How Sustainable Development Urban Areas Is Wicked Problems...

This essay will analyse and examine how sustainable development in urban areas generates wicked problems for modern share economy businesses such as Uber and Airbnb. A wicked problem is defined as a social or cultural problem that is difficult or impossible to overcome. Some of these problems are encountered by businesses, Uber and Airbnb which are effected by complex economic, legal, political and social factors. The share economy is known as a socio-economic ecosystem built around the sharing of human and physical resources (Matofska, 2014), they are also often referred to as peer-to-peer (P2P) networks where consumers are able to connect with sellers/providers to cater to the needs and wants of both parties. Businesses in the share economy, including Uber and Airbnb can create sustainability in urban areas by giving people the opportunity to communicate more efficiently through P2P networks and by providing cheaper and more personalised experiences for customers, Uber drivers and Airbnb landlords. Although the large growth of share economy businesses within the urban space can be beneficial by providing new opportunities for a range of stakeholders, there are several challenges and complexities including the ones faced by regulatory authorities. Stakeholders are essential to any business and often include the business owners/investors, consumers, employees, the community and the government. In an urban environment, these stakeholders associated with share economy