Breaking the managerial silencing of worker voice in platform capitalism: the rise of a food courier network

Kougiannou, N ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6422-3831 and Mendonca, P ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7035-6246, 2021. Breaking the managerial silencing of worker voice in platform capitalism: the rise of a food courier network. British Journal of Management, 32 (3), pp. 744-759. ISSN 1045-3172

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

This paper examines food couriers’ utilization of voice mechanisms as mobilization against employer silencing within platform capitalism. The concepts of ‘worker silence’ and ‘worker voice’ are used to facilitate an understanding of the way in which workers respond to workplace problems, as well as their capacity to respond within this specific context. Findings illustrate the role of technology as a facilitator but also inhibitor of worker voice. In particular, online food delivery companies’ over-reliance on algorithmic management and their online app drove couriers to silence. However, in reaction to managerial silencing, we show that couriers are not passive recipients of forces beyond their control, and attempt to explore new trajectories and modes of voice in order to influence their working conditions. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Item Type: Journal article
Publication Title: British Journal of Management
Creators: Kougiannou, N. and Mendonca, P.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: July 2021
Volume: 32
Number: 3
ISSN: 1045-3172
Identifiers:
Number
Type
10.1111/1467-8551.12505
DOI
1433502
Other
Divisions: Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by: Linda Sullivan
Date Added: 22 Apr 2021 15:50
Last Modified: 14 Mar 2022 14:31
URI: https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/42751

Actions (login required)

Edit View Edit View

Statistics

Views

Views per month over past year

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year