-making, access and use, distribution of value, and responsibility and care. We show that specific ownership claims demonstrated by sharing initiatives – such as collective governance, shared access and distributed responsibility – coexist with and are often constrained by dominant property systems. This study highlights key leverage points for advancing transformative sharing conceptualisations to be better aligned with inclusive collective wellbeing.

Source: Consumption and Society

DOI: 10.1332/27528499y2026d000000085

Authors: Diana Ivanova, Milena Büchs, Tullia Jack

Institutions: University of Leeds, Lund University

Language: English

Topic: Sharing Economy and Platforms

Subfield: Marketing

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas, H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions