Introduction

The purpose of this chapter is to present the topic under investigation and to illustrate the overall structure of the book. It introduces the sharing economy phenomenon and the driving forces behind its development. The chapter highlights how the business models of sharing economy platforms necessitate adjustments to traditional marketing frameworks and therefore require in-depth investigations into consumers and consumer behaviour. The reasons why this book adds value to both the academic and managerial advancement of the field are given. Finally, a preview of each of the following chapters is provided, as well as a description of the additional materials found in the book.