How Do Sharing Economy Companies Grow? A Comparison of Internal and External Growth Patterns of Airbnb and Uber

When the term “sharing economy” is mentioned in the news and in recent academic papers, Airbnb and Uber are mentioned in the same breath. In 2016, these two firms are arguably the most popular and fastest-growing peer-to-peer companies in the world. This study examines the ways in which the two companies have grown since their founding. Growth is examined both externally (in terms of domestic and international market expansion) and internally (hiring for primary and support functions). Specifically, archived job postings are used to analyze how human capital requirements have changed over time, by both location and function. This research identifies the pattern and content of this growth throughout these sharing economy firms.