Sara Maric, Elke Schüßler, Laura Thäter,
"Neither Employment nor Self-Employment: Avenues Towards Functional Platform-Mediated Work Systems"
, in British Journal of Industrial Relations, 2024
Original Titel:
Neither Employment nor Self-Employment: Avenues Towards Functional Platform-Mediated Work Systems
Sprache des Titels:
Englisch
Original Kurzfassung:
Digital labour platforms are contested because they create work relationships that neither fall into the category of traditional
employment nor fulfil the criteria of freelance work due to platforms? heavy interference in the work process. Although existing
research has elucidated different pathways for improving the working conditions of platform workers, we develop an employment
relations perspective on platform-mediated work systems building on David Marsden?s theory of employment systems. On the
basis of an assessment of the psychological, economic and legal contracts underlying platform-mediated work, we discuss the
limited functionality of these contracts in their ability to control opportunism among platforms, workers and clients. Our analysis
contributes to existing debates by providing a theoretically informed framework for analysing the design of platform-mediated
work systems and their consequences for the participating parties. Our insights add nuance to the platform regulation debate
by going beyond the question of worker classification towards understanding the organizational and institutional elements of
the work system that need to be redesigned and supported by appropriate institutional safeguards. An employment systems
perspective also allows for reflection on the economic, societal, sectoral and strategic conditions that could drive such changes.
Forschungs-