The collaborative economy - is it a transformative development strategy that can provide opportunities for millions, or is it yet another way to exploit vulnerable communities that can't afford to take another hit?
On Tuesday October 14th, the Rockefeller Foundation and SocialGood hosted a #RFSharingEconomy twitter chat to debate this question and many others. Sharing Economy advocates from across the globe joined us in dialogue about the success of various models, ways in which these models run into challenges, and examples of local projects. See the Storify of our chat here.
For anyone late to the party, the most common definition of the collaborative economy describes peer to peer digital marketplaces like Airbnb, Uber, Lyft, and many others.
Mike Jackson from the Westly Group and I were lucky enough to join as "speakers", which led to a rich and thoughtful discussion. Mike knows the technical aspects of financing, regulation, and scaling; I know the branding, marketing, and demographic aspects of opening these marketplaces to historically excluded communities. As you can imagine, the discussion roamed - one minute we're talking about 3D printing and timebanks, the next minute we're talking about reconstruction era America.
Scaling conversations about the collaborative economy must roam this widely if the field is going to create real opportunity for vulnerable communities. This year, after participating in sharing economy panels and talks at the SHARE Conference, SOCAP, and other venues, it's clear that several key outstanding questions will determine the future of this nascent sector.
How will those advocating for friendly regulation for this "gig" based economy interact with traditional workers rights activists? What will pathways look like for introducing benefits, workers comp, and other hard-won rights? What's the risk inherent in the bias toward digital platforms when "sharing economies" have existed for centuries, and the low-tech versions struggle to receive investment? How do we create true equality in these platforms, when no "peer" marketplace is neutral in a racially charged and discriminatory global economy?
The answers lie in experimentation, courageous entrepreneurs, and investors willing to engage a justice-based framework. We're in the process of creating a new economy. What an incredible opportunity. Unfortunately, few are willing to engage the reasons behind our failed existing economies. As I said, it takes courage.
Fortunately, the Rockefeller Foundation has engaged the conversation. I'm hopeful that as they and others determine their strategies for investing in the collaborative economy, they take the leap necessary to ensure equality and justice in their portfolios. Thanks to them and SocialGood for hosting the conversation. I hope to see more like it.