Is the Uberized Social Economy desirable?
This thesis explores the combination of two models that, at first sight, seem to be opposed: the social economy and uberization. Companies such as La Ruche qui dit Oui! appear to be combining both successfully, raising questions regarding the benefits of such an association, leading us to our research question: Are the social economy and uberization compatible and could they strengthen each other? By asking this question, the goal is to critically determine first if the two models could exist together, and then whether the uberized social economy would be desirable, making the existing models stronger, or instead jeopardizing them. The first part clarifies the two key concepts, namely the social economy and uberization. After an in depth analysis of the existing definitions, we proposed definitions for the two models then identified their origins, gave a factual overview of their current state and summarized their essential characteristics. In the second part, the two concepts are compared using different methodologies in order to analyze their compatibility. As a result, we propose a framework highlighting three central discussion points in the assessment of the desirability of the uberized social economy: the digitalization, the values and principles and the regulation. By looking in-depth at these three and by illustrating the theoretical findings with the practical case of La Ruche qui dit Oui, we have been able to draw conclusions on the desirability of the uberized social economy. First, from a digital point of view, the uberized social economy would be desirable as it brings an added value to the social economy, thanks to the use of digital platforms connecting peers directly. Second, the specific values and principles characterizing the social economy could strengthen uberized models that currently lack established principles, ensuring the respect of their collaborative nature. Yet, our analysis suggests that as long as the values are not established as legal rules in the organization, the desirability and sustainability of the uberized social economy will always be threatened. Therefore, part of the answer to our research question was found in the analysis of the regulation and more precisely of "Platform Cooperativism". Platform cooperativism seems to be a sustainable and desirable structure for the uberized social economy, giving leads to overcome the weaknesses of both models. This confirms that, when combined, the models can strengthen each other. First, it would enable cooperatives to leverage the opportunities that P2P platforms offer, tackling cooperatives' possible lack of attractiveness and efficiency. Second, the shared-ownership and shared-governance specific to cooperatives would ensure a fair distribution of the value created to all members and the respect of the social economy's values and principles. This would help avoid the dilution of the values and principles over time detected in commercial social enterprises. Third, realizing the potential of cooperative platforms as a way to tackle the social tensions of uberization and foster innovation at the same time, the European Union is showing increasing interest. There are thus reasons to believe that such model, if it carries on with its own momentum, will encourage the legislator to create a suitable regulatory framework to enable it to grow. ; Master [120] en sciences de gestion, Université catholique de Louvain, 2017