Editorial: Collectively Building a Sustainable Sharing Economy Based on Trust and Regulation

The articles in this Special Issue on the sharing economy’s role in fostering sustainability
comprise eight contributions to answer how trust and regulation shape relations of providers and
consumers. We identify indispensable aspects of the sharing economy to show its potential in fostering
sustainability. This is in some contrast to existing definitions and applications of sharing economy
business models, which do not place sustainability in their focus. The studies employ a variety of
methods, covering quantitative and qualitative research to investigate building of communities on
the consumer side, as well as trust-building and implementation of regulations in the interaction
between providers and consumers in Asia and Europe. Some areas in the sharing economy foster
sustainability, some foster social cohesion and in the end build social capital, but others focus at first
sight on convenience and lifestyle.