Johanna Franziska Gollnhofer

This paper explores the collective pursuit of quasi-scientific knowledge practices as a consumption activity. By comparatively analyzing focal knowledge practices in two highly-specialized consumption collectives we shed light on how consumers engage with epistemic knowledge. We thereby contribute to a better understanding of collective consumption in today's knowledge society.

Private sector platforms allow for new ways of doing business by connecting different market actors. Recently, public sector platforms have emerged that engage consumer citizens for economic and societal challenges. This paper conceptualizes such platforms, based on a thorough literature review and an empirical data collection. We provide five defining characteristics of platforms and show how private and public sector platforms differ.