Uber and the Ethics of Sharing

    Case #2: Uber and the Ethics of Sharing The Uber case is about the dominant company in the fast-growing rideshare business. The company's founders intended to disrupt the taxi industry by combining new technologies with a network of independent drivers using their own vehicles. In its rapid global expansion efforts, Uber gained a reputation for ignoring local transportation regulations--creating passionate reactions from traditional transportation companies, and legal retaliation from governments. Uber's rationale has been that it simply provides an innovative new platform connecting riders with owner/drivers which creates greater consumer value in the marketplace. Uber has recently seen revolts among its driver corps demanding more fair treatment and better compensation. While still not profitable, the now-public company has a market value of $85 billion as investors are betting that Uber will be able to ultimately overcome its regulatory and ethical challenges. It is your task to summarize the Uber situation, identify some key problems, and offer your recommendations for resolving these issues. Your written response in this Discussion Assignment should address the following questions: How should the "sharing economy" be defined? How is Uber an example of the sharing economy? (Explain your discuss) Who are the winners and losers from the introduction of the Uber business model? (Be very specific) What do you think about how Uber has acted with government regulators thus far? Is it acceptable for Uber to violate local laws if it truly provides better service and value than taxis? (Justify your position) Why is it important to Uber that it be considered a "technology platform" and not a "transportation company?" What would be the implications if Uber were ruled to be a "transportation company?" (Be specific)