(Evaluation of the Airbnb Case)
PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
The purpose of this individual report is for you to understand how after widely publicized complaints of destructive guests and unreliable hosts, online apartment rental site Airbnb explores mechanisms to facilitate trust between guests and hosts. Flexible online reputation systems can collect and share information with ease, but Airbnb must decide which information guests and hosts should have to provide and how much flexibility each should have in selecting whom to do business with.
STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT
The report should not be longer than three pages. One of these three should be dedicated to the last question.
Please use the following outline for the content of your report:
1. Cover sheet (1 page) showing:
a. Author (full name)
b. Assignment Title and Date.
c. Professor Name
d. Subject
2. Essay based structured document containing the responses to the assignment questions. You may use each question as a header and to outline your written report.
3. Appendix with relevant secondary information used to build the report done by the student. Any referenced frameworks used for the preparation of the individual report – i.e., if business model/market assessment tool has been used, specific details analysis is meant to be displayed and not the framework itself so to portrait how the framework has been applied.
To help on the response to the proposed report structure you may follow the questions below to guide your report/storytelling. Note: you have the opportunity to go further and bring your creativity here.
– Is there anything Airbnb could have done to avoid the “EJ” incident? To reduce the aftermath?
– How should Airbnb further facilitate trust between renters and hosts?
– Airbnb and eBay are similar in that both companies run online marketplaces that match buyers with sellers. How should Airbnb’s reputation system differ from that of eBay?
– Critically assess Airbnb’s business model in today’s context (explicitly including all media coverage until deliverable is due) and provide an outlook of how you think it will / should evolve (please undermine your logic with clear logic, facts, links, other sources) – you may also refer to any of the readings/ concepts learned in class so-far.
