A Comparative Study of the Business Models and Social Impacts of Shared Mobility in China and Southeast Asia

Kaiyuan Sun

doi:10.71222/qs9ssm67

Authors

Kaiyuan Sun Aiglon College Switzerland, Chesières, Vaud, 1885, Switzerland Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71222/qs9ssm67

Keywords:

sharing economy, Asian models, comparative case study, China, Southeast Asia, Go-Jek

Abstract

This study examines the divergent development of shared mobility in Asia through a comparative analysis of China's bicycle-sharing model and Southeast Asia's motorcycle-based ride-hailing model. It investigates their contrasting socio-economic origins, evolving business models, and distinct societal impacts. Utilizing a comparative case study methodology focused on China exemplified by Ofo and Mobike and Southeast Asia represented by Indonesia's Go-Jek, the research draws on secondary data from industry reports and academic literature. Findings reveal the Chinese model, built on mature mobile payments and manufacturing, transitioned from capital-fueled expansion to state-regulated rationalization, grappling with urban spatial conflicts. Conversely, the Southeast Asian model, rooted in local motorcycle culture, evolved into multi-service super-apps, facing core challenges related to platform labor rights. The study concludes that these models are not mere replications of Western prototypes but represent context-dependent adaptive innovations, offering crucial insights into the interplay between digital economies and socio-cultural structures in Asia.

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