Summaries
Your analysis of the Uber concept should be based on the three source materials included in the exam question. In what follows, we will provide you with summaries of the three sources.
What is Uber and what should I think about the controversies?
- Author: Telegraph Reporters
- Genre: Article
- Year of Publication: 2016
The article presents what Uber is, how it functions, and some of the issues it raises.
According to the article, Uber developed as a smartphone app linking drivers with passengers. Today the car driving service is available 440 cities all over the world. To use the service, passengers have to create an account on the app in which their bank details are given. Uber drivers are not employees, but freelance contractors who get a share of the drive fare.
The most important issues with the service are related to the status of the drivers, and unfair competition.
Taxi drivers and companies complain that Uber takes away their customers but does not respect the same regulations as other taxi services.
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Why Uber Is So Controversial
- Author: Paul Gil (Lifewire)
- Genre: Article
- Year of Publication: 2016
The article presents Uber as a ridesharing service, which offers services similar to taxi companies, but evades many of the rules and regulations that regular taxi drivers and companies need to comply with.
The article presents a list of the main issues with Uber services. Uber drivers are hated by regular taxi drivers due to what they perceive as unfair competition.
Uber regularly offers smaller fares than regular taxi services. This is a result of the fact that Uber is a virtual company and consequently has low maintenance costs.
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Uber's rise to prominence
- Author: CBS News
- Genre: News video
- Year of Publication: 2015
In the news video, the anchors discuss an article from Fast Company Magazine about Uber’s rise, with the editor of the magazine, Robert Safian.
Safian explains that the article focuses on Uber’s CEO and tries to offer the public a more comprehensive portrait of the man behind the company and his intentions.
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