A Framework to Assess the Sustainability of Platform Economy: The Case of Barcelona Ecosystem

Abstract

This article presents a framework for evaluating the sustainability qualities of Platform Economy initiatives. It takes into account governance, economic model, technology, data policies, social responsibility and impact. The framework has been tested empirically in a sample of one hundred commons-based peer-to-peer production cases identified in Barcelona. Data collection was based on online ethnography and structured interviews. The results reveal the different levels and tendencies of pro-democratization. It appears that the cases that are more sustainable are also sustainable in other dimensions. The analysis found a correlation between governance and technology and data models, and it further demonstrated that governance is correlated with the economic model. Both results together indicate that the governance of a platform plays a central role in its overall approach.