Value co-creation in shared mobility: The case of carpooling in China

Shared mobility is a representative example of the sharing economy, contributing to a number of social, environmental, and transportation cost-related benefits. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in its potential for efficient resource utilization and novel value creation. Based on LDA model, the paper investigates the factors on value co-creation in the carpooling services and how multi-stakeholders participate in this process. Through a thematic analysis of 5502 valid answers from a Chinese Q&A online community, we indicate that the carpooling services comprise multi-stakeholders such as users, platforms, governments, and the public, each playing distinct roles in the process of value co-creation. While the traditional perspective highlights the dyadic interaction between users and platforms as the primary driver of value co-creation, the roles of governments and the public are increasingly significant. Our findings are conducive to enriching the theory of value co-creation in shared mobility, and provide practical insights for its future sustainable development.