Experts share research, identify future needs at symposium workshop

expert table

The Symposium on the Sharing Economy began with a one-day workshop that brought together researchers from around the globe to discuss their work, foster collaboration, and identify future research needs.

Several faculty from the U of M’s Initiative on the Sharing Economy gave presentations. For example, Professor Ravi Bapna (Carlson School of Management) described how social media measures such as shared wall posts can be used to predict trust among users. “The issue of trust is critical,” he said. “It’s a glue that enables the ideals of the sharing economy to come together.”

Other topics included market growth potential, labor welfare, package delivery, and land-use implications.

The symposium was one of the initiative’s first activities. Launched in 2015, the initiative was established by CTS in partnership with Professor Saif Benjaafar and other faculty members across the University and is administered by CTS. It aims to position the U of M at the forefront of the development of a science of the sharing economy.

Selected presentation slides and papers from the research workshop are available on the Initiative website.

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