Possibilities of the Sharing Economy from the Point of View of Chemical Companies

Abstract

The sharing economy represents a developing business model based on sharing the temporarily unused assets, often using an on-line platform, but also without it. In view of its economic, environmental, and social benefits, the importance of this phenomenon increases also from the point of view of companies. They can apply various types of sharing both on an inter-company level, in particular within the framework of companies with ownership ties, companies located in the same industrial zones or those involved in supply chains, as well as on an in-house level. In view of the specifics of the chemical industry, the paper deals with alternative forms of sharing of chemical companies operating in the Czech Republic. The benefits and limiting factors preventing the development of sharing, as viewed by chemical companies, are also discussed. Attention is especially focused on legislation issues.