Title: The promise of coworking environments: a content analysis of the positioning of collaborative workspaces in Amsterdam

Authors: Victor Cabral; Willem Van Winden

Addresses: Centre for Applied Research on Economics and Management, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Wibautstraat 3B, 1091 GH Amsterdam, The Netherlands ' Centre for Applied Research on Economics and Management, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Wibautstraat 3B, 1091 GH Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract: The emergence of collaborative workspaces is a remarkable feature of contemporary cities. These spaces have appeared rapidly, catering for the locational needs of self-employed workers, start-ups and small-size companies. The objective of this paper is to provide an analysis of four categories of collaborative workspaces (accelerators, incubators, coworking spaces and FabLabs). For the case of Amsterdam, we conducted a website content analysis to assess how these spaces position and present themselves towards potential users. The empirical evidence shows that these spaces promise a variety of benefits, ranging from business development to access to social networks. This diversity illustrates the emergence of distinct work settings in an economic environment characterised by the need to work in a social environment that at the same time stimulates networking and collaboration.

Keywords: collaborative workspaces; positioning; collaboration; business benefits; accelerators; incubators; coworking spaces; FabLabs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2020.107804

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2020 Vol.40 No.3, pp.399 - 423

Received: 27 Feb 2018
Accepted: 23 May 2018
Published online: 22 Jun 2020 *

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