Gamified Sharing Economy: The Role of Game Elements in Sharing Economy

Abstract

Sharing economy platforms are incorporating gamification as a strategy to encourage people to participate in it, i.e., to offer their idle goods/services/space through their sharing platforms or provide access to such products/services offered by others. ‘Critical mass’ is one of the underlying key principles that is responsible for the success of sharing economy platforms. That means it requires people to participate and engage in it. This paper investigates the role of gamification in sharing economy platforms that aim towards encouraging people to participate in it as hosts. By investigating Airbnb as a case, the study intends to understand the role played by game elements in engaging and motivating the hosts for sustained participation. The findings from this research would offer some essential touchpoints for using gamification in sharing economy platforms to encourage people to participate in it by offering their underutilized products, services and other resources.