A meta-analysis of factors that SHIFT consumers toward the sharing economy

Abstract

Purpose The sharing economy is a technology-enabled disruptive business model in which consumers access goods and services on a temporary basis without ownership. Existing research reveals a tension between factors that increase adoption of the sharing economy, and others that impede it, but there has not yet been a theoretically grounded empirical examination of which factors drive consumers to adopt collaborative consumption. The purpose of this study is to present a comprehensive meta-analysis investigating the factors affecting consumer adoption of the sharing economy. Five key factors with varying strengths – social influence, habits, individual self, feelings and cognition and tangibility – are found to affect consumer attitudes and intentions toward the sharing economy. Moreover, country development is explored as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach This meta-analysis integrates data from 71 publications with a sample of 22,909 participants. The paper follows preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines for conducting an impactful and reliable review, starting with a comprehensive literature search, narrowing down relevant papers and carrying out a meta-analysis on the selected publications. Findings The results of this meta-analysis reveal the effect of social influence, habits, individual self, feelings and cognition and tangibility in influencing consumer adoption of the sharing economy. The strongest factors impacting attitude and purchase intentions are found to be related to habits, individual self and feelings and cognition. Country development level also has important moderating effects on social influence, ease of use and trust. Originality/value This study addresses gaps in existing research by empirically investigating the diverse factors driving consumer participation in the sharing economy. The research extends the SHIFT theoretical framework for understanding consumer adoption in the sharing economy by mapping constructs to specific factors, demonstrating which factors have the strongest effect on adoption and showing the moderating role of country development. The work offers valuable insights for academic researchers, policymakers and businesses and identifies avenues for future research.