The year 2100: Sharing Economy from via Transition Design
Case study by Jorge Sanabria-Z and Isolda Castillo
Year 2100: Sharing Economy via Transition Design
The complexity of today’s civilization has been pronounced due to globalization, mobility, and the acceleration of economic and social development processes triggered by the 4th Industrial Revolution. These convergences between individuals, countries, and regions, despite the benefits they have brought in the exchange of practices to achieve common welfare, have also brought to light the difficulty of solving challenges in a traditional way. The so-called “wicked problems” are the broader version of interrelationships, causes, and consequences, which in reality are impossible to solve, and which affect us in different economic and social layers. However, the evolution of technologies has allowed the emergence of alternative economic mechanisms that may well have partially impacted the source of the events that affect us. Thanks to the 4th Industrial Revolution, a global vision of the application of the most advanced technologies has become known and has begun to be successful in various disciplines.
According to a report by the World Economic Forum, the 4th industrial revolution marks six megatrends for the first quarter of the twenty-first century: people and the Internet; computing, communications, and storage everywhere; the Internet of things; artificial intelligence (AI) and big data; the digitization of matter; and finally, the sharing economy and distributed trust. The latter is of particular interest in the social context, as it has permeated the global ecosystem with innovative companies that have leveraged connectivity and 4.0 technologies to solve problems that seemed impossible.
In this context, new business strategies for the sustainability of products and services — beyond seeking to be profitable — seek to positively impact the environment and society. This through the creation of an expanded notion of value generation, aligning business objectives with the extended needs of users, stakeholders and society in general. When the business model is well thought out it enables measurable impacts at the macro level of society, and operating within planetary boundaries, a complex process that can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sharing Economy
Largely thanks to the Internet, new economic and social models based on networks and platforms now allow citizens to share their goods in an environment of social self-organization.
Clothing libraries: A good example of sharing economy
According to representatives from Vaatepuu and Vaaterekki, as well as designers/brands, the aim of the clothing libraries is to participate in the broader shift towards more sustainable clothing habits. In addition to offering customers the opportunity to try high-quality materials, the aim is to get them to think about the kind of clothes they should own and the kind of clothes they should borrow, i.e. to think about their consumption. The companies strive to instruct their customers to take care of their clothes and repair them if necessary. In their own words, all this happens in “a close community of people, which is driven by the idea of joy, cooperation and respect for people and the environment” (Vaatepuu). The two clothing libraries favor domestic designers, paying special attention to ethical and sustainable manufacturing of clothing. Vaatepuu especially encourages clothing designers to design increasingly durable garments and offers its expertise to help designers on their way to more sustainable designs. It is believed that if consumers want to shift their consumption in a sustainable direction, it means giving up something. This is not the case. As a member of a clothing library, you get more for the same money than if you use the money to buy clothes for yourself (Vaatepuu).
For apparel libraries, environmentally responsible production does not automatically mean that a sensitive and sustainable natural material is the best choice. Maximizing the use of a garment means that the sources used for its production are not wasted, but used efficiently. The most sustainable garment is therefore the one that is used the most and is of most interest to customers. For example, ecologically produced silk or wool may be a more responsible choice from a production standpoint, but since these materials do not support heavy use, they are no longer the most sustainable choices or the most sensible choices for use in clothing libraries.
Ejemplos de éxito de economía compartida
Uber
It is considered the prototype of the sharing economy in general. Undoubtedly, Uber is one of the most popular forms of transportation in the world. It meets a fundamental principle: “you have a vehicle and I need one”, the person books a trip and a driver arranges his car to transport him (More information…).
Blablacar
This network puts different individuals in contact with each other to share a car, either as passengers or drivers. This is the reference platform in Spain and other countries in the car-sharing market. Drivers receive their money after they drop off the passenger at their destination through a bank account or Paypal.
Rappi
This application is one of the best examples of sharing economy in Colombia. Through its platform, Rappi connects customers with “Rappitenderos” and these in turn with the nearest stores to get products and bring them closer to the consumer. This app allows online shopping in restaurants, supermarkets, and department stores.
Airbnb
One of the examples of sharing economy in tourism with wide recognition in the world is Airbnb. This company, founded in 2008, allows, through its website or application, to find a room, hostel, or apartment for lodging. Customers can set a price range of their preference, as well as the option to choose the sector and the amenities they want to have.
Vinted — second hand clothing brands
This is a sales service in which second-hand items are traded. Sales on this platform are made directly between users so that you do not buy from a store but from another person. The idea of Vinted is that, if you have clothes that are in good condition and that you do not use, you can sell them and get money in exchange.
Transition Design
In order to design the future, it is necessary to understand the changes of the past that have led us to our current state. Transition Design is a framework that allows us to logically analyze the dynamics of historical changes in relevant events and practices, and their influence on systems, knowledge, and actors’ mindsets.
Transition Design Stages:
The importance of Systems Theory in Transition Design has been described by one of the founders of the concept, Gideon Kossof, in Cuadernos del centro de investigación en economía creativa (CIEC). https://www3.centro.edu.mx/PDF/CIEC/cuadernos/CuadernoCIEC_54_Gideon_Kossoff.pdf
Brief (Challenge)
To address the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the local government has invited you along with a team of experts to propose solutions to complex problems in your community, envisioning a path towards an ideal Sharing Economy by the year 2100.
Reflection questions
From the context presented, reflect on the following questions in preparation for the 2100 scenario:
What do you see as the major advantages provided by the sharing economy?
How useful do you perceive the Transition Design approach to be?
How do you think possible solutions to a complex problem can be established?
The didactic materials presented here are intended as part of the basic immersion for design processes in future scenarios.
References
Irwin, T. (2015). Transition design: A proposal for a new area of design practice, study, and research. Design and Culture, 7(2), 229–246.
Kossoff, G. (2018). Diseño de transición: Gideon Kossoff. Cuadernos del Centro de Investigación en Economía Creativa (CIEC), (54), abril, México: Centro de Diseño, Cine y Televisión.
Laukkanen, M., and Tura, N. (2022). Sustainable value propositions and customer perceived value: Clothing library case. Journal of Cleaner Production, 378(September), 134321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134321
Muchos negocios rentables (16 septiembre 2022). 10 ejemplos de economía colaborativa | Casos de éxito e ideas de negocio. https://muchosnegociosrentables.com/ejemplos-de-negocios-de-economia-colaborativa/
