Merget, J. (2015). Carsharing as an urban mobility solution : measures to establish sustainable business models through innovative concepts [Master Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2015.27888
carsharing; profitability; urban mobility; service innovations
en
Abstract:
In urban areas, the growing vehicle population is leading to an increasing traffic density as well as a higher utilization rate of the existing public infrastructure, which is resulting in problems such as congestion, air pollution and insufficient parking spots. This development is exacerbated by the accumulative effects of urbanization, which is calling for a counter-control. As an approach for making better use of the vehicles in urban areas, intelligent and fully-integrated mobility concepts - such as Carsharing - have been developed. However, these concepts can only be a solution when they are widely disseminated and have been lucrative for the providers. Therefore, the business models need to gain sustainable profitability in the long-term, which is the major research obejective of the given thesis. Hence, concrete measures to establish profitable mobility services will be determined by taking into consideration the following key trends: 1.: Urbanisation - highlighting the increasing share of urban population and its impact on straining the urban mobility infrastructure to the utmost 2.: Demographic Development - showing the ageing population and the stagnating population in Europe, resulting in the need for tailored mobility services 3.: Changing Consumer Behaviour - underlining the current shift in paradigm: 'usage instead of ownership', as well as the decreasing importance of the privatelyowned vehicle as a status symbol 4.: Urban Infrastructure Restrictions - presenting the impact of inner-city restrictions, such as fees for private vehicles entering the city, on mobility concepts 5.: Social Responsibility - describing the increasing need for social and environmental responsibility in the population and their influence on urban mobility. Besides this, the given MBA-Thesis further bridges the gap between scientific research and the long-term profitability of operating mobility service businesses by developing a profitability tool to reflect future business profits. Hereby, also different scenarios will be applied, to identify the relevant key drivers for profitability. Finally both, the scientific trend analysis as well as the development and application of the profitability tool, will lead to a list of concrete measures to establish sustainable business models through innovative concepts.