Introduction to HICCS-53 minitrack on crowdsourcing and the digital workforce in the gig economy

Abstract

This mini-track presents two papers in HICCS-53. We introduce them briefly below. First, digital platforms that facilitate gig work use a wide array of technologies to help match workers and positions. Many of the tasks that are completed by managers within traditional work environments are algorithmically managed on digital platforms. In their research, Jabagi, Croteau and Audebrand [6] provide a new conceptual model for understanding how workers perceive organizational support through algorithmic oversite. Their paper, titled “Perceived Organizational Support in the Face of Algorithmic Management: A Conceptual Model,” uses organizational support theory to explore the antecedents of gig work and proposes that by promoting perceptions of fairness and managing performance-based rewards, digital platforms may be perceived to provide organizational support to workers. Second, the gig economy engages workers in a wide array of industries. Some scholars are beginning to examine the differences between how gig workers are motivated across industries. In their paper, titled “What drives the drivers? A qualitative perspective on what motivates the crowd delivery workforce,” Asdecker and Zirkelbach [7] conduct qualitative interviews with 27 delivery drivers participating in a variety of digital platforms. A synthesis of these interviews is provided using the self-determination view. They find that the motivations of crowd delivery drivers differ from those expressed by gig workers participating in digital platforms that support other industries. The findings provide useful implications for understanding the variation of motivations of the digital workforce.