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The social economy of coworking spaces: a focal point model of coordination

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  • Julian Waters-Lynch
  • Jason Potts

Abstract

Coworking spaces are a rapid growing feature of modern cities, and increasingly popular with freelancers, knowledge workers, start-up communities, and others engaged in non-standard creative urban work. Drawing on ethnographic data gathered in a large case study of coworking spaces in Australia, we develop an economic model of an important aspect of coworking spaces in which a coworking space is a Schelling point. This argues that the main margin of value a coworking space provides is not price competition with serviced offices, or a more pleasant environment than working at home, but as a focal (Schelling) point for finding people, ideas and other resources when you lack the information necessary for coordination. Drawing on ethnographic research, we test some specific predictions the model makes about the organizational and institutional form of successful coworking spaces.

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  • Julian Waters-Lynch & Jason Potts, 2017. "The social economy of coworking spaces: a focal point model of coordination," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 75(4), pages 417-433, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rsocec:v:75:y:2017:i:4:p:417-433
    DOI: 10.1080/00346764.2016.1269938
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    1. Wennekers, Sander & van Stel, André & Carree, Martin & Thurik, Roy, 2010. "The Relationship between Entrepreneurship and Economic Development: Is It U-Shaped?," Foundations and Trends(R) in Entrepreneurship, now publishers, vol. 6(3), pages 167-237, July.
    2. Michael Bacharach, 2006. "The Hi-Lo Paradox, from Beyond Individual Choice: Teams and Frames in Game Theory," Introductory Chapters, in: Natalie Gold & Robert Sugden (ed.),Beyond Individual Choice: Teams and Frames in Game Theory, Princeton University Press.
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    Cited by:

    1. Saeed Nosratabadi & Amir Mosavi & Shahaboddin Shamshirband & Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas & Andry Rakotonirainy & Kwok Wing Chau, 2019. "Sustainable Business Models: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-30, March.
    2. Nosratabadi, Saeed & Mosavi, Amir & Shamshirband, Shahaboddin & Zavadskas, Edmundas Kazimieras & Rakotonirainy, Andry & Chau, Kwok Wing, 2020. "Sustainable Business Models: A Review," OSF Preprints u4xw3, Center for Open Science.
    3. Gantert, Till M. & Fredrich, Viktor & Bouncken, Ricarda B. & Kraus, Sascha, 2022. "The moral foundations of makerspaces as unconventional sources of innovation: A study of narratives and performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1564-1574.
    4. Nina Thornton & Martin Engert & Andreas Hein & Helmut Krcmar, 2023. "Finding new purpose for vacancies in rural areas: a taxonomy of coworking space business models," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 1395-1423, September.
    5. Rategh, Yalda & Tamannaei, Mohammad & Zarei, Hamid, 2022. "A game-theoretic approach to an oligopolistic transportation market: Coopetition between incumbent systems subject to the entrance threat of an HSR service," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 144-171.
    6. Danning Zhang & Ming Yan & Haowen Wang & Weiwei Li, 2021. "Sustainable-Development Measurement of China’s Coworking Industry Using Social-Network Analysis Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-22, May.
    7. Cristopher Siegfried Kopplin, 2021. "Two heads are better than one: matchmaking tools in coworking spaces," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 1045-1069, May.
    8. Nosratabadi, Saeed & Mosavi, Amir & Shamshirband, Shahaboddin & Zavadskas, Edmundas Kazimieras & Rakotonirainy, Andry & Chau, Kwok Wing, 2020. "Sustainable Business Models: A Review," OSF Preprints ts54m, Center for Open Science.
    9. Hera Antoniades & Dulani Halvitigala & Chris Eves, 2018. "CoWorking Space v. The Traditional Office Space: Challenges and Opportunities in Sydney," ERES eres2018_294, European Real Estate Society (ERES).
    10. Jasmina Berbegal-Mirabent, 2021. "What Do We Know about Co-Working Spaces? Trends and Challenges Ahead," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-30, January.
    11. Sophie Boutillier & Ignasi Capdevila & Laurent Dupont & Laure Morel, 2020. "Collaborative spaces promoting creativity and innovation," Post-Print hal-02878132, HAL.
    12. Hensher, David A. & Wei, Edward & Beck, Matthew J., 2023. "The impact of COVID-19 and working from home on the workspace retained at the main location office space and the future use of satellite offices," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 184-195.
    13. Erik Rådman & Erik Johansson & Petra Bosch-Sijtsema & Hendry Raharjo, 2023. "In search of member needs in coworking spaces," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 881-907, April.
    14. Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek & Minou Weijs-Perrée & Marko Orel & Felix Gauger & Andreas Pfnür, 2021. "User preferences for coworking spaces; a comparison between the Netherlands, Germany and the Czech Republic," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(7), pages 2025-2048, October.
    15. Brian J. Bergman & Jeffery S. McMullen, 2022. "Helping Entrepreneurs Help Themselves: A Review and Relational Research Agenda on Entrepreneurial Support Organizations," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(3), pages 688-728, May.
    16. Paula Rodríguez-Modroño, 2021. "Non-standard work in unconventional workspaces: Self-employed women in home-based businesses and coworking spaces," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(11), pages 2258-2275, August.
    17. Janet Merkel, 2019. "‘Freelance isn’t free.’ Co-working as a critical urban practice to cope with informality in creative labour markets," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 56(3), pages 526-547, February.
    18. Cristopher Siegfried Kopplin & Till Marius Gantert & Julia Verena Maier, 2022. "Acceptance of matchmaking tools in coworking spaces: an extended perspective," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 1911-1943, August.
    19. Hein, Nika & Melo, Teresa, 2024. "Bedarfsanalyse zum Aufbau eines Food Co-Working Space für die Verarbeitung regionaler Lebensmittel(überschüsse) im Saarland," Technical Reports on Logistics of the Saarland Business School 22, Saarland University of Applied Sciences (htw saar), Saarland Business School.
    20. Marko Orel & Manuel Mayerhoffer & Jana Fratricova & Anna Pilkova & Marzena Starnawska & Dora Horvath, 2022. "Coworking spaces as talent hubs: The imperative for community building in the changing context of new work," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(5), pages 1503-1531, July.

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