Digital work platform: Understanding platforms, workers, clients in a service relation

Area of Science:

• Socioeconomics
• Digital Economy
• Platform Studies

Background:

• Digital economic activity has spurred scholarly interest in platforms.
• Digital work platforms are significant actors in national and global labor markets.
• Understanding these changes requires examining both work and consumption spheres.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply a service relation approach to analyze digital work platforms.
• To understand the interrelationships between platforms, workers, and clients.
• To explore the social and economic consequences of platform dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the service relation within digital platform ecosystems.
• Examination of structural and conjunctural configurations of platform, worker, and client interactions.
• Longitudinal analysis of market transformations and their impact on platform interdependencies.

Main Results:

• A service relation approach illuminates the complex web of interdependencies.
• Platform dynamics are shaped by the interconnectedness of work and consumption.
• The study identifies key structural and conjunctural factors influencing platform ecosystems.

Conclusions:

• The service relation approach provides a comprehensive framework for understanding digital platforms.
• Future research should investigate the triangular relationships between platforms, workers, and clients.
• Addressing the interplay between algorithmic and human management is crucial for future platform governance.