• Explain core concepts of platform economics and how they relate to the sharing economy
• Apply core concepts of the sharing economy in real life cases
• Contrast conventional and sharing economy business strategies
• Assess and criticize concepts, theories and practices of the sharing economy

In this course, we will focus on the so-called sharing economy as the quintessential example of platform-ecosystems that has been disrupting well-established industries for over a decade by now. In particular, we will study the business models of sharing economy platforms in order to understand their strategic positioning relying on the utilization of privately owned idle resources as assets and the involvement of platform members in value co-creation. The discussion of these sharing economy platforms will help us 1) further understand the principles of platform economics and 2) implement some principles into existing business model designs. These principles (e.g., access-based consumption, peer-to-peer interaction, allocation of idle resources, collaborative consumption) are highly relevant for contemporary business development as they challenge incumbents and call for the reevaluation of long-held business models and strategies – such as renting rather than selling, supporting secondary markets or cooperating with competitors, to name but only a few implications. Hence, the course will put a particular emphasis on how existing businesses can utilize the sharing economy to their strategic advantage.