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Transforming self-perceived self-employability and entrepreneurship among mothers through mobile digital sharing economy platforms: an exploratory case study

Pi-Shen Seet (School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia)
Uma Jogulu (School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia)
Helen Cripps (School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia)
Mehran Nejati (School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia)

Personnel Review

ISSN: 0048-3486

Article publication date: 24 October 2022

Issue publication date: 2 May 2023

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Abstract

Purpose

This research focuses on the extent sharing economy transforms employability for women impacted by domestic and reproductive work. The authors explore the experience of mothers, of how digital peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms can affect their self-perceived employability and skills deterioration by unlocking human capital through technology acceptance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a pragmatism-based approach incorporating using a single-case study research design with the Gioia methodology. It utilised a semi-structured telephone survey to collect data to explore the decisions around usage of a newly developed mobile P2P app, aiming to support employability among mothers. Analysis was conducted inductively using thematic analysis and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The study finds that mothers experience high rates of continued labour market attachment on a casual or part-time basis, difficulty in juggling family and work, and high levels of concern both about future employment/entrepreneurial opportunities and expected stress in balancing dual roles of carer and earner. While mothers are interested in using new sharing economy technologies to reduce skills deterioration and improve signalling, the authors find that there were both technology and non-technology related barriers. These included trust and security, life-stage mismatch, time poverty and limitation of service offerings.

Research limitations/implications

This research was limited to mothers in one state in Australia and by the case study research design, the measurement model and the self-report nature of the data collection. Hence, the findings may lack generalisability in other contexts. It also limits the ability to make conclusions regarding causality.

Originality/value

This exploratory study contributes to research in the intersection between human resources (HR) and entrepreneurship by illustrating how sharing economy platforms can offer women a means to overcome the issues of signalling and skills deterioration in relation to aspects of human capital theory by developing new skills that may act as positive signals signal to potential employers or investors. Additionally, the social interactions between mothers, through technology adoption, can provide a basis for improving future self-employment or entrepreneurship and employability.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This paper forms part of a special section “A Different World of Work: The Sharing Economy and (In)equity, Identity and Rewards”, guest edited by Yuliani Suseno and Chris Rowley.

Funding: This research received funding from the Edith Cowan University Industry Collaboration Grant Scheme.

Citation

Seet, P.-S., Jogulu, U., Cripps, H. and Nejati, M. (2023), "Transforming self-perceived self-employability and entrepreneurship among mothers through mobile digital sharing economy platforms: an exploratory case study", Personnel Review, Vol. 52 No. 3, pp. 492-520. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-04-2019-0217

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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