THE OPERATIONAL COHERENCE OF THE WORKFORCE-AS-A-SERVICE PATTERN: DIGITALLY MEDIATED SERVICE WORK, THE CONTINGENCY OF ON-DEMAND EMPLOYMENT, AND THE LOW-INCOME LABOR MARKET
THE OPERATIONAL COHERENCE OF THE WORKFORCE-AS-A-SERVICE PATTERN: DIGITALLY MEDIATED SERVICE WORK, THE CONTINGENCY OF ON-DEMAND EMPLOYMENT, AND THE LOW-INCOME LABOR MARKET

Summary/Abstract: This article reviews recent literature (e.g. Healy, Nicholson, and Pekarek, 2017; Prassl, 2018; Shapiro, 2018; van Doorn, 2017) concerning the business patterns and human resource routines of platform firms. Using data from ADP, BloombergView, BLS, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Intuit and Emergent Research (Gig), Pew Research Center, Rand–Princeton Contingent Worker Survey, and Recode, we performed analyses and made estimates regarding the percentage of U.S. adults in each group who have earned money in the last year by using digital work or task platforms, or selling something online, the number of employees by job sector, the number of U.S. employees interested in complete flexibility (by age), the percentage of the employed in alternative work arrangements, and the percentage of all U.S. workers who are either self-employed or hold multiple jobs. Empirical and secondary data are employed to support the claim that what is coherent to workers is influenced by a moral awareness that algorithmic management is immoderately cryptic and companies indifferent.

• Details
• Contents