Business Models for Sustainability (BMfs) in the sharing economy: Emerging platforms in accommodation service

OBJECTIVES: Contributing to the debate on share value generation in the digital era by evaluating the nature of the business model and the nature of the value generated by sharing economy both on-line and off-line. In particular, investigating how sustainable are sharing economy digital platforms in the tourism accommodation service. METHODOLOGY: Through a review of the most recent literature on business models (BM), business model for sustainability (BMfs), business models in the sharing economy, were identified a comprehensive sharing economy business model framework and tools to evaluate the nature of the value they generate. By collecting qualitative secondary data, these tools were used to investigate two illustrative cases of sharing digital platforms in accommodation services whose mission include issues connected to sustainability - Ecobnb.it and Fairbnb.coop. FINDINGS: Fairbnb.coop is a singular transaction model (dyadic) while Ecobnb.it is a commission-based platform (triadic model). Both platforms adopt a BM for sustainability and generate a sustainable shared value. Due to its dyadic structure and the cooperative form, Fairbnb is more inclined to distribute the value generated among the platform users and the society. RESEARCH LIMITS: Exploratory study building on new streams of managerial literature. More case studies should be analysed and compared by using mixed tools of analysis and primary and secondary data. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Preliminary insights suggest that BM for sustainability seems to be more effective to share the value generated with the society when BM structure is dyadic. ORIGINALITY OF THE STUDY: Investigating an n. which is still in its infancy - the sustainability of sharing digital platform - through cross-disciplinary managerial literature.