Platform in manufacturing for enhancement of product value by sharing

Abstract Progress of the sharing economy requires manufacturers to reconsider product value from the viewpoint of customer value in use. To this end, this paper presents an examination of the roles of platforms in manufacturing. It also presents discussion of manufacturers’ strategies to survive in situations with various trading forms including product sales, rental or sharing services. Using a game-theoretical model, the study finds market equilibrium solutions that maximize social surplus. Results demonstrate that the user’s profit and social surplus can become greater in a sharing scenario. We discuss a conceptual model of a platform ecosystem with sharing from the perspective of value co-creation by manufacturers.