Unlocking the Gig Economy: Clarifying Gig Workers' Employment Status
Keywords:
Gig Economy, Entrepreneurship, Gig Workers, Uberization, Platform Work, App-Based Economy, Algorithms, Precarious WorkersAbstract
This research delves into the burgeoning gig economy, a dynamic sector that has witnessed rapid growth through digital platforms, facilitating the seamless connection between market demand and top-tier talent. While the gig economy has garnered significant attention across diverse academic disciplines, the absence of a universally accepted definition for gig work has generated considerable ambiguity surrounding the employment status of gig workers. This study embarks on a quest to shed light on the genuine status of gig workers by conducting a meticulous analysis of existing gig work literature, with a specific focus on the tech-giant Uber, which staunchly maintains that its drivers are independent contractors. Through our analysis, we posit that Uber functions as an institutional entrepreneur, and consequently, the classification of driving partners defies conventional categories of independent contractors, employees, or entrepreneurs. Rather, these individuals epitomize precarious workers, entangled in a web of fictitious freedom and autonomy, governed and monitored by algorithmic control. This investigation underscores the pressing imperative for a lucid classification system for gig workers to alleviate confusion among stakeholders operating within the dynamic landscape of the gig economy.
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