Date of Creation
12-1-2016
Degree Type
Departmental Honors Thesis - Restricted Access
Abstract
Over the past decade, advances in technology have begun to change the way in which transactions of goods and services occur in the marketplace. These changes have paved the way for a new market of collaborative consumption, often called the “sharing economy,” in which consumers share their goods with other consumers who would otherwise seek out traditional producers. Within this sharing economy has emerged Airbnb, a social marketplace that connects hosts looking to share their homes with prospective guests searching for travel accommodations. While Airbnb provides a wide diversity of accommodations across the globe, offering lower prices and more diverse options than traditional hotels, it has also paved the way for unequal opportunity for those looking to receive an extra income by renting their property. The present study examines the phenomenon of racial discrimination in 500 Airbnb listings located in Metro New York City from October 11, 2015 to October 11, 2016. The results of my analyses show that White hosts are able to charge 7.21% higher and receive annual occupancy rates 6.18% higher than non-White hosts. These results imply that the sharing economy facilitates racial discrimination, and that services such as Airbnb should consider this problem in constructing their business models.
Recommended Citation
Reeves, Matthew, "Racial Discrimination in the Sharing Economy: An Economic Analysis of New York City Airbnb Listings" (2016). Economics and Accounting Honors Theses. 4.
https://crossworks.holycross.edu/econ_honor/4