Discussion Guide

Project for “MobileReputations Collaborative Consumption in Sharing Economy” subject of Panteion University.

“Sharing Economy-Collaborative Consumption & Startuppes”

In our fast expanding and constantly demanding world, new trends and terms are bound to be introduced. Sharing economy andCollaborative Consumption are two newly emerged terms which we will attempt to explore through the Startuppers’ perspective. In this article we provide the discussion guide we used during the qualitative interviews we conducted with greek startuppers in order to understand the use and benefits of collaborative consumption and social media at startuppers’ enterprises.

But first things first, some term-definition is needed:

Sharing economy is an umbrella term with a range of meanings, often used to describe economic and social activity in which individuals are able to borrow or rent assets owned by someone else, typically by means of the Internet.

Collaborative consumption can be defined as the set of resource circulation systems, which enable consumers to both “obtain” and “provide”, temporarily or permanently, valuable resources or services through direct interaction with other consumers or through a mediator. Collaborative consumption is not new, it has always existed but it has regained a new impetus through information technology.

A startup company is an entrepreneurial venture which is typically a newly emerged, fast-growing business that aims to meet a marketplace need by developing or offering an innovative product, process or service.

Discussion Guide

For Start-Uppers

DISCUSSION POINTS

1) INTRODUCTION

Introduce to the start-upper the topic of the research:

- Research topic

-Describe and explain the process of the interview:

Video Recording

Use of their name

No wrong or right answers

We ask the start-upper some personal information about him/her self in order to create an environment of intimacy and let the startupper to introduce him/her self:

Name

Studies

Work

2) STARTUPPERS PROFILE- PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUE

Could you please help us understand the profile of a successful start upper… Describe him like you are an outsider…

We are trying to have a deeper view beneath start uppers eyes. We should focus on making clear those characteristics that when are combined give us the start upper mix…

We would like you to distance yourself and analyze as an outsider those characteristics that a start upper should have.

Which are those elements that make a start upper succeed or fail?

Which of those elements do you believe you have?

If you have on the one hand the general profile of start uppers and on the other hand a car and make a comparison, which car you think reflects the start uppers’ profile.

Imagine that you are at a coffee table with some people around you, what are those clues that make you believe that a person of them is start upper? For example a layer will be formal dressed and he will answer immediate and clearly.

3) STARTUP INFLUENCES AND TEAM INFORMATION

We would like to learn some more information about the idea of “Your Startup” and the journey from thinking to acting…

INFLUENCE

As far as your startup is concerned, what was the motivation to start this start up?

How did you start organizing it? Did you firstly find the team and work on it together or you started by your own?

How important is a great team, in order to start running a start up?

What are those elements that you search in order to choose a member to join you team?

Give us some more information about your start up’s team.

What are the problems that you face while coordinating your team and how did you cope with them?

SOCIAL AND ECONOMICAL INFORMATION

What was the gap at the society that your startup temps to fill in?

Do you believe that the economical and business conditions in Greece flavor the establishment of startups like yours or not? Why?

Have you ever reached close to the limits due to problems that arise so that you decide to redefine your strategy?

As far as your business model is concerned you use B2B or B2C marketing?

To what target group do you aim at?

Your economic model is based on commission, advertisement or something else?

4) COLLABORATIVE CONSUMPTION- SHARING ECONOMY

While reaching to the end of our research, we would like to focus on Collaborative Consumption and Sharing Economy…

MODEL INVESTIGATION

Are you familiar with this term? (if yes) Please describe it to me and give me some examples.

(if not) Collaborative Consumption is a new hybrid consumption model according which services and products are exchanged in alternative ways.

Do you use this model?

What are those elements of the modern society conditions that make sharing economy model so successful?

Do you believe there will be established more start ups based on sharing economy in the future? Why?

How and why do you believe that those models have started?

Finally, is there any advice you would like to give in a young person willing to establish a startup in the middle of political and economical Greek crisis?

5) SUM UP

Finally, is there anything else that we have already discussed in this interview that you believe that it will be necessary to know?

Is there something that we have not asked you about and you would like to add?

-THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME-