The Influence of Platform Crisis Management on Airbnb Hosts’ Exit Intention: A Social Exchange Perspective

This study aims to explore Airbnb hosts’ perceptions of the crisis management strategies implemented by the platforms and how these perceptions influence their intentions to exit from Airbnb. A conceptual model that illustrates a social exchange mechanism between platform and Airbnb hosts within a crisis context was developed and tested using structural equation modeling. The findings of the study highlight that hosts’ perceptions are shaped through four critical perspectives: supportive climate, interpersonal justice, information justice, and crisis responsibility. These perspectives significantly impact hosts’ trust in the platform, which drives their exit intention. This study further examined the moderating effect of host types—real estate investors, capitalist hosts, and befrienders. The results revealed distinct patterns in how their perceptions of crisis management influenced trust in the platform and exit intention across host types. The findings contribute to theoretical expansion of crisis studies within platform-service providers dynamics and provide actionable insights for strengthening platform resilience in the face of future disruption.