IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i18p7640-d414348.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainable Platform Economy: Connections with the Sustainable Development Goals

Author

Listed:
  • Mayo Fuster Morell

    (Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA)

  • Ricard Espelt

    (Internet Interdisciplinary Institute, Open University of Catalonia, 08018 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Melissa Renau Cano

    (Internet Interdisciplinary Institute, Open University of Catalonia, 08018 Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

The platform economy is growing exponentially while creating expectations for its potential to contribute to a sustainable development. However, research aimed at showing the potential contribution of each platform’s business model to sustainable development is needed. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are driving the policy agenda, but it remains unclear how far they encourage a sustainable platform economy. First, this article aims to study how each different type of platform contributes to sustainable development. Second, it analyses if and how the factors that contribute to the sustainable design of platforms are considered in SDGs. The paper departs from a framework of sustainable democratic qualities of the platform economy that considers governance, economic sustainability, technological and data policies, social responsibility, and external impact dimensions. The study is based on an empirical analysis of 60 platforms. The results show that a sustainable design of a platform economy promotes sustainable development. Furthermore, the contributions of the sustainable dimensions of a platform to SDGs are mainly connected to the impact and responsibility and the economic model, but governance and data dimensions are not present in the SDGs. This suggests that SDGs should improve their digital perspective to intertwine better with the sustainable platforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Mayo Fuster Morell & Ricard Espelt & Melissa Renau Cano, 2020. "Sustainable Platform Economy: Connections with the Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-28, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7640-:d:414348
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/18/7640/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/18/7640/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Adoración Mozas-Moral & Enrique Bernal-Jurado & Domingo Fernández-Uclés & Miguel Jesús Medina-Viruel, 2020. "Innovation as the Backbone of Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-12, June.
    2. Ostrom,Elinor, 2015. "Governing the Commons," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107569782, January.
    3. Mayo Fuster Morell & Ricard Espelt, 2019. "A Framework to Assess the Sustainability of Platform Economy: The Case of Barcelona Ecosystem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Andrei Boar & Ramon Bastida & Frederic Marimon, 2020. "A Systematic Literature Review. Relationships between the Sharing Economy, Sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-14, August.
    5. Schneider, Nathan, 2018. "An Internet of Ownership: Democratic Design for the Online Economy," OSF Preprints 2xyst, Center for Open Science.
    6. Oier Imaz & Andoni Eizagirre, 2020. "Responsible Innovation for Sustainable Development Goals in Business: An Agenda for Cooperative Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-20, August.
    7. Unwin, Tim, 2017. "Reclaiming Information and Communication Technologies for Development," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198795292.
    8. Francesca MARTINELLI & Samuele BOZZONI & Simone CAROLI & Francesca TAMASCELLI & Giuseppe GUERINI, 2019. "Platform Cooperativism in Italy and in Europe," CIRIEC Working Papers 1927, CIRIEC - Université de Liège.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Stanisław Łobejko & Krzysztof Bartczak, 2021. "The Role of Digital Technology Platforms in the Context of Changes in Consumption and Production Patterns," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Dan Wang & Liang Yan & Fangli Ruan & Xiaohuang Zeng, 2022. "An Abductive Analysis of Debates on the Impact of the Sharing Economy: A Systematic Review in a Sustainable Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-28, March.
    3. Hoose, Fabian & Beckmann, Fabian & Topal, Serkan & Glanz, Sabrina, 2022. "Zwischen institutioneller Verwilderung und Restrukturierung: Soziale Sicherung und industrielle Beziehungen in der Plattformökonomie," IAQ-Report 2022-11, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute for Work, Skills and Training (IAQ).
    4. Mayo Fuster Morell & Ricard Espelt & Enric Senabre Hidalgo, 2021. "Data for Sustainable Platform Economy: Connections between Platform Models and Sustainable Development Goals," Data, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-11, January.
    5. Tancredi Pascucci & Giuseppina Maria Cardella & Brizeida Hernàndez-Sànchez & Jose Carlos Sànchez-Garcìa, 2022. "Environmental Sensitivity to Form a Sustainable Entrepreneurial Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-17, August.
    6. Beytía Reyes, Pablo & Wagner, Claudia, 2022. "Visibility layers: A framework for systematising the gender gap in Wikipedia content," Internet Policy Review: Journal on Internet Regulation, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), Berlin, vol. 11(1), pages 1-22.
    7. Xiaoxiao Zhou & Ryoga Miyauchi & Yuki Inoue, 2023. "Sustainable Fashion Product Innovation: Continuous Value of Apparel Products on Second-Hand Product Trading Platforms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-17, May.
    8. Ernest Cañada & Carla Izcara & María José Zapata Campos, 2023. "Putting Fairness into the Gig Economy: Delivery Cooperatives as Alternatives to Corporate Platforms," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-19, March.
    9. Anna Claudelin & Kaisa Tuominen & Susanna Vanhamäki, 2022. "Sustainability Perspectives of the Sharing Economy: Process of Creating a Library of Things in Finland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-14, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mayo Fuster Morell & Ricard Espelt & Enric Senabre Hidalgo, 2021. "Data for Sustainable Platform Economy: Connections between Platform Models and Sustainable Development Goals," Data, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-11, January.
    2. María Garrido-Ruso & Beatriz Aibar-Guzmán & Albertina Paula Monteiro, 2022. "Businesses’ Role in the Fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda: A Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-35, July.
    3. repec:hal:journl:hal-03650216 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Fancello, Giovanna & Tsoukiàs, Alexis, 2021. "Learning urban capabilities from behaviours. A focus on visitors values for urban planning," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    5. Le Liu & Yinyun Yan & Xin Tian & Zuoliang Jiang, 2024. "Impact of Text and Image Information on Community Group Buying Performance: Empirical Evidence from Convenience Chain Stores," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-14, May.
    6. Philippe BANCE & Marie-J. BOUCHARD & Dorothea GREILING, 2022. "Conclusions and Directions for further Research," CIRIEC Studies Series, in: Philippe BANCE & Marie-J. BOUCHARD & Dorothea GREILING & CIRIEC (ed.), New perspectives in the co-production of public policies, public services and common goods, volume 3, chapter 0, pages 259-274, CIRIEC - Université de Liège.
    7. Szilvia Molnár & László Szőllősi, 2020. "Sustainability and Quality Aspects of Different Table Egg Production Systems: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-22, September.
    8. Pablo Pérez-Gosende & Josefa Mula & Manuel Díaz-Madroñero, 2020. "Overview of Dynamic Facility Layout Planning as a Sustainability Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-16, October.
    9. Cooley, Savannah & Jenkins, Amber & Schaeffer, Blake & Bormann, Kat J. & Abdallah, Adel & Melton, Forrest & Granger, Stephanie & Graczyk, Indrani, 2022. "Paths to research-driven decision making in the realms of environment and water," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    10. Paola Perez-Aleman & Tommaso Ferretti, 2023. "Creating innovation capabilities for improving global health: Inventing technology for neglected tropical diseases in Brazil," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 84-114, March.
    11. Creutzig, Felix, 2020. "Limits to Liberalism: Considerations for the Anthropocene," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    12. Mohammadbashir Sedighi & Hamideh Parsaeiyan & Yashar Araghi, 2021. "An Empirical Study of Intention to Continue Using of Digital Ride-hailing Platforms," The Review of Socionetwork Strategies, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 489-515, November.
    13. Bazant-Fabre, Ondrej & Bonilla-Moheno, Martha & Martínez, M. Luisa & Lithgow, Debora & Muñoz-Piña, Carlos, 2022. "Land planning and protected areas in the coastal zone of Mexico: Do spatial policies promote fragmented governance?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    14. Abby ShalekBriski & B. Wade Brorsen & Jon T. Biermacher, 2021. "Institutional Solutions for the Economic Problem of Feral Hogs," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(3), pages 970-984, September.
    15. Murunga, Michael & Partelow, Stefan & Breckwoldt, Annette, 2021. "Drivers of collective action and role of conflict in Kenyan fisheries co-management," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    16. Reetsch, Anika & Feger, Karl-Heinz & Schwärzel, Kai & Dornack, Christina & Kapp, Gerald, 2020. "Organic farm waste management in degraded banana-coffee-based farming systems in NW Tanzania," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    17. Pattarin Sanguankaew & Vichita Vathanophas Ractham, 2019. "Bibliometric Review of Research on Knowledge Management and Sustainability, 1994–2018," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-20, August.
    18. Promberger, Markus, 2017. "Resilience among vulnerable households in Europe : Questions, concept, findings and implications," IAB-Discussion Paper 201712, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    19. Lorenzo Ardito, 2023. "The influence of firm digitalization on sustainable innovation performance and the moderating role of corporate sustainability practices: An empirical investigation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5252-5272, December.
    20. Zulu, Leo Charles & Adams, Ellis Adjei & Chikowo, Regis & Snapp, Sieglinde, 2018. "The role of community-based livestock management institutions in the adoption and scaling up of pigeon peas in Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 141-155.
    21. Cindy Helinski & Gerhard Schewe, 2022. "The Influence of Consumer Preferences and Perceived Benefits in the Context of B2C Fashion Renting Intentions of Young Women," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-25, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7640-:d:414348. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.