Platform economy puzzles: The need for a multidisciplinary perspective on gig work

Abstract

Online labour platforms such as Uber, Deliveroo and Upwork create or complicate a number of wicked problems for policy-makers, companies, workers, and society as a whole. The opportunities and challenge that these platforms create - i.e. referred to as platform economy puzzles in this edited volume - are far from monodisciplinary in nature. This calls for a multidisciplinary study into the drivers and nature of the puzzles associated with platform-enabled gig work and the implications (both desired and undesired) for societies, labour markets, public policy organisations and individuals. Accordingly, this book embarks on a perilous task by aiming to offer a multidisciplinary perspective on platform-enabled gig work and the implications (both intended as well as unintended) this has for societies, labour markets, public policy organisations and individuals.