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Libraries of Things: Exploring business model configurations and dominant archetypes

Silva, Emily LU (2022) In IIIEE Master Thesis IMEM01 20221
The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics
Abstract
As part of both the sharing and social economies, libraries of things (LoTs) can play a role in reducing consumption in a socially sustainable way. They have the potential to overcome key sustainability and service shortcomings of other circular and sharing business models (BMs), but research on LoTs is sparse. Because of this potential, this research aims to improve the understanding of LoT BMs to support their design and implementation. Empirical data was collected for 90 LoTs, located across North America, Europe, and Australia, using publicly available documentation. This was supplemented with targeted personal communications with LoT practitioners to understand their motivation and experience with specific configurations. The research... (More)
As part of both the sharing and social economies, libraries of things (LoTs) can play a role in reducing consumption in a socially sustainable way. They have the potential to overcome key sustainability and service shortcomings of other circular and sharing business models (BMs), but research on LoTs is sparse. Because of this potential, this research aims to improve the understanding of LoT BMs to support their design and implementation. Empirical data was collected for 90 LoTs, located across North America, Europe, and Australia, using publicly available documentation. This was supplemented with targeted personal communications with LoT practitioners to understand their motivation and experience with specific configurations. The research outputs include an LoT BM framework with descriptive findings and examples from practice, an empirical database of BM configurations for the 90 LoTs reviewed, and four LoT archetypes with descriptive case examples. The archetypes identified are: Public-to-Citizen LoTs, Community-Driven Free LoTs, Community-Driven Paid LoTs, and Scaling Paid LoTs. These findings support practitioners in the design and implementation of LoT BMs by providing a detailed description of the configurations used and the dominant archetypes seen in practice today. They also highlight tensions between BM choices, sustainability, and financial viability, along with potential solutions seen in practice. Public and private actors were found to contribute to LoTs through not only funding, but the provision of space, inventory, and other resources. These actors can use this research to understand LoT BM choices and tradeoffs, understand examples from other contexts, and ultimately improve support for LoTs. This research also provides a foundation for many future research avenues on LoTs, using the LoT BM framework, empirical database, and archetypes developed. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Silva, Emily LU
supervisor
organization
course
IMEM01 20221
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
libraries of things, sharing economy, social economy, business models, sustainable consumption
publication/series
IIIEE Master Thesis
report number
2022:06
ISSN
1401-9191
language
English
id
9096990
date added to LUP
2022-08-15 13:48:44
date last changed
2022-08-15 13:48:44
@misc{9096990,
  abstract     = {{As part of both the sharing and social economies, libraries of things (LoTs) can play a role in reducing consumption in a socially sustainable way. They have the potential to overcome key sustainability and service shortcomings of other circular and sharing business models (BMs), but research on LoTs is sparse. Because of this potential, this research aims to improve the understanding of LoT BMs to support their design and implementation. Empirical data was collected for 90 LoTs, located across North America, Europe, and Australia, using publicly available documentation. This was supplemented with targeted personal communications with LoT practitioners to understand their motivation and experience with specific configurations. The research outputs include an LoT BM framework with descriptive findings and examples from practice, an empirical database of BM configurations for the 90 LoTs reviewed, and four LoT archetypes with descriptive case examples. The archetypes identified are: Public-to-Citizen LoTs, Community-Driven Free LoTs, Community-Driven Paid LoTs, and Scaling Paid LoTs. These findings support practitioners in the design and implementation of LoT BMs by providing a detailed description of the configurations used and the dominant archetypes seen in practice today. They also highlight tensions between BM choices, sustainability, and financial viability, along with potential solutions seen in practice. Public and private actors were found to contribute to LoTs through not only funding, but the provision of space, inventory, and other resources. These actors can use this research to understand LoT BM choices and tradeoffs, understand examples from other contexts, and ultimately improve support for LoTs. This research also provides a foundation for many future research avenues on LoTs, using the LoT BM framework, empirical database, and archetypes developed.}},
  author       = {{Silva, Emily}},
  issn         = {{1401-9191}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{IIIEE Master Thesis}},
  title        = {{Libraries of Things: Exploring business model configurations and dominant archetypes}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}