The future of consumer mobility: A conceptual framework and empirical evidence from mobility innovations

Liu, Ruichun

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129732 Copy

Description

Title

The future of consumer mobility: A conceptual framework and empirical evidence from mobility innovations

Author(s)

Liu, Ruichun

Issue Date

2025-04-29

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

• Rindfleisch, Aric
• Narang, Unnati

Committee Member(s)

• Liu, Yunchuan
• McCarthy, Daniel

Department of Study

Business Administration

Discipline

Business Administration

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Consumer Mobility
• Mobility Innovations
• Shared Mobility
• Autonomous Mobility
• Future of Mobility

Abstract

Consumer mobility is undergoing a profound transformation due to technological developments and emerging business models. As new forms of transportation reshape how consumers move, it becomes critical to understand the implications of these changes. This dissertation examines consumer mobility from two perspectives: a conceptual framework for categorizing mobility models and an empirical investigation of the impact of shared e-scooters. Together, these chapters contribute to the growing literature on consumer mobility. The first chapter develops a typology of consumer mobility by classifying consumer mobility along two key dimensions: (1) Ownership Model (Shared vs. Owned) and (2) Automation Level (Autonomous vs. Traditional). Traditional modes of transportation, such as private car ownership and public transit, are no longer the default, as consumers increasingly adopt shared and automated mobility solutions. I propose a typology that categorizes consumer mobility along two key dimensions: ownership structure (shared vs. owned) and automation level (traditional vs. autonomous). Based on this framework, I identify four distinct types of consumer mobility. Each type of consumer mobility reflects different patterns of consumption and interaction with transportation services. Finally, I discuss the theoretical and practical implications of this typology and explore the relationship between consumers and transportation technologies. The second chapter empirically examines the impacts of shared e-scooters on shared mobility and consumer safety. While e-scooters can offer several benefits (e.g., higher mobility, equitable access), they can also have potential downsides (e.g., risk of injury, reckless behavior). Research on micromobility in marketing shows that e-scooters boost restaurant spending, but it does not examine their effects on important economic and societal outcomes beyond the food sector. Similarly, research on the sharing economy rarely focuses on micromobility services or on demand interactions between shared platforms. Therefore, this chapter examines the effects of the entry of e-scooters on other incumbent shared mobility services in the sharing economy (i.e., ridesharing and bikesharing) and on overall consumer safety (i.e., crimes and crashes). Using the entry of e-scooters in parts of Chicago in 2019 and a difference-in-differences analysis with propensity score matching, this chapter reveals a dual effect of e-scooters. First, the entry of e-scooters increases the number of short rideshare trips by 4.79\%, but decreases the number of bikeshare trips by 13.53\%. The results on the complementary effect for ridesharing and the substitution effect for bikesharing can be explained by e-scooters' relative advantages and disadvantages, depending on the timing and type of usage. Second, the entry of e-scooters increases the number of crimes (e.g., vehicle break-ins) by 9.78\% and crashes (e.g., bike crash) by 56.23\%. The increase in crimes and crashes is explained by street and vehicle crimes, and by crashes involving micromobility vehicles. Importantly, the effects are heterogeneous and asymmetric by the age and racial composition of a neighborhood. Overall, e-scooters contribute about \$4.7 million in ridesharing revenues but they also have an unintended negative environmental effect amounting to about 510 metric ton carbon emissions per year. This chapter offers key implications and includes an app companion for stakeholders. The third chapter concludes the first two chapters and extends the dissertation by identifying three forces shaping the future of consumer mobility: trust in automation, mobility platformization, and equity in access. The chapter also proposes a research agenda on how consumers engage with mobility systems and how these systems influence marketing and public policy. Together, three chapters offer a comprehensive perspective on the transformation of consumer mobility. This dissertation combines conceptual and empirical approaches to examine consumer mobility's economic, social, and policy implications. This dissertation contributes to a deeper understanding of how mobility innovations reshape the future of consumer mobility.

Graduation Semester

2025-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129732

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 Ruichun Liu

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