Assessment Context

The growth of sharing economy services has been led by technological development, an awareness of reducing ecological impacts, and change in attitudes toward product ownership and the demands for social networks. Research on the motivations of the sharing economy help facilitate a better understanding of users' decision-making processes.

For the purposes of this assignment, you are engaged as a consultant to Pentax, one of Japan's longest-established photographic equipment manufacturers. During the company's heyday of the 60's, 70's and 80's, Pentax was widely regarded for producing a number of class-leading innovations. However, since the 90's the company has consistently lost market share to its major competitors Canon and Nikon and to new entrants such as Sony. Several third-party lens manufacturers, such as Sigma and Tamron, have deserted Pentax, further weakening the company's sales position.

Pentax is owned by Ricoh, a conglomerate that is probably better known for making photocopiers. As such, business leasing models are very well understood by the parent company. Ricoh continues to support the Pentax brand, even in these tough times.

A new professional "flagship" camera, the K3-III, is scheduled to launch in early 2021. Following an impromptu meeting with a senior executive, you have been asked to explore the concept of the Sharing Economy as a potential business opportunity to increase the sales of the new camera.

The Assessment Task

This assignment comprises two main deliverables, a Literature Review and a Concept of Operations. These two parts are to be joined into a single, professional report by appropriate linking text.

1. Conduct a literature review on the factors promoting and inhibiting participation in the Sharing Economy. Discuss the key concepts of Materialism and Planned Behaviour in the context of consumer goods. Your research should cover the company's key markets of Japan and the USA and at least one emerging market, such as India. You may draw on relevant non-academic as well as academic sources to support your discussion, providing those sources are sufficiently authoritative. (60% of wordcount)

1. Develop an outline concept of operations for the new business unit. Which market would you launch in first, and why? (40% of wordcount).