On-Demand Resource Sharing Management

创新的商业模式是围绕按需获得服务和产品建立起来的，这些服务和产品是由在线平台协调的，这些平台将许多小供应商或服务提供商与许多小买家相匹配。也有由单一实体向许多小买家提供的按需商业模式。前者的一个突出例子是优步和Lyft等叫车平台，它们为独立司机和个人乘客牵线搭桥。后一种类型的一个例子是向个人用户提供短期车辆租赁的Lime和Zipcar等汽车共享服务。按需资源共享系统的有效运作将带来更高的社会福利。这项拟议的研究旨在研究各种类型的按需资源共享，每种按需资源共享都有不同的特点，需要在操作层面上进行积极管理，以便更有效地实现供需匹配。按需服务平台是将充当独立代理的员工与需要时间敏感型服务的客户联系起来的平台。这类平台的例子很多，其中包括提供交通服务的Uber和Lyft，提供送货上门服务的Insta和PostMate，以及用于家务的TaskRabbit和Handy。在按需服务平台上，笔者提出研究：司机工资和骑手价格的动态双边定价，定价与匹配的联合控制，以及价格取决于出行距离的空间定价。按需租赁网络是按需访问产品和服务的另一个重要应用，它不依赖个人提供产品和服务器，也不涉及平台的调解。相反，产品和服务由一家保留基础资源所有权的公司提供。但是，客户可以根据需要访问这些产品和服务，包括短暂的使用期。这种商业模式的一个突出例子是车辆共享(例如，共享汽车、自行车和滑板车等)，客户可以短期租赁车辆。在按需租赁网络方面，我建议研究：如何最好地重新分配资源，以缓解供需不匹配的情况，以及如何调整租赁网络的规模，以满足所需的服务水平。建议的方法包括将经济学、数学和运筹学中的经典设置应用到按需资源共享的创新业务应用中。我提出的研究预计将产生影响。首先，我希望从这项研究拨款中产生一套高质量的论文，从而更深入地理解如何在按需资源共享中有效地匹配供需。其次，我预计所获得的结果将影响当前的做法，并有可能被一些运营中的共享经济平台测试和实施，以提高其运营效率，造福社会。

Innovative business models have been built around on-demand access to services and products mediated by online platforms that match many small suppliers or service providers to many small buyers. There are also on-demand business models provided by a single entity to many small buyers. A prominent example of the former type is ride-hailing platforms such as Uber and Lyft that match independent drivers with individual riders. An example of the latter type is vehicle sharing services such as Lime and Zipcar that provide short-term vehicle rentals to individual users. Efficient operations of an on-demand resource sharing system would result in higher social welfare. This proposed study aims to study various types of on-demand resource sharing, each of which has distinguishing features and calls for active management at the operational level so to more efficiently match supply with demand. On-demand service platforms are platforms that connect workers, acting as independent agents, with customers who require a time-sensitive service. Examples of such platforms are many and include, among others, Uber and Lyft for transportation services, Instacart and Postmates for home deliveries, and TaskRabbit and Handy for household tasks. On on-demand service platforms, I propose to study: dynamic two-sided pricing of wage paid to drivers and price paid by riders, joint controls of pricing and matching, and spatial pricing with prices dependent on the travel distance. On-demand rental networks are another important application of on-demand access to products and services that does not rely on individuals for the provisioning of products and servers and does not involve the mediation of a platform. Instead, products and services are provided by a single firm that retains ownership of the underlying resources. However, customers access these products and services as needed, including for brief periods of usage. A prominent example of this business model is vehicle sharing (e.g., the sharing of cars, bikes, and scooters, among others) with vehicles available to customers for short-term rentals. On on-demand rental networks, I propose to study: how best to reposition resources to mitigate the mismatch between supply and demand, and the sizing of a rental network to meet a desired service level. The proposed methodologies involve applying classic settings in economics, mathematics, and operations research into the innovative business applications of on-demand resource sharing. My proposed research is expected to make impacts. First, I expect to have a set of high-quality papers coming out of this research grant, resulting in a deeper understanding of how to match supply and demand efficiently in on-demand resource sharing. Second, I expect the obtained results to influence the current practice and to be potentially tested and implemented by some operating sharing-economy platforms, to improve their operating efficiency for the common good of the society.