(Faculty of Management, Université Saint-Joseph, Beirut, Lebanon)

Abstract: Globalization, new technology and the standardization of the way of thinking in developed, emerging and developing countries give the sharing economy a huge opportunity all over the world. The economy of sharing is spreading in all domains and activities. Many economic sectors are facing challenges and competition from a new business model and new ideas based on digital platforms and spreading rapidly across all societies. The volume of this economy is increasing yearly and the defenders of the sharing praise the benefits of this phenomenon. The debate is open about the reality and the consequences of an economy evaluated to several billions of dollars and will be able to disrupt the life of millions of persons globally. In our paper, we analyze the sharing today and tomorrow, the benefits and the challenges of this economy. We explore the human implications, the assumption of sharing on the job market and on the nature of work today and in the near future. Our methodology is based on a literature review of the subject and on an analysis, using three conceptual models considered the most appropriate regarding the sharing economy: The Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI, Rogers), the Creative destruction (Schumpeter) and the Social exchange theory (Homans and Blau). We conduct a survey on university students in order to identify, analyze and study their motivations concerning the sharing.

Key words: sharing economy; digital platform; new technology; globalization

         JEL codes: O