Challenges of platform employment development in BRICS countries

Abstract

The paper seeks to evaluate the state of development of platform employment in the BRICS countries under the influence of digital transformation of the economy and society and identify common challenges that the countries face in this area. The study of the national regulatory frameworks and statistical data from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa allowed the authors to pinpoint the main trends in the platform employment development, identify its ‘bottlenecks’ caused by the lack of common understanding of the phenomenon, create socio-demographic portrait of the platform worker and address the issues pertaining to collective representation of the workers’ interests with a focus on social partnership. The research has taken into account specific traits of the BRICS countries and so its findings and proposals can be used for flexible regulation of their platforms aiming to achieve a balance of interests of the government, business and workers.