“Is Sharing Really Caring?”: The Role of Environmental Concern and Trust Reflecting Usage Intention of “Station-Based” and “Free-Floating”—Carsharing Business Models

Marc Kuhn, Viola Marquardt and Sarah Selinka
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Marc Kuhn: Centre for Empirical Research, Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University, 70178 Stuttgart, Germany
Viola Marquardt: Spiegel Institut Ingolstadt GmbH, 85055 Ingolstadt, Germany
Sarah Selinka: Centre for Empirical Research, Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University, 70178 Stuttgart, Germany

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 13, 1-18

Abstract: Global use of carsharing has increased. The dominant model is station-based carsharing, but free-floating providers are continuously increasing their businesses volumes. Carsharing customers have been described as environmentally conscious with a high preference for mobility providers who show responsibility and trustworthiness. This generalization of usage determinants appears to be questionable given the background of current market developments. Existing research in the area is lacking a context-sensitive view of the antecedents of potential carsharing usage. Do environmental concerns and trust have similar effects on usage intention of carsharing, when free-floating providers implement business models that are more flexible, digital, and sophisticated? Using a standardized online survey, this study paper applied a framework adapted from the Theory of Planned Behavior (ToPB) that included the constructs of trust and environmental concern. The focus was on Share Now and Stadtmobil, which are the largest free-floating and station-based providers, respectively, in Germany. Using structural equation modeling, the study explored potential perception differences between both business models among German consumers. Although not significant, results indicate slightly higher total effects of environmental concern and initial trust on the usage intention of station-based compared to free-floating carsharing. Depending on the type of carsharing, different priorities should be set in the respective business model.

Keywords: carsharing; station-based; free-floating; environmental concern; initial trust (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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