The "Double-Edged Sword" Effect of Perceived Algorithmic Control on Platform Workers' Work Engagement

Area of Science:

• Management Science
• Organizational Behavior
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Algorithmic technology is increasingly used in platform enterprise management.
• Little research exists on how perceived algorithmic control affects platform workers' engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of perceived algorithmic control on platform workers' work engagement.
• To examine the mediating roles of promotion- and prevention-focused job crafting.
• To explore the moderating role of algorithmic literacy.

Main Methods:

• A "double-edged sword" model was developed based on regulatory focus theory.
• Empirical data were collected from 302 platform workers in China.
• Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS and Mplus.

Main Results:

• Perceived algorithmic control positively influences engagement via promotion-focused job crafting.
• Perceived algorithmic control negatively influences engagement via prevention-focused job crafting.
• Algorithmic literacy strengthens the positive indirect effect and weakens the negative indirect effect.

Conclusions:

• Perceived algorithmic control has a dual impact on work engagement, mediated by job crafting strategies.
• Algorithmic literacy is crucial in moderating the relationship between algorithmic control and engagement.
• Findings offer guidance for platform enterprises to optimize algorithmic management strategies.