Who Benefits from the Sharing Economy? Disruption in Australian Cities

Technological disruption has created new possibilities for employment and social interaction in cities, yet comes with many associated challenges for policymakers. This project aims to formulate a critical understanding of the sharing economy as a disruptive social, economic, and political process in Australian cities. The project team will apply advanced spatial analytics and theoretical approaches to three distinct facets of the sharing economy, providing new empirical evidence to explain transformative change in cities. It applies a geographical lens to create to new knowledge regarding who benefits from the sharing economy, and how progressive regulation can enhance the outcomes of disruptive technologies.

National Interest Test Statement
As technological disruption transforms existing social, economic, and political systems, sustaining quality-of-life in Australian cities will be contingent upon delivering innovative solutions to address increasingly complex issues tied to housing, jobs, and transportation. This project provides a systematic spatial analysis of three distinct sharing economy platforms with a focus on the social and economic costs and benefits of each across Australian cities. The project team will apply advanced spatial analytics to evaluate the effects of socio-spatial change attributed to digital platforms, with an overarching focus on the broad impacts of the sharing economy as a dynamic
technological phenomenon. In doing so, this project informs policymakers and regulators with balanced empirical evidence to support progressive urban strategies.