Airbnb: Scaling Safety With Rapid Growth

Authors
Beck, M., Foster, W., Kenney, C., O'Rourke, J. S. (editor
Region
North America
Topic
Strategy & General Management
Ethics & Social Justice
Length
15 pages
Keywords
crisis management
customer communication
customer relations
entrepreneurship
ethics
hospitality
social media
Copyright Holder
Notre Dame
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students

Airbnb, a rapidly growing peer-to-peer rental property platform, faces scrutiny and backlash for its actions after teenage guest, Jacob Lopez, claims to have been sexually assaulted by his host. The case discusses the struggles associated with a rapidly growing company in the sharing economy. To provide a proper framework for analysis, the case also details a brief history of Airbnb’s responses to similar previous incidents. How does Airbnb protect its guests from harm with little to no control over the behavior of its hosts? (Or, vice versa?) What communication should be implemented to respond to future incidents? 

Learning Outcomes
  1. To discuss the challenges of a rapidly growing company in the competitive sharing economy.
  2. To describe the implications of Airbnb’s business model and associated safety hazards.
  3. To outline the company’s response to similar hazardous occurrences for purposes of problem solving and communication criticism.
  4. To explore possible ethical issues and how Airbnb should proactively proceed as it continues to grow.