The Collaborative Economy in Cities

It is increasingly common to find companies based on the collaborative economy. Businesses such as Airbnb, Uber, and LendingClub offer activities in which participants contribute their own resources to a common fund that others can take advantage of. The two basic types of transactional exchange, between businesses and consumers and between consumers themselves, are also supported by technology, which contributes to market efficiency and reduces transaction costs, facilitating communication between parties and the resolution of disputes. But what has led to the emergence of this phenomenon? Who benefits from it? And, above all, how can it transform cities?