The Associate Professor at the Department of Strategic and International Management of The Graduate School of Management, St Petersburg University (GSOM SPbU), the Manager of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM)  project in Russia Olga Verkhovskaya took part in the plenary discussion on the “Post-COVID world and Sharing Economy” during the “Woman-Leader 2021” as part of the PIEF business program. The speech was based on the results of the GEM study which in Russia is conducted by GSOM SPbU with the support of Sber.

In her speech, the Research Advisor mentioned that the sharing economy is considered by Russian citizens as a not too risky activity that requires less resources and has insignificant “entrance barriers”. Sharing solves not only economic, social, and ecological problems due to more reasonable consumption and rational usage of resources, but also gives a choice of occupation.

Among the factors that influence the decision to choose a sharing platform as a base for a start-up:

●      Relations with somebody who has already created a joint business project;

●      Participation in entrepreneurial activities at a primary job;

●      Age — young entrepreneurs choose sharing platforms more frequently.

“Nowadays young people live in a different social and labor reality and perceive it differently. They are ready to apply for a job that brings larger income even if the level of the employer`s guarantees is quite low which is typical for platforms more frequently”, — she explained.

The hypothesis that men and experienced entrepreneurs are more inclined to work in the environment of the sharing economy was not confirmed.

“In Russia, where the levels of education of men and women are the same, the decision to work or not to work on a platform is not determined by gender. It is more likely that it can influence the activity trajectory” — Verkhovskaya explained. — “Also, previous entrepreneurial experience does not affect the decision to take part in a project that is based on a digital platform. This is another argument in favor of considering participation in the sharing economy as the beginning of an entrepreneurial path and not vice versa”.

The impact of COVID on the economies of various countries is difficult to ignore: the lockdown, reduction in the flow of tourists, supply problems that affected businesses. “Digital platforms became a facility to reorganize the business and continue working for a large number of entrepreneurs. Sharing economy became a solution for the problem” — Olga Verkhovskaya mentioned.

Also participated in the “Post-COVID world and sharing economy” discussion:

●      Irina Arkhipova, Director of External Relations and Communications Coca-Cola HBC Russia;

●      Elza Ganeeva, Deputy Director for Government Relations, Microsoft Russia;

●      Margarita Datskaya, the President of AMI Business School;

●      Elena Kirilenko, CEO of “Keleanz Medical” LLC;

●      Natalia Osetrova, CEO of “Gatchina Gardens” Regional Resort;

●      Kristina Spireva, Director of the Department for Government Relations, Head of Customer Service Development, Wildberries;

●      Olga Uskova, the Founder and President of “Cognitive Technologies”.