From woman to woman: consumption vulnerability and responsible innovation in transport network companies

Abstract

Transport Network Companies (TNC) present challenges for women's safety during the service experience. Employing women drivers as part of Responsible Innovation (RI) can help mitigate Vulnerability of Consumption (VC) in this sector. However, women are often overlooked in research and practice of conventional transport planning. This study aims to analyse the vulnerability of female consumers of mobility applications and explore their perceptions regarding factors that affect VC and the inclusion of women drivers in the context of RI. The research utilizes a qualitative approach and a case study method, involving participant observation of mobility services and interviews with women residing in student housing affiliated with a Brazilian university. The findings indicate that Structural Factors - Social, Environmental, and Market - significantly influence the VC experienced by the women surveyed. Many participants expressed a preference for female drivers. However, the efforts to incorporate women drivers are slow and limited. Integrating RI principles is crucial for driving innovation and reducing VC.

Keywords:

• Vulnerability of Consumption
• responsible innovation
• female vulnerability
• transport network companies
• female safety

Acknowledgments

Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Leisianny Mayara Costa Silva

Leisianny Mayara Costa Silva is Doctoral student in Administration Federal University of Lavras, line of research in Strategic Management, Marketing and Innovation. Master in Administration and Rural Development Rural Federal University of Pernambuco and graduated in Administration Federal University of Paraiba. He served as a professor in higher education in the courses of Administration and Computer Science at the State University of Paraíba and as an extension fellow in the country by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, in the area of Innovation Management with small companies. Has experience in the areas of Innovation Management; Innovative systems; Business Networks; and Entrepreneurship.

Kelly Carvalho Vieira

Kelly Carvalho Vieira is Doctor and Master in Administration at the Federal University of Lavras, in the line of Strategy, Marketing and Innovation at the Federal University of Lavras and Bachelor in Publicity and Propaganda, at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais. She served as a professor at the Federal University of Viçosa, in the courses of Administration, Environmental Management and Information Systems. She has experience in the area of Publicity and Propaganda, Advertising Creation and Market Research. She researches topics related to Consumer Behavior, Information Technology Acceptance, Two-sided Platform, Urban Mobility, Autonomous Vehicles, Smart Cities. Interest in work using quantitative and experimental methods applied to consumer and market behavior.

André Grützmann

André Grützmann is Adjunct professor at the Federal University of Lavras, in the Department of Computer Science. He holds a degree in Computer Science and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Federal University of Santa Catarina and a Doctorate in Business Administration from the Federal University of Lavras. As a permanent professor in the Postgraduate Program in Administration (Academic Master’s and Doctorate) and in the Postgraduate Program in Public Administration (Professional Master’s) at Federal University of Lavras, he supervises dissertations and theses in the areas of interest of his research: Innovation ecosystems, responsible innovation, disruptive innovation, open innovation, smart mobility, Electronic participation (eParticipation), applied in public and private organizations. Since 2018 he is leader of the Research Group on Networks, Strategy and Innovation and the Governance, Technology and Innovation Laboratory. He has 20 years of professional teaching experience in higher education in Business Administration, Computer Science and Information Systems courses, among others, having held the position of course coordinator, supervised dozens of course conclusion and specialization works, in addition to dissertations and theses. In the private sector, he collaborated as a consultant and business analyst in web development projects, including as a partner-owner of a company in this segment.

Daniel Carvalho De Rezende

Daniel Carvalho De Rezende is Holds a degree in Production Engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (1997), a Master’s in Administration from the Federal University of Lavras -UFLA (2000), a PhD in Development, Agriculture and Society from the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (2004) and a postgraduate degree in -PhD in Marketing - Lancaster University (2012). He has been a visiting professor at two foreign institutions: Northern Michigan University (2011) and Lancaster University (2011-2012). He is currently an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Lavras, Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Administration and one of the leaders of the topic ‘Market Construction’ at Enanpad. Was Deputy Dean of Lato Sensu Graduate Studies at UFLA (2013-2016), Editor of the periodical Organizações Rurais e Agroindustriais (2013-2016) and Coordinator of the Center for Distance Education at UFLA (2009-2011). He works in the Marketing area, with emphasis on the following topics: cultural consumption and identity, building markets, consumption and food marketing.