The Implications of Trust in the Sharing Economy – An Empirical Analysis of Uber

Abstract

Modern technologies, including mobile applications and Internet-based platforms, continuously foster the rise of the sharing economy. In this paper, we focus on Uber, a ridesharing platform that is one of the fastest growing startups worldwide. We take the perspective of a potential customer and investigate the implications of trust. In particular, we modify a research model by Gefen (2000) and investigate the influence of trust on the customers’ intentions: ‘Inquire about drivers’ and ‘Request a ride’. In this regard, we differentiate between ‘Trust in Uber’ and ‘Trust in drivers’, while incorporating the two antecedents: ‘Disposition to trust’ and ‘Familiarity with Uber’. The study employs survey data (n = 221) and structural equation modeling (CB SEM). Our results provide empirical evidence that ‘Trust in Uber’ influences the customers’ intentions, whereas the influence of ‘Trust in drivers’ is insignificant.