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1 – 10 of over 2000This chapter synthesizes two complementary streams in the economic thought of David M. Gordon, and explores their shared relevance to the rise of the “gig” economy in modern…
Abstract
This chapter synthesizes two complementary streams in the economic thought of David M. Gordon, and explores their shared relevance to the rise of the “gig” economy in modern economies. Gordon made lasting contributions to the radical political-economic analysis of work and employment. At the microeconomic level of individual workplaces, he and his collaborators originally explained the factors affecting employers’ labor extraction strategies, through which they seek maximum work effort from waged employees while minimizing unit labor costs. At the macroeconomic or structural level, he linked that conflictual process to the broader institutional and structural features of the overall accumulation regime which is essential to any successful incarnation of capitalism. Employment practices and social structures have evolved considerably since Gordon’s passing, but his insights are still useful in understanding the rise of, and limits to, modern work arrangements. In particular, Gordon’s dual portrayal of the parameters of labor extraction, and their positioning within a broader structural and institutional context, provides a convincing explanation of both the recent rise of gig economy practices, and their potential limits.
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Chunjiang Yang, Yashuo Chen, Xinyuan Zhao and Zhenzhen Cui
Drawing upon the social identity theory, the authors argue that professionals' career identities have a positive indirect effect on identification with on-demand organizations…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing upon the social identity theory, the authors argue that professionals' career identities have a positive indirect effect on identification with on-demand organizations through career networking behavior. In addition, the strength of these beneficial effects was also bound by extraversion and collectivism.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypothesized moderated mediation model was tested by multisource and time-lagged data about 242 Chinese accountants engaging in on-demand work.
Findings
The results demonstrated that professionals with a career identity tend to engage in career networking behaviors and identify themselves with a client company. In addition, extraverted professionals were more likely to engage in career networking behaviors, and collectivist professionals were more likely to identify with their on-demand organizations.
Practical implications
This research provides important guidelines on how managers in on-demand organizations leverage gig workers' career identities to establish deep relationships with them.
Originality/value
The authors expanded the traditional framework of identification in the setting of nontraditional work arrangements by establishing a link between career identity and organizational identification for on-demand professionals.
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Keren Caspin-Wagner, Silvia Massini and Arie Y. Lewin
This chapter discusses the phenomenon of online marketplaces for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) talent and highlights its effect on knowledge creation and…
Abstract
This chapter discusses the phenomenon of online marketplaces for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) talent and highlights its effect on knowledge creation and innovation through on-demand contract employment and problem solving of scientific challenges by online communities of experts globally. In particular, the authors discuss the key dynamics and events driving the development of the online marketplaces for innovation. Relying on data from various online platforms, including novel data from one of the world’s largest online platforms, the chapter characterizes the phenomenon, including the geographic dispersion of users and distribution of income, and discusses important implications and challenges for research and development (R&D) and innovation management in organizations. These include the need to develop new organizational and managerial capabilities, intellectual property (IP) protection issues, the ability of balancing internal and external innovation processes, and implications on the changing identity of R&D workers.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore Finns’ labor market development predictions for the next ten years and shed light on preferred policy responses to the digital economy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore Finns’ labor market development predictions for the next ten years and shed light on preferred policy responses to the digital economy.
Design/methodology/approach
Nationally representative survey data employed in this paper were collected in autumn 2017. The data collection utilized a multiphase sampling, and the interviews (n=1004) were carried out on telephone to minimize selection-bias and produce demographically balanced data.
Findings
Over two-thirds (71 percent) of Finns do not expect technological unemployment to constitute a permanent problem in the digital economy. Nevertheless, 74 percent assume that technological unemployment will increase at least temporarily. A considerable majority (85 percent) also believe that future jobs will be more precarious. Younger generations, despite their currently weak position in the labor market, are surprisingly more optimistic in their predictions. Analysis of preferred policy responses support this paper’s main thesis that the Finnish view on the future of work is rather optimistic: education reforms and streamlining the current social security gather dedicated support, whereas more unconventional ideas such as basic income or work-sharing remain contested.
Originality/value
To predict possible barriers to labor mobility stemming from digital economy discourses and to anticipate possible political fluctuations, studies on the public view are needed. This research aims to provide a solid framework for further comparative explorations of the public view.
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RDF needed a system that could quickly generate tailored employment contracts on demand and let employees update their own data in a secure environment. The HR team wanted to free…
Abstract
RDF needed a system that could quickly generate tailored employment contracts on demand and let employees update their own data in a secure environment. The HR team wanted to free up time spent on paper‐based administration and create the ability to view up‐to‐date personnel records that remote employees can amend even while away filming on location.
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Sedigheh Moghavvemi, Lee Su Teng and Huda Mahmoud
To manage workers in the gig economy, we must understand the various types of gig workers and how they perform. This chapter focuses on the many types of gig workers and how…
Abstract
To manage workers in the gig economy, we must understand the various types of gig workers and how they perform. This chapter focuses on the many types of gig workers and how professional gig workers overlap with knowledge workers in the knowledge economy. The chapter will next go through the distinctions between the gig economy and the talent economy. This chapter will finish by examining the informal economy and its relationship to the gig economy.
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Dinara Davlembayeva, Savvas Papagiannidis and Eleftherios Alamanos
The sharing economy is a socio-economic system in which individuals acquire and distribute goods and services among each other for free or for compensation through internet…
Abstract
Purpose
The sharing economy is a socio-economic system in which individuals acquire and distribute goods and services among each other for free or for compensation through internet platforms. The sharing economy has attracted the interest of the academic community, which examined the phenomenon from the economic, social and technological perspectives. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
Given the lack of an overarching analysis of the sharing economy, this paper employs a quantitative content analysis approach to explore and synthesise relevant findings to facilitate the understanding of this emerging phenomenon.
Findings
The paper identified and grouped findings under four themes, namely: collaborative consumption practices, resources, drivers of user engagement and impacts, each of which is discussed in relation to the three main themes, aiming to compare findings and then put forward an agenda for further research.
Originality/value
The paper offers a balanced analysis of the building blocks of the sharing economy, to identify emerging themes within each stream, to discuss any contextual differences from a multi-stakeholder perspective and to propose directions for future studies.
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Richard Dickens, Stephen Machin and Alan Manning
Presents a theoretical approach to analysing the effects of minimumwages on employment which is intended to conform more with thefunctioning of actual labour markets than do other…
Abstract
Presents a theoretical approach to analysing the effects of minimum wages on employment which is intended to conform more with the functioning of actual labour markets than do other popular models traditionally used to analyse the likely effects of minimum wages on employment. The model has the desirable property of not only allowing for the negative effect predicted by conventional models, but also permiting a non‐negative impact which is consistent with several recent empirical pieces of work. Examines the employment effects of the industry‐level system of minimum wages which operated in the UK until September 1993. Results reported are not in line with the orthodox model as they suggest a neutral or positive impact of Wages Council minimum wages on employment between 1978 and 1990.
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The market equilibrium model predicts that the supply and demand schedules of labor to an industry will cross at a level at which labor receives the value of its marginal product…
Abstract
The market equilibrium model predicts that the supply and demand schedules of labor to an industry will cross at a level at which labor receives the value of its marginal product as contributed to the output produced. The imposition of an effective minimum wage in that industry creates a price floor for labor which will reduce employment as it promotes incentives to substitute capital for labor and/or workers with higher marginal productivity for those with lower skill and lower marginal productivity. This means in effect that it will lead employers to eliminate less productive jobs. Teenagers (youths 16–19 years old) with little training or work‐experience may be priced out of the market because they are not “worth” (in terms of productivity) the minimum wage.