Scooterino: Ride Sharing in Rome
Due to high traffic-density and lack of convenient and cost-effective modes of transportation in Rome, scooters provided an effective mode of transportation. Oliver Page spotted an opportunity to start his own app-based ride sharing venture in Rome when he noticed most scooters are driven with an empty passenger seat. Launched in 2015, Scooterino used a mobile app to connect participating drivers with potential riders as well as received payments for the distance travelled. This new offshoot of the sharing economy was able to fly under the radar at the moment due to its advantage of size; however its growth could challenge the traditional taxi cartel in Rome, inviting regulatory hurdles. With careful planning, Scooterino could avoid legal hassles, competitive wrath, and labor and insurance problems. However with increasing competition Scooterino faced potential hurdles in its quest to scale and grow beyond a single city in Italy.
- Analyze the general nature of the sharing economy and its impact on consumption, environment, etc.
- Assess the impact of firms in the demand/sharing economy from an economic perspective of growth and job creation.
- Assess the business model to suit changing needs of Scooterino as well as the evolving regulatory, competitive, technological, labor regulations and cultural context in Italy.
- Identify marketing strategies, including social media strategies for growing its base of drivers and passengers.
- Identify and evaluate different options for growing the business in light of increasing competition and a changing global environment.
- Learn about the entrepreneurial skills needed to start a new venture in a context lacking resource munificence.