The sharing economy in Germany and Vietnam - is it internationally uniform?

Abstract

The sharing economy is of international interest. It is said to be an international phenomenon - however, is there one 'sharing economy' or are there differences between countries? By means of a content analysis of texts available on online sharing economy platforms, this study contributes to an understanding of the sharing economy as an embedded component of the economy and of society. Two countries, Germany and Vietnam, are considered, and an international collection of 280 evaluated online platforms serves as the dataset. Asking which of these international online platforms are available in these two countries and, in a second instance, comparing their features with one another provides an idea of their similarities and differences. On the basis of this, assumptions are made in order to conduct further research on the international aspect of the sharing economy. In a broader perspective, it points to how the sharing economy and the frame of a country-specific system, including its economy and culture, shape it. This is relevant for all actors such as individuals, enterprises, institutions, and academics who are part of the sharing economy.