Creative Destruction and the Sharing Economy: Uber as Disruptive Innovation (New Thinking in Political Economy series)

While creative destruction and disruptive innovation change the entrepreneurial landscape, regulation - especially regulation of sectorial markets and competition regulation - can delay this change or even bring it to a halt. Grounded in a particular understanding of the economic concept of the market as a series of processes, this book explores the implications of creative destruction, competition regulation and the role that businesses play. Instead of discussing this in a purely abstract manner, this book uses Uber as a case study. Uber plays an active role between these two forces: first as an agent of creative destruction and then possibly as a champion of regulation on its own terms. Henrique Schneider analyses Uber as an economic phenomenon, investigates the fundamental problems with competition regulation, and explores the intermediation of idle capacity through technology. Ultimately, Schneider concludes that the more Uber is regulated, the less innovative it becomes. This groundbreaking book will appeal to a broad and varied readership including economists, educators, students and law professionals. -- Provided by publisher Series page 3 Title page 4 Copyright 5 Table of contents 6 Preface 7 Introduction 10 1. What is the economics of Uber (and of this book)? 19 2. What is Uber’s business model? 45 3. What are creative destruction and disruption innovation? 72 4. Are innovation and regulation opposites? 101 Conclusion: destroying Uber, the destroyer? 130 References 136 Index 144