By Soham Sonar

Under the Guidance of : Harshada Abhyankar , Samapika Nayak

This study examines why modern consumers are shifting from permanent ownership to access-based services in the growing sharing economy. While earlier theories described this transition as a trust-based cultural evolution, this research argues that economic pressures are the real driving force. Using primary data from 103 urban consumers and analyzing it through a PLS-SEM framework, the study found that Trust was statistically insignificant, whereas Economic Utility emerged as the strongest predictor of consumer behavior. Sustainability was also significant but appeared more as a psychological justification than a primary motivation. Despite increasing reliance on shared services, consumers still showed a strong emotional attachment to ownership, revealing a “Forced Transition” where economic conditions push people away from owning assets. The study concludes that the move toward access-based consumption is less a voluntary lifestyle change and more a reluctant economic compromise.

https://shodheco.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/final-research-paper-1.pdf