The public sector's roles in the sharing economy and the implications for public values

Motivated by the growing significance of the sharing economy, we discuss the roles the public sector may play within the sharing economy and the corresponding implications for public values. The sharing economy represents a transformative agent for the public sector within the current landscape of digital transformation. While the public sector has so far acted mainly as a regulatory body in the sharing economy, we here discuss implications for other roles the public sector may take on, including the roles of customer, service provider, and platform provider. Framed within the context of the public value ideals (professional, efficiency, service, and engagement), we examine the opportunities and challenges of each role for the four public values. Finally, we identify areas for future research, focusing on the implications of public values for the public sector in the sharing economy. •Public sector plays different roles within the sharing economy•The concept of public values allows for a reflection on sharing economy within public sector•Our analytical framework provides a deeper understanding of these roles and potential future scenarios•We identify future research needs for public sector’s engagement in the sharing economy