Why is this important?
Moving towards platform economy is changing the way people work. Platforms enable more flexible and efficient matching of labour and tasks, provide new ways of working (e.g. Uber) and offer ways to monetize existing assets (e.g. Airbnb). Simply talking about platform entrepreneurs or gig workers leads to a narrow view of the diversity of the workers in the platforms of tomorrow.
Things to keep an eye on
Working through global platforms is a problem especially for governments: how to make sure taxation and welfare works? From the worker’s point of view the interesting question is whether it is possible to earn a decent living from a platform, or will platform economy lead to a polarization of wages: some top experts can earn huge amounts, while a majority is competing at very low salaries.
Selected articles and websites
Voices of workable futures
Independent work: Choice, necessity, and the gig economy
The situation of workers in the collaborative economy
Here’s Why The Freelancer Economy Is On The Rise