Is social media catalyzing an offline sharing economy?
The results of Latitude Research and Shareable Magazine‘s The New Sharing Economy study released today indicate that online sharing does indeed seem to encourage people to share offline resources such as cars and bikes, largely because they are learning to trust each other online. And they’re not just sharing to save money – an equal number of people say they share to make the world a better place.
The research was prompted by a recent surge in sharing startups driven by social technology, a generational shift, and new consumption patterns brought on by economic and environmental crisis.
UPDATE: New related articles
– Study reveals big opportunities in the sharing economy
– Has the business of sharing finally reached the tipping point?
