On-Demand Resource Sharing Management

围绕着按需获得服务和产品建立了创新的商业模式，这些服务和产品由在线平台介导，使许多小供应商或服务提供商与许多小买家相匹配。也有按需商业模式，由一个实体提供给许多小买家。前一种类型的一个突出例子是Uber和Lyft等叫车平台，它们将独立司机与个人乘客相匹配。后一种类型的一个例子是车辆共享服务，如Lime和Zipcar，它们向个人用户提供短期车辆租赁。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，每一种都有其独特的特点，并要求在业务层面进行积极的管理，以便更有效地匹配供需。按需服务平台是将作为独立代理的工作人员与需要时间敏感服务的客户联系起来的平台。此类平台的例子很多，包括用于运输服务的Uber和Lyft，用于送货上门的Instacart和Postmates，以及用于家务的TaskRabbit和Handy。在按需服务平台方面，笔者提出了研究方向：司机工资与乘客价格的动态双边定价、定价与匹配的联合控制、价格与出行距离相关的空间定价。按需租赁网络是按需访问产品和服务的另一个重要应用，它不依赖于个人提供产品和服务器，也不涉及平台的中介。相反，产品和服务是由一家公司提供的，该公司保留了对基础资源的所有权。然而，客户可以根据需要访问这些产品和服务，包括短暂的使用。这种商业模式的一个突出例子是车辆共享（例如，共享汽车、自行车和小型摩托车等）与可供客户短期租赁的车辆。关于按需租赁网络，我建议研究：如何最好地重新定位资源，以减轻供需之间的不匹配，以及租赁网络的规模，以满足期望的服务水平。所提出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。我所提出的研究有望产生影响。首先，我希望有一套高质量的论文出来的这个研究基金，从而更深入地了解如何匹配供应和需求有效地按需资源共享。其次，我希望所获得的结果能够影响当前的实践，并被一些运营的共享经济平台所测试和实施，以提高其运营效率，为社会的共同利益服务。

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.