Risks and rewards of the sharing economy

This commentary was published as an op ed in the business section of the Globe and Mail on June 13, 2016.  It highlights the diverse perspectives on the sharing economy that arose at a recent conference hosted by the Rogers School of Management.  On the one hand were the “millennials,” who typically are excited by the opportunities created by the sharing economy.  Consumers generally appreciate the choice and flexibility that the new technologically-enabled commerce provides.  Baby boomers, by contrast, expressed concern about the low pay and insecure working conditions that characterize many of the jobs in the sharing economy.  These are similar to the challenges facing all precarious workers who comprise a growing army.  Governments will have to step up to the plate to fill in the income, pension and health gaps that the new ‘gig’ economy is leaving in its wake.

ISBN – 1-55382-670-1